Duterte carrying out promises, says senator

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian. Nestor Corrales/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY—The high approval rating of President Duterte’s first 100 days is an affirmation that he is delivering on his campaign promises,
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said on Friday.

But while the President is succeeding in his war on crime and drugs, an improved foreign policy is needed and action should be taken against extrajudicial killings, Gatchalian said.

The President has been very transparent from Day 1 on his main agenda, said Gatchalian, who was here for the National Hospitality and Tourism Management Convention.

Mr. Duterte did not pretend that he could solve every single problem of this country, the senator pointed out.

“We are seeing a lot of concrete results on the ground when it comes to the peace and order situation of the country, and the most important to me is the opinion of the ordinary Filipino,” Gatchalian said.

A Social Weather Station survey released on Thursday showed 76 percent of respondents were satisfied with the ongoing war against illegal drugs, with only 8 percent dissatisfied.

The survey revealed that 83 percent of respondents mentioned that the administration’s antidrug war “does not discriminate by class.”

Foreign policy balance

But Gatchalian said the President needed to improve his foreign policy balance, and his relationship with other foreign leaders.

“Filipinos will understand his language, but the entire world might not, and that will affect all of us,” he said.

Gatchalian said that while he supported the President’s desire to have an independent foreign police, balance was needed.

The Philippines is a very small country and its economy is not that big so any support it gets from different partners should be welcome, he said.

The senator also stressed the need to curb extrajudicial killings, saying it was creating a negative perception of the country abroad and among tourists.

It is very important to manage all this negative publicity, he said.