Duterte claims he has delivered on all his promises but one
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte claimed to have delivered on all his campaign promises except easing the traffic congestion in EDSA, a problem that he blamed on Congress' refusal to grant him "extraordinary" powers.
Duterte said that unlike former President Fidel Ramos, who was given special authority to solve the country's electricity woes, he was not granted extraordinary powers by lawmakers to solve Edsa's traffic problem.
"Wala akong pangako na hindi ko natupad except 'yang EDSA (I did not make promises I did not keep except solving the traffic woes in EDSA)," Duterte said during a campaign sortie of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan in Laguna last Saturday.
Duterte lamented that the proposal to grant him emergency powers was met with suspicion by critics who believe it would be prone to corruption.
"I did not say there will be no bidding. I said I would need money to repair or rehabilitate or do away with the present situation. Others said, 'Let us give Duterte the power, extraordinary power.' You did not hear that from my mouth, not even once," the president said.
"What did I hear from Congress? They were not in favor of it. 'It cannot be done, you know, graft and corruption will be committed,' When I heard that, I said 'No, take it away from the table. I do not want it.' If you talk about corruption, son of a b****, I would leave that to you," he added.
The Transportation department has asked Congress to grant the Duterte administration three-year emergency power to address the traffic problem. It has also submitted to Congress a list of road rail, and air projects intended to ease traffic congestion. A proposed Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act was also filed to enable the government to undertake projects through direct contracting, repeat order and direct negotiation and to fast-track the procurement process.
Last September, Duterte said he would just leave the EDSA traffic congestion as it is because Congress refused to give him emergency powers.
Other vows accomplished?
While Duterte admitted he could not do anything to end the traffic woes, he claimed that his other promises have been fulfilled. He said he has fired several officials tagged in corruption and has intensified the war on illegal drugs to make the country's streets safe.
But there have been instances when the president expressed frustration over the corruption and drug problems plaguing the country.
In 2016, Duterte vowed to end the drug menace within the first six months of his term but later on admitted he could not do so because of the involvement of several officials in the narcotics trade. Last October, Duterte revealed he had offered to resign during a military command conference because he could not run after all corrupt officials.
Duterte noted that measures on free tuition and universal health care have been signed into law. He also cited the pay hike of soldiers and policemen and the continuation of the conditional cash transfer program, an initiative that he said was funded by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.
"Ano pa naman gusto (What more do you want)?" the president said.
Duterte has also promised a shift to federalism but Congress has yet to pass a bill amending the Constitution and changing the form of government.
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