'Tumba ka': Duterte says he outclassed his father who had low regard of him

MANILA, Philippines — Look at me. I have outdone you. 

This was President Rodrigo Duterte's message to his late father Vicente, who once told him he would not go far because of his mediocre performance as a student. 

Speaking during a campaign rally last Tuesday in Malabon, the 74-year old president said his father was pessimistic about his future because of his easy-going attitude. 

"Pag magsabi ang Bisaya, ganun lang siya, 'Do, hanggang pantalan ka lang.' Ibig sabihin lalaki ka na wala kang tinapos tapos hanggang diyan ka lang (In Visayan, there is an idiom. If they tell you, 'You won't go beyond the port,' that means you're a man who failed to finish your studies so you won't go far)," Duterte said.

"Pantalan, tig-karga ng mga sako. So sabi niya, 'Yan, 'yan ang dapat sa iyo.' Sabi ko sa papa ko na, 'Sige lang pa. Basta bayaran lang ako por karga, okay na man sa akin' (He told me, 'You will end up carrying sacks in the port. That's what you deserve,' I told him 'Father, it's okay as long as they pay me for every sack I carry)," he added. 

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Duterte said his father, a former governor of Davao, thought he was a hopeless case. He admitted he would rather hang out with his friends and drink beer than study. 

"Pero ang tatay ko talaga, namatay 'yon, ang tingin niya wala na ako — wala talaga akong pag-asa... Kaya wala siyang magandang tingin sa akin. Parang ini-ignore niya (My father died thinking I was hopeless. He did not view me positively. He just ignored me)," the president said. 

"Kaya sabi ko ngayon (Now I can say), I'm sorry but ah... Pero ngayon, kung makita mo ako, tumba ka. Eh governor ka lang diyan (If you can look at me now, you are outclassed. You were just a governor)," he added. 

Duterte said his mother Soledad was also worried about his grades, which usually averaged 75, a barely passing mark.  

"I have been getting 75 since grade 1. My mother was a teacher. She was even named supervisor. But all throughout, I just got 75, 76, 75. My mother told me: 'What are we going to do with this, son?'" the president said. 
 
"I said: 'It's okay ma. If you give me 78, what would I do with the excess grade? I only need 75 to go to the stage. Why ask me to exert effort to get a 90? How many hours do I need to spend studying? I did not want to study," he added. 

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Duterte, who won by landslide in 2016, noted that his Cabinet members, who excelled in academics, are now taking orders from someone who was used to getting 75.
 
"Do not pressure your children. Others hurt their children. I said 75 is okay. Duterte style," he said.