Mayor Digong Duterte minus the vulgarity and cursing

Many Filipinos and other people do love Mayor Digong Duterte not because he talks tough and talks "may kabastosan" but because he has the reputation of being a man of action. He has a track record of concrete accomplishments. He disciplines people and tells them to their face that those who commit crimes, those who create disorder and sow terror should be neutralized, whatever that means. The mayor calls a spade a spade. He does not mince words. He is not self-righteous. He does not hide his ''sins''. He makes people feel uncomfortable because, unlike many of them, Mayor Digong admits his vices, be they about women or about his solutions to many social ills.

Well, this writer also likes Duterte and wishes that he wins in next year's elections. But certainly, we do not want him to utter expletives via national television, and say many unprintable things. If he wants to be elected, he should never deride the Pope who is very well-loved and even revered by Filipinos, especially the Catholics. Mayor Duterte should be reminded to be more careful about what comes out of his mouth. He should temper his language and do less of those very adversarial, confrontational and often abrasive words and vulgar language. He might have lost thousands of votes and turned off many admiirers by those snide remarks about the effects of the last papal visit to our traffic.

The advisers of Mayor Duterte should gently remind the good candidate that most Filipinos do not relish hearing such vulgar words that he usually utters while being interviewed over the television. That kind of language would usually work well among the ''hoi polloi'', among the drinkers of tuba and other wines and alcoholic drinks. The good mayor should project a more pleasant and positive image. The statements of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president, Archbishop Soc Villegas, should be taken by Mayor Duterte more positively, as a form of constructive criticism. The mayor should not hit back by attacking the Catholic Church, the biggest voting block here in the Philippines.

Mayor Digong Duterte should stick to the issues. He should never use ''argumentum ad hominem'', which means arguing on the basis of personalities rather than on platforms, or on principles. If a prominent personality like Cardinal Soc Villegas calls attention to some issues on the alleged neutralization of prominent  personalities, then someone should stand behind  Duterte and softly whispher to him to temper his  language if he had a grievance against Ateneo de Davao, let him raise that against Ateneo not against the whole Church. Ateneo is not the Church. He should perhaps start behaving like a statesman and start talking diplomatically. He should be more patient and act presidential even if most of the times he loses his temper. Temperance is one trait of a good leader.

The people love the pope and if he wants to be voted upon, he should avoid hitting below the belt some very important personalities. His closest advisers, including vice presidential bet, Allan Peter Cayetano and PDP Laban Head Nene Pimentel and his son Coco Pimentel, should talk with Mayor Digong heart to heart. By making those curses and being very brutally frank to the extent of uttering unprintables, he has lost millions of votes. Even my wife is having second thoughts. But I am firmly committed to his candidacy no matter what happens. I truly believe that his leadership style is best suited to solve the country's maladies. He is still the best to me, but he should temper his words and restrain himself.

Between some bishops who are mostly NATO (No Action, Talk Only ) and Mayor Digong, I will place my stakes on the action man. Faith without action is dead. But action without faith is heresy. I would counsel him however that he is already leading the race, and he does not need to step on some peoples' toes. He does not have to ruffle feelings and rub people the wrong way. The presidency is already almost one hundred per cent his. But if he keeps on cursing, if he does not restrain himself, and if he keeps on antagonizing people, he may just bungle it. Sayang. What matters most now is to talk and act presidential and stay on course. He is almost there and he does not need to let the cookie crumble just like that. Usik kaayo. Panahon na unta sa mga Bisaya.