Duterte wishes his mother saw him become president

Pia Ranada

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Duterte wishes his mother saw him become president

Karl Norman I. Alonzo

During an event commemorating Women's Month, President Duterte recalls the sacrifices of his mother, the late Soledad Roa Duterte

MANILA, Philippines – During a gathering of pro-Duterte women on the last day of March, Women’s Month, President Rodrigo Duterte recalled the sacrifices of one particular woman in his life: his mother, Soledad Roa Duterte.

The 72-year-old Duterte regretted that his mother never got to see her difficult son become President of the Philippines. (READ: Rody Duterte: The rebellious son, the prankster brother)

“I finished high school [in] 7 years. Kung saan-saan ako. But my sorrow really is that makita lang naman niya sana ako naging presidente,” he said during the “Digong’s Day for Women” event on Palace grounds on Friday, March 31.

(I finished high school in 7 years, in various places. But my sorrow really is that she didn’t even see me become president.)

In jest, he added: “But, of course, alam ko na hindi rin siya maniwala (I know she’d never believe it). Eh pati nga ako eh (Even I didn’t).”

HONOR THY MOTHER. An old photo shows Rodrigo Duterte paying respect to his mother Soledad Roa Duterte. Photo by Rene Lumawag from Davao City government

Duterte recalled how hard his mother’s life had become after his father, Vicente Duterte, died at the age of 56, leaving Soledad to take care of her 5 children.

Soledad, or Nanay Soling as she was called in Davao City, even had nervous breakdowns after her husband’s death.

“What was worse is my mother had a nervous breakdown. She was sleeping always for one year and we incurred a lot of debts, but when she finally recovered, she had to look for the money to send us to school,” said Duterte.

At the time, the President was a student at the San Beda College of Law. Realizing that his mother may be hard up on money to pay for his Manila schooling, he told his mother he would just study law in Davao City. Nanay Soling, however, supposedly told her son not to worry about expenses.

“The sacrifices that she has to endure because she was working for all of us. That is why – I am not trying to marginalize my father – but I’ve always been close to my mother; she was the one who stood by me,” said Duterte.

If he died, Duterte said he would gladly give away his plot of land at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, preferring to be cremated and placed beside the urn holding his mother’s ashes. Soledad died in 2012 at the age of 95.

On election day, May 10, 2016, after Duterte realizied that he had won the presidency, he cried at his parents’ grave. He returned there only in  February to commemorate Nanay Soling’s death. When he was mayor, he was known to visit his parents’ grave whenever he had to make difficult decisions.

Duterte said his election as president proves his mother’s sacrifice and belief in him did not go to waste.

“It was my mother na who had faith in me at hindi siya nagkamali. Though 75, 75 lang pero dumating naman ako sa lugar na ito, okay man pala,” said the President in jest.

(It was my mother who had faith in me and she wasn’t wrong. Though I was just a 75 student, I was able to reach this position, so it turned out okay.)

Aside from being the strong mother of a Davao City mayor and Philippine president, Soledad continues to be regarded as among the city’s most respected philanthropists and an activist who fought the Marcos dictatorship. – Rappler.com

 

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.