DAVAO CITY, Philippines – At exactly 12 noon on Thursday, June 30, Rodrigo Duterte ended his two decades of service as Davao City mayor and began his 6-year term as the 16^th president of the Philippines.

In Davao, as in Manila, inauguration day was not declared a holiday. But the few public activities – a rally in a park beside the city hall and a small viewing party at the market – would not give you a full picture of how his constituents feel about Duterte leaving Davao.

It’s a regular working day for employees here at Davao City Hall #PresidentDuterte @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/KNa8G9Av3B

— Patty Pasion (@pattypasion) June 30, 2016

It’s a sunny morning here in Davao City on the day of their mayor-turned-president’s inauguration @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/H4YzKt9Pl6

— Patty Pasion (@pattypasion) June 30, 2016

Resident Lucita Magsayon wasn’t able to hold her tears as she shared her excitement about Duterte becoming president: “Nakaiyak man kami, ewan ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala.” (We can’t help but cry, I don’t know. It feels surreal.)

Magsayon said she would miss Duterte because he was a very kind and helpful man despite the tough image he portrayed.

“[Mami-miss ko] ‘yung ugali niya. Matulungin kahit matapang. Kahit magmura-mura siya, mabait siya,” she said. (I will miss his conduct. He’s helpful even if he is tough. And even if he curses, he is kind.)

60-year-old Violeta Aranuez is overjoyed too about their mayor’s ascent to Malacañang: “Sobrang saya, masayang masaya. ‘Di ko ma-express ‘yung saya ko kasi president na talaga siya.” (I am so happy, really happy. I can’t even express my joy now that he’s really the President.)

She promised Duterte that Davaoeños like her have his back: “Huwag kang mag-alala kung ano man ang plano ng mga kalaban. Andito kami sa likuran talaga – fight kami, hindi kami aatras.”

(Don’t worry about whatever your enemies are planning against you. We are behind you. We will fight and never back down.)

She also said she would miss Duterte. She believes, though, that the President would still frequently come home to Davao. She looks forward to another Christmas Day when she will again go to their former mayor’s residence and receive goods for the senior citizens.

Fulfill promises

Some residents have high expectations from the new president.

“Ngayon president [na siya], gawin talaga ‘yung kung ano ang sinasabi niya, ‘yung pagsugpo ng corruption at drugs dito sa Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao,” Pastor Angel Dizon told Rappler in a brief interview.

(Now that he’s president, he should fulfill the promises he made, like eliminating corruption and drugs in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.)

Decade-long Davao City traffic enforcer Russel Feliscuso hopes Duterte brings development to their island. He is after all the first Mindanaoan to be elected president.

“Inaasahan namin ‘yung improvement sa Mindanao, malaking pagbabago. Di tulad ng Luzon, madami nang improvement ang nangyari doon. Dami nang president ang nanggaling doon. [Ngayon] naman siguro may pagbabago naman ang Mindanao pati Visayas naman,” he said.

(We are looking forward to big developments in Mindanao, not only in Luzon. Luzon has had much progress because many presidents came from there. Now it is time for development to reach Mindanao, even the Visayas.) – Rappler.com