President Duterte, the strong, brash and unpredictable leader now trying to steer the country out of a pandemic, will turn 76 on March 28.
Although he is rough around the edges, Duterte has so far shown his grit and love for country while staying popular among the masses.
The tough-talking former Davao City mayor has carried out the controversial war on drugs and crime, sought to dismantle the so-called oligarchs, and now leads the battle against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, all of which would likely shape his legacy as the country’s 16th president.
As he is expected to spend a quiet birthday at home with his family, let’s explore a number of colorful traits and other tidbits about the country’s leader, who is now at the tail-end of his six-year term.
1. He has caused mischief and mayhem since he was young.
Duterte was a troublesome youth often scolded by his parents.
He was not exactly a model student as it took him seven years to finish high school. He also almost did not graduate from San Beda law school after he shot a fellow student. Instead, he was barred from joining the graduation ceremony, something his mother knew only later on.
2. Aviation was once a passion of the young Duterte.
Long before his presidency, Duterte flew his own airplane. Back in 2017, the President revealed that he was a pilot when he was younger but has grown tired of long-haul flights due to his old age.
“I used to be a pilot when I was young,” he said during an assembly of the country’s mayors at the Manila Hotel back in March 17. “Kung oras lang sa lipad, I have about mga 1,000 plus hours of flying. I hate traveling out pati ‘yung out of the country. Busog na ako diyan,” he added.
3. He’s a pistol-carrying public servant.
The President is a gun enthusiast. He has reportedly been carrying a gun since he became mayor of Davao City. In previous trips to places that had security threats, he was spotted with a gun tucked in his waistband.
"I like guns," Duterte said in Visayan during a visit to Cagayan de Oro early this month. "When you get hold of a gun because guns are for men, it’s like owning a diamond ring," he said.
4. Becoming a judge was his dream job.
Duterte did not aspire to become the country’s president. A former prosecutor, he actually dreamt of becoming a judge someday. He was drawn to a judge’s huge salary so he could better provide for his family.
"Ang ambisyon ko lang kasi maging judge because malaki ang sweldo at mga anak ko kung gustong mag-aral dito sa Maynila (My ambition was to become a judge because of huge pay. I want my kids to study in Manila) which was really the vogue, the trend at that time, only for those who can afford,” Duterte said during a speech in Pasay City in March 2018. "But with a salary of a judge, okay na sana ako," he said.
5. He has a thing for watches.
President Duterte has worn both affordable and pricey watches depending on the occasion.
When he visited Cagayan de Oro recently, Duterte admitted wearing a Seiko watch for the trip. "Men don’t want to buy expensive watches and such. My watch is just Seiko," he told the crowd.
Before flying to Russia in 2017, Duterte chose to wear a simple yet elegant black watch made by local brand Ibarra. He wanted to show off the Filipino-made watch when he traveled abroad.
Another staple accessory of the President is an Apple watch. But for special occasions, he has been seen wearing a luxury IWC watch.
6. Duterte ain't tech-savvy.
Even as the rest of the world has already embraced a digital shift, Duterte, the country's most powerful senior citizen, continues to struggle with technology.
In August 2018, Duterte admitted having difficulty using a smartphone, especially messaging apps like Viber. The President's close aide usually holds his mobile phone for him.
While Duterte prefers the old-school mobile phone, the Palace communication office launched a batch of Viber stickers featuring Duterte's signature lines back in 2016. The stickers feature Duterte's caricature and his famous lines such as "I hate drags," "Ambot," and "May Gad"
7. He’s a Netflix fan like you and I.
Like many Filipinos, President Duterte chooses television as a downtime activity. He is particularly hooked on some crime drama shows shown on Netflix.
In his past speaking engagements, Duterte endorsed Netflix programs such as the American gritty gangster series "Narcos" and the local series "Amo." Both programs feature the drugs and corruption, two problems Duterte had promised to eradicate or reduce during his term.
8. He has a need for speed.
A few minor motorcycle-related mishaps has not dampened the President’s passion for the two-wheeled machine.
In 2019, Duterte injured his hip and suffered scratches after he fell off his motorcycle at the Malacañang compound. Despite enduring back pain, he later declared he would rather die than stop riding his motorbikes. He was eventually seen hopping on a three-wheeler CanAm Ryker and testing other motorcycles at the Palace compound.
"Hindi ako maghihinto. Dahil pag maghihinto ako, mabuti na lang mamatay ako. Wala na eh. Kung wala na rin kaligayahan buhay mo, wala ka na magawa. mabuti mamamatay ka ," he said in a television interview back in December 2019.
9. He’s a proud mama’s boy.
The President truly loves his mother, the late Soledad Roa Duterte, a teacher and social activist.
He often shared fond memories of his mom in his public speeches, from forcing him to kneel before the altar over misbehavior, to praising her advocacies on education and protection of family. He learned discipline and honesty from his mom, who took care of him and his siblings when she was widowed.
Duterte once said one of his biggest sorrows was that his mother never got the chance to see him become the country’s president. Soledad passed away in 2012.
10. Duterte reads the Bible.
He previously launched profanity-laced tirades at some Catholic bishops critical of his drug war, but the President actually considerx himself a “deeply religious” man.
When he appeared on the television program of his friend evangelist Apollo Quiboloy in 2019, he admitted reading the Bible as his "guiding light” and having a “special bond” with the Lord.
"If you can memorize by heart and understand Ecclesiastes 3, you can face any problem. You might not be able to solve it but you can understand why. Read Ecclesiastes when you have a problem," he said.
"When someone dies in your family, read it. There is time for every season under the sun. There is live, born and a time to die," he said.