Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday expressed the belief that the #NasaanAngPangulo trended because Filipinos were desperately yearning for President Duterte to give a clear direction to address the country’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO)
“Nababasa ko sa social media yung hashtag#nasaanangpangulo. Hindi po yun pisikal na hinahanap siya. Naghahanap ang taumbayan ng direksyon (I’ve read in social media the hashtag #nasaanangpangulo. It doesn’t mean to say they are physically looking for him. The people are looking for direction),” Drilon explained in an interview over Radio DZBB.
“Yung sinasabi na nandito sya naglalakad, naka-motorcycle, hindi po yan ang punto. Kailangan, bilang Pangulo ng bansa, siya ay nakikita na nagbibigay ng direction sa DOH (Department of Health) at sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force). Magbibigay ng direksyon or mando (Saying that he is here walking, riding motorcycle—that’s not the point. As President of the country, he should be seen giving directions to the DOH and the IATF. Giving directions or mandate),” he pointed out.
The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo came out last week after Duterte skipped his regular weekly address which usually airs on Mondays or Wednesdays.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, former close aide of Duterte, said the move was to avert the risk of the President contracting COVID-19 after some members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) tested positive for the disease.
Go, in his Facebook post, assured the public that Duterte was in good health, and even showed photos and videos of the President jogging and riding his motorcycle to prove he was in good condition. He also said the President tested negative of the disease based on his most recent swab test.
Drilon said public trust was a major component of leadership as it showed whether the government has the capability to address the most challenging issues.
Having a leader that can provide a clear direction for the nation, he said, would also provide hope to the people that they can surmount any trials because they believe the President is always around to guide them.
“Alam mo, isa sa malaking bagay ay ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa kakayahan ng pamahalaan na tugunan ang problemang ito at iyan ay kailangan ang direction ng ating Pangulo para magkaroon ng tiwala ang taumbayan na mayroon tayong lider na nagbibigay ng direction at may pag-asa tayo na makakaahon tayo rito dahil nandiyan ang Pangulo (it’s a huge thing to get the people’s trust in the government’s capability to solve the problem, and this is the direction they need from the President, so they can be assured we have a leader that can provide direction and hope that we can overcome this problem),” he pointed out.
Because, according to Drilon, the people have lost trust with Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III.
“Isa sa mga problema natin ay information drive to influence na behavior of the people. Kung puro si Duque lang ang magsasalita, iyan ang problema natin (One of our major problems is an information drive that can influence the behavior of the people. If Duque is the one doing all the talking, that is a problem),” Drilon said.
“Aminin na natin na medyo hindi maganda ang (Let’s accept the fact that he doesn't have the) credibility, to say it mildly. Mayroon pagkukulang at hindi naniniwala ang taumbayan kung si Duque lang nag nagsasalita kasi paulit-ulit (There’s failure and the people refuse to believe it if only Duque is doing the talking),” he pointed out.