THE man who would be President, if destiny wills it, has this to say in simple words but profound meaning: “We hail our overseas workers as heroes but we bleed them dry with all of the requirements and fees they pay before they could work abroad. We call our farmers the backbone of the nation but we could not even support them with free irrigation water and technology. We would like our workers to be productive but how could they be productive when they come to work late and tired because of the jostling to get a ride, not to mention the fact that a huge chunk of their daily earning go to their transportation fare?” These were uttered by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City. Consider yourself lucky if you get a job abroad through an employment agency that is legitimate. The fee may be already very steep, still you wouldn’t know what documents you’re signing unless you have all the time to read the fine prints. The “bahala na” attitude may get one into big trouble. Government bureaucracy can be unforgiving in the appraisal and appreciation of the requirements and of their seal of approval. Job seekers may have already sold their possessions handed down from their forefathers but they still need to cope with grease money to unscrupulous government officials. Farmers are not just the backbone of the nation, they feed the people. We are a nation of thousands of islands, abundant water and fertile soil. But we import rice from nations that send their brightest to learn agriculture from us. The students excel, went home and applied what they learned from us. Today, they produce more than we do. What went wrong? How many government programs did we have in the past? Not a few, in fact. But they failed because the program implementers connived with a few, the rich included, to make money instead of helping the legitimate farmers. It’s not just irrigation and technology, farm-to-market roads continue to be wanting. These are promises made during campaign periods but forgotten when they are elected into office. If ever, government assistance comes in trickles, leaving people hanging and hoping for more to come like dangled carrots. Davao’s mass transport system, as promised by Duterte, will come favorably to the working class. A worker who travels more than 15 kilometers to get to work would have to pay quite a sum for transportation. Factor one’s meal, water, electricity and rent, nothing is left for the rainy days. We haven’t even talked of their clothing and personal necessities. Is it any wonder why the clamor for Duterte to run is persistent? •• The accusation against Peter Abejuela, City Economic Enterprise Department manager, may be an act of getting back at him but it also reflects his failure in running this department together with whoever is part of it. Early on, they claimed that there are more spaces inside for the entire street and sidewalk vendors around Cogon area. After more than two years, the street and sidewalk vendors are still there in their usual places. Give them an inch and they will ask for a foot and a meter. For all you know, they’re back like it has never changed. Take the case of that portion right in front of Ace de Oro. It was already cleared of vendors. Then they gave them a meter, then a lane, then both sides. Today, well, you can go and watch and see for yourself the real situation. There were a lot of plans to do this and that. All sound and fury but no action. So what else is new?