Published by The Diplomat
After Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo announced his resignation due to poor health last month, many Filipinos wondered aloud if Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte would soon arrive at the same decision, considering his recent revelation that his medical condition was “nearing stage one cancer.”
Duterte earlier disclosed that he suffers from a litany of ailments including Buerger’s disease and Barrett’s esophagus. He is also known to be taking sleeping pills and Fentanyl to relieve pain from his spinal issues. Duterte, 75, said he started experiencing frequent headaches after a motorcycle accident seven years ago.
Why Is Rodrigo Duterte Still Popular in the Philippines?
Published by The Diplomat
The recent news that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte currently enjoys a 91 percent approval rating, even as his government battles a series of scandals, continues to astound many observers.
Since announcing his intent to run for president in 2015, and ever since his election victory the following year, Duterte has consistently enjoyed high ratings. It should therefore not come as a surprise to get yet another report about Duterte’s popularity. But a 91 percent score can only be seen as astoundingly high for a presidency that has so far failed to fulfill its avowed priorities, such as ending the drug menace and adopting a federal form of government. Duterte’s rating is even higher compared to other Asian leaders whose governments have been better able to curb the spread of COVID-19 in their respective countries.
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