Up close with the President’s men

Credit to Author: TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA| Date: Sat, 08 Dec 2018 16:21:09 +0000

By sheer coincidence, The Sunday Times Magazine met and sat down with two of President Rodrigo Duterte’s closest allies a day apart from each other this past week, finally allowing a long overdue cover story on the very individuals who are possibly the most interesting and intriguing among the Chief Executives’ inner circle.

Tuesday witnessed the self-effacing Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go to talk about himself, albeit uncomfortably, outside his veritably permanent place behind the President. The following day, on the other hand, revealed a seemingly more subdued former Philippine National Police and Bureau of Corrections Director General Roland “Bato” de la Rosa, when compared to the erstwhile wide-eyed probin­syano who, on his appointment as the topmost law enforcer of the land, initially endeared himself to the public with his simplicity, candor and playfulness.

Indeed for The Sunday Times Magazine, there is no better time to meet these personalities up close but now—barely two months since they separately filed certificates of candidacy for the Senate, and barely two months before the official campaign period hits fever pitch. Because hopefully, at this particular crossroads, the chances that either one of them could be carried away by the obsequious hordes that swell with every election are still very much at bay; so that maybe, this piece can still provide a clearer and realer insight of who they are to the Filipino public before elections.

Get up close with the President’s most devoted and loyal men, who like him are now offering themselves in service of the nation.

Bong Go, the devoted protege

To say that Bong Go is the one person the President cannot do without seems very much to be a two-way street. For, in The Sunday Times Magazine’s conversation with the man known among others as the “closest aide to Duterte,” “the go-to-guy of Duterte” and “the gateway to Duterte,” he can hardly go several sentences without alluding to the Davao City mayor-turned-President of the Republic whom he has served and supported since 1998.

A graduate of Management from De La Salle University, who hails from a long established family of entrepreneurs in Davao City, Go has worked in various capacities for the President since Mr. Duterte was mayor of their beloved city. He’s been a driver, messenger, aide de camp and chief of staff of the man whom he admires for his courage and love for country.

There can be no question then that besides serving the President, Go, 44, idolizes the 73-year-old statesman for all that he is and everything he has become. So much so that some might perceive him a blind follower of the brusque but charismatic leader, especially when he says he never had any intention of seeking an elective post until the President told him to do so. For within this context, Go can be likened to a lamb to the slaughter, vying for a Senate seat when he has never technically held a standard government post in his many years of service to Mr. Duterte. [Go’s position as Special Assistant to the President was especially created by the Chief Executive in June 2016 with the rank of Cabinet Secretary].

If elected to the Senate, one of Go’s priorities is to pass into law the establishment of President Duterte’s Malasakit Centers across the country—a one-stop shop to avail of government aid.

But then as he continued to extol the good works of the President in this conversation—what he has seen and learned from the man, be it in attitude, his genuine concern for others and the maverick but effective ways in which he serves his countrymen—there is a sudden spark in getting to know Christopher “Bong” Go. A light or realization that actually and gradually grows brighter. For indeed, if a voter considers President Duterte a competent leader amid all the incredible sound bites in his speeches, then why not his very protege who has been with him in winning the trust of a huge majority every step of the way.

The time is now to mull over Bong Go’s sincerity and capability to legislate from his very words below.

Question: Being closest to the President, do you consider yourself—whether consciously or unconsciously—his protege in serving the nation?

Bong Go: Assistant lang po ako ng Pangulo. Ang nais ko lang ay maipagpatuloy ang mga pagbabagong nasimulan niya, at ang mapagsilbihan ang bayan sa paraan ng natutunan ko sa kanya.

Q: Besides being loyal and devoted to Mr. Duterte, you clearly admire and idolize the man. What is he really like from the perspective of someone like you who is with him day in and day out, from his time as mayor and now as President of the Philippines?

BG: Napakabaliktad ng pag-aakala ng mga tao kay Pangulo. Kahit kayo pag-nakausap n’yo siya masasabi n’yo, tulad ng lahat ng mga nakakausap niya na akala n’yo napaka-istrikto niya at napakatapang. Pero pag nakausap n’yo siya ikaw na mismo ang magsasabi, napakabait ni Pangulo.

Ang pinaka-importante kay Pangulo, may puso. Akala n’yo very tough siya pero galit lang po siya sa masasamang tao. Galit po siya sa mga nang-aapi. Even sa Davao City ang gobyerno po niya ay para sa helpless and for the hopeless. At alam na alam ko po yun kasi kami ni Pangulo wala kaming ibang interes—any business interest or any other interest—dito sa gobyerno na ito. Ang interes lang namin ay yung tao. At yun lang ang pinapaalala niya sa akin simula sa una.

Ayaw ko naman talaga tumakbo pero sabi niya, “Hindi, tumakbo ka.” So sumunod po ako sa kanya. Pero ang pinagbibilin niya, “Unahin mo ang iyong kapwa Pilipino. Serve the Filipino first at hindi ka magkakamali.”

Q: What do you see yourself bringing to your very first bid for an elective post?

BG: Gaya ng sabi ko wala akong ambisyon noon pa lamang na tumakbo. Sanay na akong maging alalay ni Mayor Duterte hanggang sa naging Presidente na siya. Pero napakaraming problema na araw-araw kailangang harapin ng Pangulo, maski noong mayor pa lang siya, at hanggang sa kaya ko ayusin sa level ko, gagawin ko na para hindi na kailangan pang makadagdag sa kanya. Kaya sa trabaho, sanay ako diyan hanggang ito na nga po, idinamay ako sa pulitika.

Q: What would be your priorities if elected to the Senate in 2019?

BG: Marami po, unang-una po na maging batas ang programa ni President Duterte na Malasakit Center na naidala na rin niya sa iba’t ibang parte ng Pilipinas. Ang idea ng Malasakit Center ay mapag-isa ang lahat ng kailangang tulong ng mga kababayan natin sa isang lugar para hindi na siya kailangang pumunta muna, for example, sa kapitolyo sa isang araw, bukas sa DOH, sa susunod sa PCSO para lang makumpleto ang pangangailagan nila na maipagamot ang kapamilya nila.

Nandiyan din po siyempre ang mga batas para lalong matulungan ang mga Overseas Filipino Workers na priority rin ni Pangulo at ang patuloy na paglaban sa droga.

Q: Who is Bong Go outside President Duterte?

BG: Alam n’yo po walang nagbago sa akin noon pa man at ngayon, gusto ko pa rin ng tahimik na buhay. Napapansin n’yo po hindi ako mahilig humarap diyan at makipagsosyalan, mas gusto ko pong manatiling maging simpleng tao lang tulad ng lahat ng Pilipino.

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