Presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte says that the late president Ferdinand Marcos was the brightest Philippine President during his visit to the hometowm of President Aquino in Tarlac on Monday.
Mayor Duterte was quoted as saying “Don’t feel insulted. But [on] hindsight… except [for] the time that he [refused] to step down [from office], the brightest among the past Presidents was Marcos,” said Duterte.
The 70-year-old Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano visited Barangay Talimundoc, San Miguel in Concepcion town met a group of farmers during their visit to Pres. Aquino’s father hometown where the late Ninoy Aquino served as mayor.
According to the presidential candidate who is known as the most popular candidate in the Visayas and Mindanao region, Mayor Duterte, it was under the Marcos regime when the national government introduced “Biyayang Dagat,” a program for fishermen, and “Masagana 99,” which benefited rice farmers.
“During those times, there were cooperatives. When a member borrowed money, it was the obligation of every cooperative member to pay. And there was no collateral,” Duterte said.
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidential candidate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano promised to make irrigation a free public service if he becomes President. “It’s not only [for] you. Even in Mindanao. That’s why I’m upset with the government. Why should you pay for water when it is yours? I cannot understand that policy,” he told the farmers.