DUTERTE'S TERM IS OVER, IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON

Filipinos must stop fighting for or against a past president and start building the nation's future - together

- BY JAY HILOTIN | Senior Assistant Editor

In the often fiery world of Philippine politics, few names ignite as much passion and division as Rodrigo Duterte.

Loved by many, assailed by others, his six-year term as president (2016-2022) left a profound mark on the country.

The year is 2025, and the noise of politics grows louder as the May 12 midterm vote looms. The digital battlefield rages on - bots and trolls drowning out the voices of truth, civility, and reason.

Yet maybe, just maybe, this is our moment to pause. To breathe. To stop clawing at the wounds of the past - and instead, to fix our eyes on what lies ahead. The future is not written.

But it can be shaped - if we choose hope over hate, and progress over division. Here's why:

The Constitution has spoken: Six-year term limit

The Philippine Constitution is clear: a president can only serve one six-year term. This provision was created to prevent the return of authoritarian rule and to ensure peaceful and democratic transitions of power.

Duterte stepped down in 2022 in accordance with this law. Whatever your opinion of his presidency, his time in office is constitutionally over - and that's how democracy works.

Prolonged political bickering over a past leader distracts from the pressing issues of today.

Infrastructure got a serious upgrade