7 Reasons Why Rody Duterte could Win the 2016 Presidential Election

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has finally decided to run for president in the May 2016 National Elections. But does he have the chance to pull it off? Do his supporters have the basis to call him the next president of the Republic of the Philippines? Most of us already knew the story of Duterte’s journey to presidency. So without further ado, here are 7 reasons why he could win the 2016 presidential election.

1. Duterte has a strong base online.
Mayor Duterte does not only have a strong base online but he has gained a lot of social media followers in a natural way. In other they words, they’re organic, not paid. It also means that most of the people who liked his Page are most likely to vote or to campaign for him. Aside from his Facebook Page with more than a million likes, there are also several groups that were voluntarily created by his followers to support his presidential bid for the 2016 national election.

With more than 40 million Facebook users in the Philippines, we cannot ignore the power of Duterte and his followers on social media. And take note that Duterte’s actual online campaign (aside from the campaigns that were initiated by his volunteers) has not even started yet. His Facebook Page doesn’t even have a cover page yet.

2. He is the epitome of change for many Filipinos.
Change is long overdue in our country. Millions of Filipinos have been crying out loud because of the palpable effects of corruption, poor justice, poverty, street crimes, traffic, and more. Yes there are leaders who promise to change our country for good but many Filipinos are already tired of promises. What they want are not scented words but no-nonsense actions. I’m not saying the Duterte is definitely a messiah or a saviour for Filipinos, but many Filipinos, a million of them or more, look at him that way.

3. Many Filipinos want to experience a Davao-like country.
I know there are also Filipinos who want to experience a Makati-like country where there are towering skyscrapers and economic boom. But Davao is also a rich city. In fact it is the 5th richest city in the Philippines despite of its far distant location from Metro Manila or the National Capital Region where financial investments and economic development is more centered by the government.

Moreover, Davao City is also considered the safest city in the country. Thus, a Davao-like Philippines is not only a rich but also a safe country. In this regard, millions of Filipinos dream to live in a nation as rich, as clean, and as safe as Davao City today.

4. He has what many of his rival candidates don’t have.
Unlike Vice President Jojo Binay, Mayor Duterte doesn’t have a lot of allegations of corruptions. Unlike Mar Roxas, Duterte is regarded as one of the first leaders who visited and helped the Yolanda survivors. Unlike Grace Poe, the mayor is already a veteran and a proven effective leader. And unlike Senator Santiago, Rody is more physically fit to serve as the president of the Philippines. In other words, Mayor Duterte is not stained with corruption; he’s not into too much politics; he knows what he is talking; and he doesn’t have medical issues that Filipinos would be worried of.

5. He has many supporters to support him financially.
Duterte may not have millions or a billion peso fund to challenge his richer opponents but his supporters are ready to shell out personal money to fuel his machinery and help him run a competitive presidential campaign. Besides, his supporters also consist of businessmen and OFWs who can afford to invest in his presidential bid in their pursuit to attain change in the country.

6. He has the most hardworking and relentless supporters.
Mayor Duterte may not be the most hardworking politician who can tour around the Philippines and reach even the most remote parts of the country just to win votes but he has the most diligent and persistent supporters who can do that for him. Undoubtedly, his supporters are not ordinary followers – they are loyal and die-hard followers who are ready to support, defend, and fight for Duterte.

7. His declaration to run could be in perfect timing.
Winning in the political arena doesn’t only require popularity, money and machinery – it also needs perfect timing. Popularity can be a negative popularity in a blink of an eye if not managed carefully; money can dry out if spent early; and political machinery can bear no results if run without perfect timing.

With Duterte’s late declaration of his presidential candidacy (less than 6 months before Election Day), his positive popularity is still intact; his money has not yet dried out; his machinery has just warmed up; and his political opponents might only have a few time left to kick him out of the competition.

Final thoughts
The points above are just my own opinions. They might be true or not but one thing is for sure… we, the Filipinos, are eagerly waiting for a better change in our country. We need a man who is not only a man of no-nonsense action, but a man who has consistent no-nonsense actions that will finally bring genuine progress in our nation and for the next generation.

How about you? What do you think about Mayor Duterte? What do you think are the other reasons why he can possibly win the 2016 presidential election?