PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – If there was any doubt left on where the sympathies of most of the residents of this city lie, all that vanished when Mayor Rodrigo Duterte arrived here on Thursday afternoon.
Even before he stepped foot at the Puerto Princesa International Airport, it was already crammed with people eager to at least catch a glimpse of him.
Three Fil-Americans who were catching a flight to Manila and Los Angeles went out of the pre-departure area when they learned that Duterte was arriving with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano about that time.
“I hope he arrives before the boarding announcement,” one of two women who said they were flying back to the United States said to no one in particular while jostling among the horde that waited for the most exciting presidential candidate in the upcoming elections.
Inside the arrival area, there was an unusually big number of people as passengers who just disembarked from a commercial flight lingered inside it when they learned of the big news.
After being stalled by well-wishers all eager to have their moment with the rock star of Philippine politics, Duterte ran smack into a waiting wall of reporters from different media organizations.
When he finally emerged from the building, the roads leading out of it were nearly impassable as cars lingered longer than usual while admirers including airport personnel converged near the exit.
The lead car of Duterte’s convoy was already at the Palawan Provincial Capitol but the last car was still stalled in the airport as bikers joined in the fray at the first break in the chain.
There was hardly any breathing room left when Duterte was squeezed into the entrance of the capitol to pay a courtesy call on Gov. Jose Pepito Alvarez.
Amid shouts and cheers, Duterte went up to the second floor inch by inch as he was met by overzealous admirers every step of the way, many of them women ready with their poses for the cameras.
The same scene was repeated everywhere: at the message event with fisher folks and ordinary villagers at the Olalia Park, inside the churcha during an audience with Fr. Pepito Rollo and at the Pala1 for Duterte People’s Movement for True Change headquarters.
When Duterte finally took center stage for the rally at the Baywalk area, there was no doubt that Puerto Princesa was his for the taking.
It was scene reminiscent of his sold-out rallies in Tacloban, Butuan, Davao, Tagbilaran and many others.
Duterte was overtaken by emotion as he gazed at the sea of humanity before him chanting his name to welcome their champion against crime and corruption.
There were various estimates on the size of the crowd starting from 7,000 upwards but all those asked agreed on one thing: no one has seen a crowd as big as it in Puerto Princesa.
“I am running kasi kailangan nang palitan itong gobyernong ito (because there is now a need to change this government),” he declared emphatically.
It was met with a thundering applause which means the people agreed with him.
Duterte was at his element. It was as if he had the crowd at the tip of his finger, tickling them one moment, taunting them the next, warning them every now and then about the scourge of drug abuse and – on certain occasions – venting his anger over the abuses and excesses inflicted on the people.
When he finally challenged his audience to make a choice between him and his rivals, there was little doubt about their choice when they again chanted his name.
He may not be on top as surveys claim and not the big news if major media organizations are any gauge.
But from the moment he arrived and until he concluded his speech, one thing was unassailable: Duterte had Puerto Princesa in the bag.