Duterte Acknowledges FVR as Number One Critic and Supporter

 “You are my number one supporter, but at the same time you are the number one critic now…and I respect your criticism. I accept your advice.”

These words were uttered by none other than President Rodrigo R. Duterte towards ally and former president Fidel Valdez Ramos.

As can be recalled, FVR played a huge role in convincing Duterte to run for the presidency during the May 2016 National Elections.

Regardless, FVR has also been very vocal in providing criticisms towards the current president’s actions if the situations warranted it.

For example, Ramos had once accused PRRD of not having a long-term vision for the Philippines, saying that the latter’s policies were making the country “lose badly”.

President Duterte, however, seems to take everything in stride and has openly told the former president to continue criticizing him.

During the launching of the FVR’s book, Make Change Work, the tough-talking Duterte also told his predecessor that he “…will mimic your [FVR’s] role as president before – I will follow you, just like what the T-shirt says”. The T-shirt being referred to was one that Ramos had gifted Duterte with – a shirt that had the words ‘Follow me,” which is the motto of Fort Benning, Georgia, where the former took special military courses before.

With admirable deference, PRRD said to FVR that he and the latter were equals in terms of their love for the country, with the only difference being that he [Duterte] was not a military man. “ I  would say that I love my country as much as you do, and we are ready to die for this country,” the current president added.

This shows that regardless of how much former president Fidel Ramos may have given a dressing down to and criticized him, President Rodrigo Duterte still looks up to the former president and military man as mentor and role model.

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