What has Rodrigo ‘The Punisher’ Duterte’s role been in the Philippines’ success?
Manila — President Rodrigo Duterte’s two years in office in the Philippines have been marred by controversy, but with one big success: a booming economy. The jury is still out if that is because, or in spite, of him. The brash, 73-year-old leader — nicknamed The Punisher when he was a crime-busting town mayor for two decades — has led an antidrug war that’s killed thousands of people, been labelled a misogynist, angered Catholics with his blasphemous statements and sidelined some of his enemies. Yet an economy growing at more than 6% and rising incomes have helped keep his popularity intact. He’s pushed through a tax reform plan, poured money into a nine-trillion peso ($170bn) programme to build roads and railways, added jobs and kept growth momentum going. The remaining time of his single six-year term in office will be more challenging. The economy’s outlook is turning sour as inflation surges to a five-year high, investors dump the nation’s stocks and the currency hits a 12-year ...
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