strong clout among Filipinos - solon i:::: : iili:i€gElf, F!|l;llllF$&nr:::f ;:f iix "BdGoTo" during the campaign season. Wllen the dust finally settled from the The strong showirlg of President polls, 11 out of the 12 winning senators Rodrigo Duterte's "top three" senato- were endorsed by the populist Du- rial bets in the just-concluded midterm terte. elections proved Filipinos"'overwhelm-. According to Villafuerte, the results ing support" behind the administration. showed the voters' support l,o the Presi- reelected Camarines Sur 2nd district denfs decisive leadership in steering Rep. LRay Villafuerte said. through Congress his prioritybills, such "President Duterte has bucked ihe as the ease of doing business, reform conventional wisdom of an incumbent taxation, liberalize rice trade, and other chief executive turning less popular bold reforms. and into a political lameduck after the The outcome of the midterm midtem polls on his or her watch," Vil- elections was likewisd a-vote of lafuede said, pointing to the success of eonfideace not only on President former Special Assistant to the Presi- Duterte's fast-tracked rollout of thq dent Christopher "Bong" Go, former "Build, Build, Build" program, on Philippine National Police (PNp) chief which his high-growth agenda is an- Ronaldo "Batg" dela Rosa, and former chored, but also on his astute foreign Metropolitan Manila Development policy rebalancing that has eiabled Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis the government to raise hundreds Ttrlentino. of millions of dollars in official de- Go and Dela Rosa - both newbies in velopment assistance (ODA) from the Senate race and perhaps the closest regional partners Japan, China and personally to President-fnished third South Korea for his anti-poverty and and fifth respectively tallying 20.5 mil- pro-business programs fion and tg million votes. "More importantly, the results of Meanwhile, Tolentino, who Davao this year's elections was a show of the City Mavor Sara Duterte had described people's overurhelming support for in campaign sorties as his father,s the tough war that the President had "favorite mayor. garnered I5.5 mitlion launched against the illicit driig trade votes for an impressive ninth place and other major crimes, in line with finish. Tolentino is a former local chief his 2016 campaign pledge to make our executive of Thgaltay. homes and streets safe again," Villa- The trio was informally dubbed fuerte said.