January is when it’s bitter cold outside at night with the region in the thick of desert winter and temperatures dropping at 5 Celsius. But this apparently is not an issue for Pinoys keen on not letting the opportunity to have a selfie with President Duterte slip by during his visit.
With up to 50,000 Filipinos expected to show up to see their president, a lot have drawn up plans to risk the cold for a good view.
“Of course, magse-selfie ako,” said Mirasol Buca of Al Safa. “Aagahan ko kahit duon na kami mag-camping.”
She said she’d also want to hear what the president plans to do with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Facebook posting “agad-agad” is what Jachin Melicor of Deira said she’ll do soon as she gets a clear selfie shot of Duterte. “Kahit malayo basta kaya ng cameraphone. Kung pwedeng matulog na lang dun sa gabi para makakuha ng magandang pwesto, ba’t hindi?” she said.
Melicor, an office engineer, added, “Iko-congratulate ko sya sa mga ginawa nya. Kahit ilang buwan pa lang sya nakikita na yung progress.”
“Sobrang excited,” is how Nerita Cabrera of Sharjah puts it. “Definitely,” she added, “Magse-selfie kami…kahit duon ako matulog ahead of time, makasama lang sya sa selfie.”
Cabrera said shen admires Duterte’s speak-my-mind attitude. “Ilang bansa na ang napuntahan nya, hindi sya nagpapa-pogi. Wala syang takot, kahit kanino sinasabui nya kung ano ang gusto nyang sabihin,” she said.
Pahima Dagendengan said she’ll try to be at the meet-and-greet venue early. “Aagahan ko at post agad sa Facebook…siyempre, proud eh,” she said. The same is true with Samra Guintang and Arriane Guzman of Sharjah.
Nathan Diotay of Satwa, said his wife has told him she’ll hug Duterte for a close-up selfie, “tapos, post agad sa Facebook!”
He said he’ll congratulate Duterte for the programs he has started “na sana’y ipagpatuloy nya.”
