Dawn Zulueta on Duterte’s rules: ‘The country is ready for it’

Having lived in Davao del Sur with her politician husband Anton Lagdameo, Love Me Tomorrow star Dawn Zulueta had nothing but praises for how former Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte ran the city. "Well ako naging maganda ang experience ko living in Davao. I loved it there. It was so peaceful, yung order is really fantastic, malinis. Makikita mo talaga yung disiplina maski nung mga tao. At saka yung I guess yung pag-manage talaga ni Mayor Rody lahat ng mga tao talaga meron talaga silang respeto para sa kanya so they follow the rules,” she shared during the Love Me Tomorrow set visit held last May 12 in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

During her stay in the province Dawn shared how she was able to adapt to the stricter rules in the province than in Metro Manila. "It’s so simple, yung no smoking hindi ba? You’re allowed to smoke but you can only smoke in a certain area. You’re not allowed to smoke just anywhere outside. Yung fireworks pinagbawalan niya. I remember when that ordinance was just done, bago pa lang siya siguro mga three years lang, binibiro ko si Mayor, sinasabi ko sa kanya, ‘Mayor naman, masyado namang strikto yan. Ba’t naman kailangan talaga walang fireworks? Hindi ba puwedeng maski yung lights show man lang? Manunuod na lang kami.’ Pero sabi niya, ‘Hindi, kailangan talaga pag ginagawa kasi yung mga ganyang klaseng ordinansa kailangan talaga muna strikto. Masanay muna ang mga tao ng this way. And then later on puwede na rin sigurong mag-loosen up.’ I don’t know if he still thinks that way but I believe in that. Tama rin naman yun di ba?” she admitted.

If presumptive president Duterte were to start implementing a curfew for minors and a liquor ban in the country, Dawn said she would be a supportive citizen. "Well why not? Shouldn’t we all be sleeping? (laughs) Aren’t kids also supposed to be asleep? I don’t see anything wrong with that,” she added.

The 47-year-old actress said she would never enter politics even if she were offered a position. "Me? No, no, no. I do not know anything about running a town. I only know how to run a household and even that sometimes I fail so no, no no (laughs). I’m a supporter because I know also mayor Digong personally and I believe in him. I believe in what he can do so I think everyone should rally behind him and support him, give him this chance,” she shared.

The Love Me Tomorrow actress hopes that the country can be more united in supporting the newly elected leaders especially Duterte. "I’d like to think that because of his maybe you can call it like a landslide victory also, marami talagang bumoto sa kanya eh, madaming nagmamahal, I’d like to think that lahat yan gugustuhin na suportahan siya. So when he starts to implement siguro yung mga rules kagaya ng ginawa na rin niya sa Davao, I’d like to think that we’re ready for it. The country is ready for it. And we’re ready for that kind of change because I think it’s a positive change,” she said.