Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Spokesperson Celine Pialago (Photo courtesy of The Philippine Source Magazine) Pialago said Friday, March 5 that Duterte is simply too popular to be a lame duck president, or in other words, lose his command or influence as a leader. “I don’t think President Duterte will have a lame duck phase. His popularity in the latter stages of his presidency is unheard of and speaks of how much he is trusted by Filipinos,” said the MMDA assistant secretary. “For him to be disobeyed or dismissed by other public officials, even during his last few months as president, would be a huge disrepect to the will of Pinoys,” added Pialago, who was appointed to her current position by Duterte in August 2018.