It is reality check time – to take stock as the excitement and expectations of the May 9 national elections have started to simmer down and a new administration prepares to take over.

We found ourselves assessing our own situation after encountering on Twitter this question: “Sa loob na anim na taon na nanungkulan si Pangulong Duterte, anu-ano ang mga nagawa niyang sa tingin mo kinaganda ng buhay mo?”

(During the six years that President Duterte has been in office, what has he accomplished that you think has made your life better?)

It was posed by @ALTbatrose whose profile says: “Help Fight Child Hunger• Volunteer| Feed the Children• Proud Anak ng Magsasaka• Gawad Ulirang Kabataan Awardee• Youth Outstanding Leader Awardee.” We tried to get his real name via email but failed.

My answer to his question is that my life has become dreadfully stressful in the last six years. For one, while I used to only read about big-time landgrabbers and scheming businessmen, now I find myself one of their victims.

I hold the title to a one-hectare property in Pililla, Rizal, and pay realty taxes on it religiously. An influential businessman built and operates a big restaurant on it without bothering to sign a contract with me or pay rent – yet flaunts a mayor’s permit and refuses to vacate the site.

That is just a sample of how the present dispensation – characterized by the erosion of the respect for law and justice – has wreaked havoc on the quality of people’s lives.

* * *

Other people tweet about persecution and violation of human rights, while others cite “legacies”. Many of them give away their partisan bias when responding to: How have the six years of Duterte affected your life? Samples:

@RawisWar27 – Wala!…pero I learned that telling a lie is a way of life ng isang politiko.

@TheRealBandido1 – Nalaman ko kung sino sa mga friends ko ang tanga.

@SGrace56 – Being prayerful, lagi ko siyang ipinapanalangin kaso hindi sinagot ni God prayers ko till now. Tapos panibagong kalbaryo ibinigay for another 6 years! Pero hindi pa rin ako titigil kasi mukhang yun anak naman ang bibigyan ng another 6 years or more kasi bata pa. God pls, no!

@CayasGernel – Driver’s license ko 10 years na.

Thess Selaznog @FaRowena – …at passport. Pero after 5 years ipapa-notarize mo kung ikaw talaga nasa pic na yan. Lalo mga batang kinuha ng passports. Nag iiba hitsura. Tayo nga na adults na nagiiba hitsura after 2 years sa pic.

@jvjosel – isa akong magsasaka. for 2 consecutive yrs tumatanggap ng ayuda mula sa gobyerno at sabi ma-extend pa ng 2 yrs… yon lang! pero mula ng nagsitaasan ang presyo ng krudo at gasolina, pataba sa lupa at insecticides mga gastusin din sa pagsasaka o sahod tumaas baliwala yong suporta.

@emilianooreyes1 – Nothing. Nada. Wala. Bokya. Awanin. Angapo. Kawalanghiyaan meron. Kagaspangan meron. Kabababuyan meron.

Funkeln’s Finale @ContraTiempo06 – Since you asked, well I was able to channel huge amounts of pent-up hate all in one person which is bad for my mental health, he served as a release for all that.

@nrod53 – Sorry wala talaga. Lalo pa ngang nasadlak sa dusa.

Yien Pablo @greenjet99 – Natutunan kong tumindig laban sa kasamaan at nakilala ko ang tunay na mga pilipino sa pamamagitan ng organisadong samahan na binuo ng mga taong may malasakit sa Pilipinas.

Phillip Templo Jr @thejourneymate – Got renewed my passport with 10 years validity last January but after getting around with more hassle and more expensive application fees and process. Otherwise, I encountered more ill-mannered people since his reign in 2016.

@BendicionLorrie – In fairness government services are better and faster, less red tapes and faster processing.

@bitterpurple10 – ngayon nag-away kami so di na ko nagpapadala. kasi last 2016 binoto nya si duterte, this year si Marcos. Thanks.

Jim Stone @JustObserving23 – Philhealth premium… at least tumaas lol pucha tlga.

@tinxgonzales – During his admin, yung hindi na need yearly magrenew ng Driver’s License.

@lacuestaj24gma7 – Ikagaganda ba ng buhay mo ung magpapatay ka ng mga adik na walang imbestigasyon Gaya ng mga inosenteng pinatay.

Oliver Hombrebueno @revilo1957 – six years wasted. for a senior like me, inflation has eroded the value of my savings and rising price of basic commodities diminished the pension I am getting.

@bitterpurple10 –dati pag nagpadala ka ng 25k monthly sa nanay, sapat na. mag isa lang siya eh. ngayon dapat daw 35k monthly. napakamahal daw ng bilihin, saka ng LPG, ng electricity eh naka AC pa siya lagi. nagbabayad pa siya wifi monthly saka netflix.

@emingko8 – WALA, at babayaran ng anak ng mga apo ko ang mga niloan niya. Di nagpakita ng SALN takot malaman kung gaano na sya kayaman dahil sa dikwat.

@Alcancen – tumingin kau not sa individual… look sa pangkalahatan… un buhay ng individual nakasalalay sa sarili nya di sa president.

@Jap98570543 – Madami! hindi niyo lang nakikita ang magandang nagawa kasi nakafocus kayo sa kasiraan niya, buti nalang talaga hindi ngtagumpay si leni sa kanyang mga paninira hayun lumagapak tuloy.