Complex presidency overwhelms Duterte
By
NO Philippine president, except for the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, has been as controversial as President Duterte.
From the word “Go,” Mr. Duterte has been at the center of public discourse.
In the run-up to the 2016 elections, Duterte’s endorsers assured the Filipino people that he would be the nation’s savior from the stranglehold of the ruling elite. Many people believed the hype.
It’s true that the rich and powerful in the country had de facto ruled the affairs of the nation, from politics to business to moral and social values. There’s no sector in society that was free of the elite’s influence.
The poor had had enough of the elite’s complete control of the levers of power. So, when Duterte was hyped by those who were pushing his candidacy as the savior of the poor, it didn’t take much convincing. Sixteen million Filipinos swallowed the bait and voted for him.
But today proof of Mr. Duterte’s inability to govern effectively is becoming clear. Even he himself has complained about the complexities of the presidency. He claims to be overwhelmed and that if it were up to him, he would immediately leave the office.
Mr. Duterte had been advertised as a man of action, a doer, decisive. What he’s turned out to be is a man with a quick mouth. His mouth is faster than his brain.
He had promised many things that remain unfulfilled. He was going to be defiant against China by riding a jet ski to the Philippine’s reefs in the West Philippine Sea and plant the Philippine flag there.
He would eliminate drug infestation in six months. He and everybody in government say the illegal drugs come from China. Duterte has turned his back against longtime-ally the United States and pivoted to China and Russia. China has promised massive financial aid to the Philippines. And yet, China isn’t doing anything to curb the flow of drugs into the Philippines. And Duterte is silent about it.
He would annihilate the Abu Sayyaf in a week. The same with the Maute Group. At this writing, the battle of Marawi is on the wane but it took more than 100 days to finish the Mautes, contrary to Mr. Duterte’s boast. He was going to eat their livers, just give him salt and vinegar.
He goes around the country to visit government troops and promises them salary increases, a stillunfulfilled promise to this day. His men ridiculed the past administration for its inability to tame the traffic monster in Metro Manila but they haven’t done much about the problem themselves.
Despite Duterte’s shortcomings, not many people criticize him. His tactic of intimidating people has worked wonders for him in keeping critics and non-admirers at bay. The people at large are scared of him. Government by fear has worked.
The media have been acquiescent, with few exceptions. It’s not worth risking one’s life when others aren’t being critical, either.
But there is a nascent sentiment among the people that Mr. Duterte is bungling the presidency. This is despite the high popularity numbers he gets in surveys.
His fans are keeping the faith, still convinced that Duterte is their last, best hope. The online troll and bot operations that provide a buffer of support, however fake, are still going strong. Online troll and bot operations are a simulated fan base that projects a large following for Duterte. They are not a true measure of his popularity.
Many Filipinos approve of Duterte’s dictatorial tendencies because of their long suffering under the control of the nation’s oligarchic setup. But there are also the mostly silent ones who are appalled at what’s happening to the country. How soon they will openly express their disagreement and anger depends entirely on their courage or lack of it.
*** Tantrum Ergo. Why is Duterte popular? Many of the poor in the Philippines are tired and sick of our chaotic society and the widespread poverty. Many Filipinos -- rich and poor -- aren’t bothered by Mr. Duterte’s style of doing things, including the dreaded EJKs -- extrajudicial killings. One day they’ll come to regret their silence over Duterte’s shortcuts.