At the start of his term, President Rodrigo Duterte made it clear he’s a tough leader, speaking boldly on actions he deemed necessary to eradicate crime and corruption in the Philippines. His actions have divided Filipinos between recognizing the need for the administration to rule with an “iron fist” and the need for better governance, human rights, and international relations.

However, the President’s planned actions to legalize same-sex marriage, communicate the territorial claim of Philippines over South China Sea with China and ASEAN, end contractualization, engage in peace talks with rebel groups, and eradicate illegal drugs in the country in three to six months resulted in false promises as he continued his term.

Poverty, economy, food security, peace and order, corruption, health care, foreign policy, traffic solutions, climate change, and infrastructure development are among the issues in his action plan for the country. Some were reflected through his actions on adopting climate change measures, lessening heavy traffic through decongestion plans, stricter mining laws, family planning, but other questionable measures such as reinstating death penalty for drug-related and other heinous crimes, and his notorious war on drugs also came into fruition. In line with his action plans for poverty, which include poverty reduction programs, ancestral domain protection plans, and agri-financing reforms, the agricultural sector gained funds from the government; however, under the administration, lives of environmental and land activists became at a greater risk.

As citizens become educated and affected by the President’s actions, they start to weigh the consequences and take a stand on whichever is for the common good. 

Voices unsilenced

Based on the book Community-Based Rehabilitation: CBR Guidelines by Chapal Khasnabis, Karen Heinicke Motsch, Kamala Achu K, et al., political participation pertains to the campaign-related actions of an individual that involve taking a stand, being part, and engaging in the expression or execution of his political views on how society is being governed.

Some artworks and articles have used social issues as inspiration to spread awareness on the incompetencies of the administration, encouraging people to be aware of its prevalence by voicing their opinions. Various social media posts have proven the fueled political participation and debate of those in favor of and against the administration.

While some remained firm in their beliefs, others have shifted their perspective as they changed their lenses on how they see the President’s platforms and actions.

Martin Palma Gil Ledesma, Company Owner and Financial Consultant, 56

“I soon realized that our country cannot function in a Western-styled democracy. Too selfish, no discipline, and systemic dishonesty.”

In an interview with The Benildean, Mr. Martin Ledesma gave a background on his opposition to late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country with an “iron fist,” being the same reason it is one of the grounds which made him in favor of Duterte. According to him, he had experienced being tear gassed, hosed down, and detained during his college days; and being among the participants in the People Power Revolution. After the fight against the Marcos administration, he realized that more corrupt politicians have sprung in the government, whereas when Marcos left, “more mini-Marcoses were born.”

Duterte’s speeches, criticisms of the Catholic Church, and broken promises are what Ledesma dislikes in this administration. One of the broken promises that disappointed him was the fish pens that are still present at Laguna de Bay. Despite these shortcomings, his experience and belief in the country’s political history with Marcos and the following administrations, made him shift his perspective and support Duterte on his capacity to “make the system work to the benefit of the “law abiding” citizen” through “discipline and an iron fist.”

“I was beginning to see what Marcos wanted to do with his New Society,” he stated. With this, he mentioned that for Filipinos to achieve prosperity, they must be “spanked” and “controlled” by an unapologetic leader for “[We] are too young and undisciplined as a people for a true democracy to function, unfortunately.” According to him, he saw Duterte as the most qualified candidate with the improvements in Davao as his example. 

In Duterte’s administration, the criminals are “still there but they are afraid.” He says that rules are now more observed due to their fear in the government, including those who feel like they are above the law, such as drug lords, who, he says, are now imprisoned or dead.

Aside from imposing fear, he likes the environmental platforms of the administration; such as the good changes in Boracay and Manila Bay, as well as the strictness in mining restrictions. He added that he likes how the new tax law is comprehensive and how the government focuses on the “Build, Build, Build” program.

“The issue is that when what he feels is not aligned with those that have their own self agenda and are protecting their self-interest,” he stated.

Ledesma says that people usually overlook Duterte’s true intentions for the country—which include the actions he deems necessary for the nation’s betterment. His actions on addressing national concerns are being criticized until the critic experiences the violence in the hands of criminals or the inconvenience the issue has caused, he added.

The Philippines, according to him, can be a progressive country like Singapore, whom he described to be ruled by a benevolent dictator, if Filipinos are governed by an individual who has an iron fist. With this, he added that Filipinos must be disciplined first, for a “true democracy to function.”

Van Elly N. Jaring, College Student, 21

“They are overlooking the effort that he [President Rodrigo Duterte] is giving us all.”

Van Elly Jaring mentioned in an interview with The Benildean that he is not “pro-Duterte” but “Pro-Philippines” in supporting the platforms being implemented by the President during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). He added that some people may see it as a means of the President to “take advantage of the vulnerability of the people to be able to impose Martial Law,” but he said that following the order of the President is “our only way to get out of this crisis that we are in.”

On February 13, the President called for the “trust and cooperation” of Filipinos as he assured them that the government is handling the situation. A day after the President’s speech, local gatherings were allowed to proceed despite COVID-19 cases in the country. The government disclosed its ₱27.1 billion spending plan to address the pandemic, a day before it  placed Luzon under ECQ on March 17, which rose to ₱600 billion, half of which are funded by loans. Rules implemented in areas with ECQ and general community quarantine (GCQ) include stay-at-home order, suspension of mass transportation, temporary closure of some business establishments, and social distancing.

₱200 billion was planned to aid households mostly affected by the pandemic, however on May 11, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that some local government units (LGUs) failed to meet the deadline for the cash aid distribution. COVID-19 cases rose to 12,718 on May 18. However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that mass testing is left to be carried out by the private sector while stating the incapability of the country to conduct a mass testing like Wuhan. Meanwhile, the DOH continues to conduct “progressive” mass testing on selected individuals with COVID-19 related symptoms.

Jaring believes that “the President just wants to do what’s best for us… we must be cooperative at all times.”

Although Jaring mentioned that he questioned Duterte “ending drugs” in six months and that Duterte can be sometimes violent, he said the President works hard enough to fulfill his promises as the “father of this country.” It is “the government’s system inside” which must be fixed, he added, for the fulfillment of some of the President’s platforms.

Derick Gabrillo, Student and Journalist, 18

“Over the course of Duterte’s first year in office, I went from supporting his campaign to supporting calls for his resignation.”

Duterte’s platforms in 2016 offered “security, growth, and change,” according to Derick Gabrillo in an interview with The Benildean. He added that Duterte’s firm stance to eradicate drugs in six months, protect our territorial integrity, and implement the “Build, Build, Build” program for job opportunities and infrastructure development, are among the platforms that made him see Duterte as a “good choice” for presidency and a “decent, honest alternative to the entrenched trapos (traditional politicians).”

Gabrillo shared a conversation he had with his brother about Duterte’s war on drugs where he argued that “[drugs] was a problem that needed to be addressed for public safety, and that the end justifies the means.” Moreover, he stated that he thought that “one or two lives to get rid of drugs in this country was a fair trade,” and said it may even be “a good deal.”

At first, when Duterte insulted former US President Barack Obama, he perceived that “ganun lang siya magsalita” or “style niya lang ‘yan, nagpapapansin lang.” However, as the President continued using threatening statements on killing people, he realized that he had to take it seriously. This realization further took place on his way to school when he had encountered a dead body on the road, covered by a trash bag, in front of the SEC building, which he emphasized that “that was no way to die.”

“I was blind to the horrors of the drug crusade because of my own privilege, but that didn’t last,” he emphasized.

Aside from the decreasing value of human life in the eyes of the government, he mentioned that the President “traded our sovereignty for debt, thinly veiled as investments from China.” He emphasized how Duterte lied in his campaign when he “disregarded the Hague ruling (which was in our favor) and made a state visit to China, making overtures to President Xi Jinping.”

According to Gabrillo, the country continues to experience corruption, nepotism, and poorly built infrastructures; and worsening cases of economic growth and social inequality where the projects are “still mired in red tape and corruption.”

“He did bring change, just not the kind he promised or that we wanted, and definitely not the kind we needed,” he concluded. 

Anfernee Yu Jeco, Student, 19

“The President proved to us that he is a man of action and that he walks the talk.”

Some victims of Duterte’s war on drugs were “innocent individuals” who were merely suspected drug dealers however have experienced the “abuse and brutality of some police operations,” Anfernee Yu Jeco said in an interview with The Benildean. He said that although the President reassured that he will end the prevalence of illegal drugs in the country, offering rehabilitation is a much favorable option rather than arresting people involved in illegal drug-related transactions and raiding drug laboratories or dens. “Without the use of bullets,” he added, it might be “less bloody and peaceful for everyone.” 

In terms of the President’s stance on the territorial dispute on Scarborough Shoal, Yu Jeco shared his disappointment that the administration “didn’t care much about our sovereignty” due to issues on weak “military capabilities.” Although he is pro-Duterte, he shared that he disagreed on his actions that are deemed to be “Pro-China” instead of “justifying our country’s rights” through a “peaceful manner with proper negotiations.”

Despite being a fellow kababayan of Duterte in Davao, he said that his opinions are grounded objectively through Duterte’s good leadership attributes that are fit to govern the Philippines. In addition, he said that if he were to vote during the 2016 Presidential Elections, he would have voted for Duterte. 

“Considering his years of service in the government, he transformed Davao into an evidently clean and disciplined community,” he emphasized as one of the reasons which make Duterte qualify as a president. Aside from this, he deems Duterte’s “strictness towards his people” is “reasonable” since it has disciplined his fellow Davaoenos to obey the law and “even in simple house rules,” which makes them “contributing citizens.”

Yu Jeco stated the title “strongman of Davao” was based on Duterte’s “good governance and service to the public” and his actions towards crime, militancy and corruption. According to him, “strongman” is defined as a leader who “rules by the exercise of discipline and obedience of the law.” By Merriam Webster definition, a strongman is an individual who leads using force of will and character, or by military methods.

Although the manner of speech of the President is inappropriate for many who are concerned for the country’s social image, Yu Jeco explained that some critics “failed to see the president’s good leadership attributes” as well as his achievements and good actions, while “some people choose to be blinded by it.” According to him, among the biggest contributions of the administration was the “Build, Build, Build” Program due to its job opportunities and infrastructure development.

Even though he disagreed with some actions of the President, he said that he remains supportive of him since he believes that “in order to become a good citizen of the country, one must know how to obey and support the plans of his leader to build a better future for us all Filipinos.”

Nestor P. Nuez, Lawyer, 62

“I voted for him [President Rodrigo Duterte] for some real change and as a symbol of protest to traditional Philippine politics.”

Ever since Nestor Nuez reached voting age in 1978, he said that Philippine politics has been dominated by “figures, families, celebrities, groups and personalities.” In an interview with The Benildean, he mentioned that he believed voting for Duterte will create a “real change in the political landscape of the country.”

Nuez said he voted Duterte “…to overcome our own selfish interest and show to the world our own real and true identity as Filipinos.”

He shared he would often “argue in vain” that if people would support the President’s efforts on nation-building and remove their biases and prejudices, the nation may have economically and politically moved forward at a faster pace.

“Critics dismiss Duterte’s every move by imputing political color in it,” he said. According to Nuez, Durterte’s “‘sincerity’” in improving the Filipino people is being ignored by traditional tri-media—radio, television, and print media—whose companies are owned by rich and influential families. 

In May 2020, ABS-CBN had faced a cease and desist order for its expired legislative franchise from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) where the President stated his “neutral” stance against the matter. But, prior to this, he described broadcasting stations as “bastos” and “mukang pera.” He threatened ABS-CBN, the country’s leading broadcaster, that he will block its renewal and, during a speech last December 2019, “see to it” that it will be out of business. In November 2018, he accused the company of “swindling” him when his political advertisements were not aired during the 2016 presidential campaign. Spokesperson Salvador Panelo says these President’s statements on ABS-CBN “should not be taken literally.”

When Nuez voted for Duterte, he believed that the President “thinks out of the box with a very grounded political will and who does not care about his own popularity and image.”

He stated that a shift from the “overly Manila-centered presidential form to a decentralized federal form of government, peace and order, law and order, and economic development” reflected in Duterte’s platforms were new and radical. However, in the matter of peace and order, he stated that Duterte’s actions to quickly end the communist-NPA insurgery were stymied by various factors—”but mainly because he employed the same tactics and engaged recycled negotiators with [the] same mind-set.”

The biggest contribution of the administration, according to him, included the “reduction of poverty incidence,” the “Build, Build, Build” program, accessibility of “quality and affordable healthcare,” and “free college tuition.”

With two terms left, he believes Duterte’s platforms would “no longer be realizable and will just remain a pipe dream.” However, with regards to Duterte’s “sincerity,” his beliefs and opinions on the President remain the same.

Jamie Alvarez, Store Associate, 19

“He [Duterte] is still a very firm person, but personally some of his words have turned into empty gestures and promises.”

Through using Twitter hashtags during the 2016 Presidential Elections, Jamie Alvarez campaigned for Duterte’s platforms on lowering the crime rate, helping the poor, and ending illegal drugs and corruption. In an interview with The Benildean, she stated that her support was rooted in the President’s straightforwardness and her desire for change in the country, which she believed Duterte campaigned for. Likewise, she mentioned that she further remained firm in her belief due to some people “testifying how Davao is a disciplined city because of President Duterte’s leadership.”

There was an instance where she had to defend her belief to a friend who opposes Duterte where she stood firm in her point of view. “We will not survive if we only give and take compassion, if we only live by compassion.” She added that Filipinos must learn to shift away from having no discipline, leading to merely being “spoon-fed” and blaming the government for the faults in society.

However, as she continues to hear news articles with regard to Duterte’s administration, her mindset shifted from the President being “a person who knows the truth and knows what was best for the country” to a president who is currently leading a system that is “still wrong and unjust.” She described it as “chaotic,” emphasizing on the innocent people dying, accused, and beaten to impose fear. She stated it as one of the faults of the administration, in addition to “the people who work in the system.”

“He claims that he has compassion for all of us, but where does his compassion truly lie?” she added.

Alvarez started questioning Duterte’s plans, mentioning the War on Drugs, that caused “a lot of blood on his hands, in our motherland.” She said that from addressing the needs of the poor, the President had addressed the less privileged very poorly during his interviews or speeches. 

“I just hear empty words or see him as a hypocrite, [a] heartless man,” she added, describing the President. Aside from the privileged turning away from reality, she mentioned that the President or government, not listening to their people, is the biggest fault of the current administration.

Under the Duterte administration, an increasing number of Filipinos have shown their political participation on various platforms, showcasing both opposition and agreement of society on the actions of the President on varying social issues. Rooted from their experiences, beliefs, and knowledge, their perspectives remain divided under the administration. 

As long as the Philippines still experiences injustices, violence against human rights, and poor economic growth, its people will continue to speak out and take a stand on the actions building a moral, disciplined and developed nation. Until then, the Filipinos will remain unsilenced.


This article is also published in the first ever fully-online issue of The Benildean: Update Vol. 6 No. 2.