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Dictator’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is poised to win the presidential race by a wide gap, raking in more than 31 million votes last May 11,2022 while opposition leader and Vice President Leni Robredo lags behind with less than half of the front-runner’s votes.
His six-year presidency is expected to provide continuity from outgoing leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose ruthless, strongman approach proved popular and helped him to consolidate power rapidly.
I expected that Marcos will focus on completing Duterte's multi-billion-dollar infrastructure upgrade and to seek close ties with China, but some say existing problems of corruption and nepotism in the Philippines could worsen.
The Philippines may be one of Asia’s oldest and largest democracies, but its continued embrace of strongman leaders is a wake-up call that liberal democracy’s messages of equality and rule of law will eventually run hollow once voters get tired of the same old heroes and political dynasties. The Marcos myths of a strong and stable nation—and of being misunderstood victims who could thus relate with anyone’s social and economic victimhood—would resonate in many countries. They are artfully compelling stories for the young and the excluded.
For too long, progressives have taken for granted that facts in themselves are sufficient. In the case of the Philippines, the liberal weapons of historical accuracy and fact-checking are simply no match for Marcos’ creative folklore, turbocharged by social media fan culture and relatable influencers.
Conventional politics must end. Political parties cannot effectively steer the public space until genuine political party reforms are made. Shouldn’t we sustain the “people’s movements” seeking to expand the political space available and bring in the concerns of everyday life that are silenced by dominant powers operating in the society?
