In his Inquirer column today, Prof. Randy David attempts to explain why the Opposition continues to do poorly in the campaign lead-up to this year’s elections. By poorly, he refers to the consistently-low ranking most of the members of the Opposition led by the “Otso Diretso” coalition suffer in various surveys published by polling firms such as Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia.
I would like to venture an explanation for this sad state of affairs. What is curious about Filipino political values, I think, is that they seem to have regressed from being modern, at least in aspiration, to being traditional. The respect reserved for the articulate, the high-minded and the brilliant is at an all-time ebb in our political life. Critics, debaters and people of ideas are often denigrated as useless charlatans.
Voter preference today appears to favor those who are perceived to be approachable, compassionate and service-oriented. In short, those who can help Filipinos with their short-term needs. Our people are looking for patrons, not nation-builders or statesmen.
It has not always been like this. Something has definitely changed in the way we view politics. The mastery of modern politics and democratic governance is now largely viewed as the sport of a self-serving elite.
Perhaps. But what David is essentially doing here is apologising on behalf of the Opposition for a failed campaign. The fact is, the Opposition, led by the “Otso Diretso” coalition failed to connect robustly with the larger body of Filipino voters and, instead, mounted a campaign that is all but obsolete by design.
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David is evidently blaming Filipino voters and presuming to judge their preferences this year as one that is an outcome of “political values” that have “regressed from being modern”. Well, perhaps so. But the whole point of a campaign is to read the pulse of the public and earn the trust of its members on the basis of that reading. The way David excuses the Opposition’s failure to do just that is no different to a spurned lover who goes on a rampage telling everyone that the erstwhile object of his advances is pangit and does not deserve him in hindsight.
In short, David is sourgraping on behalf of Otso Diretso. He is telling us that Filipino Voters are not good enough for nor deserving of his preferred candidates. Well that’s just classy, ain’t it?
Filipino voters are what they are. They will not change just because one party thinks they are entitled to win an election. And, contrary to what David assets, Filipino voters have always been that way. No less than former President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III won in 2010 thanks to voters who were, using David’s own words, “looking for patrons, not nation-builders or statesmen.”
If there is anyone to blame for the failure of the Otso Diretso project, it is their campaign managers and PR consultants. Bad messaging, bad publicity stunts, and NO PLATFORM, pretty much doomed the Otso Diretso bid to conquer the Senate. Sponsors who had invested in Otso Diretso would be right to be hopping mad. They invested good money on a dud.
The fatal error of the Opposition candidates and the community of Yellowtards that supported them is in the mindset that they brought to their campaign — a mindset that convinced them that they were entitled to rule a nation on the basis of credentials. That, Mr. Randy David, is the real reason the Yellowtards had lost an entire country for the second time in a row.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
Mr. Randy David is not exactly the embodiment of objectivity. His views are consistently geared to protecting the elite, one of them the family of BS Aquino III, who is neither a nation-builder nor a statesman, but a cacique of the highest order in the Filipino farmers-owned Hacienda Luisita. Mr. David laments the regression of Filipino voters to their traditional ways by rejecting his chosen candidates – who else but the Otso Diretso sa Impierno – who all deserve our scorn for mouthing lies about the Duterte administration and its handpicked candidates for the Senate. The regression is as much Otso Diretso’s as it is Mr. David’s.
Mr. David, an avid YellowTard, “mag Jakol ka na rin…” If you are selling your goods, and nobody is buying what you are selling. Don’t BLAME the buyers for not buying your goods. See and ask yourself : Why are these people not buying my goods ?
The Aquino Cojuangco political axis had 30 years of rule, to prove themselves to the Filipino people.
What did we get ? DAP; PDAF; 2016 National election SMARTSWITIK HOCUS PCOS Fraud; MAMAPASANO massacre; Luneta Chinese tourist massacre; Scarborough Shoals sold by Trillanes and Aquino to the Chinese, with Philippines mountains used as landfills; Typhoon Yolanda Funds stolen by Mar Roxas; Typhoon Yolanda relief goods rotting in warehouses; etc…
Too much incompetence…too much corruption. Mr. David, you call yourself a Professor. With your common sense, you don’t even deserve to be a kindergarten teacher .
Otso Diretso, magjakol na lahat kayo, kasama ang mga YellowTards !
Siyempre naman kung may vote buying sa kanila eh may panukli naman dyan?
Obviously there are no values on vote buying especially if it came from an elite, incompetent & corrupt political party like the Liberal Party. The more money they have, the less actions they will give to the Filipino people & worse, they could tell lies to us. That’s their evil scheme that haunt our country for many years.
ayaw nilang mag jackol gusto nila tssumupssup!!!!!
LOL. PROFESSOR DAVID is an intellectual and a learned person.
You should heed his words. Philippine society has regressed and continues to regress because people get septed up by emotions and vote the “popular” candidate, who goes on stage with the dancing girls with huge TITS, instead of principled candidates with BRAINS.
Look at OBJECTIVE numbers. Philippine GDP during the yellow era was 7% and inflation was low. Meaning people had more money. The job of the government is to provide regulation NOT to cuddle the lazy and incompetent.
Now we have HIGH inflation so people are POORER. HIGHER TAXES! HARD life for everyone.
Soon we will be PROVINCE OF CHINA!
ganun po ba? matindi itong projection mo! ano po ba ang lalabas sa lotto tip naman diyan sige na madami kang mga bagay na nakikita kasi!
Looks like Pinoy Citizen is high again and taking illegal drugs to be able to spew such nonsense.
High inflation, yet it just lowered lately. There will always be high inflation especially if the economy is growing and booming.
Oh, we forgot, you only know of low inflation since your capacity to understand economics is limited to “lower numbers” without really understanding anything at all. Just because the numbers is “low” to you doesn’t mean is good for the Philippine economy in long terms.
Before we become a province of China we’ve always been a pet dog of the USA, get it (which is far worse than just being a province of any country)? We’ve never been independent and on our own, asking papa USA for help because Philippines is just a helpless puppy.
Thanos should be able to snap you out of existence any day now.
Simply this.
Pinoy NPC #2 fails to realize that it was the Yellows who started this mess with China and its purpose is not to defend our borders but in order for the narcissistic Noynoy Aquino to get brownie points from Obama.
And the inflation stuff? Heck, even Larry Gadon had a better explanation about it. It’s a simple “law of supply-law of demand” explanation where his simpleton mind cannot comprehend.
Seriously, are you still parroting the same thing while your ‘claims’ are easily debunked? And you’re calling everyone who debunked you as “trolls” while you fail to realize that you’re a laughingstock when your sources are Rappler, ABS-CBN, Inquirer, etc. along with your obnoxious Sinophobia nonsense?
*”Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”*
Why don’t you admit that these kind of BS are just a Yellow-manufactured crap just to get yourselves back into power?
The regression isn’t limited to the ordinary Filipino voter. What’s worse is when someone estimates himself to belong to the higher classes but shamelessly indulges in intellectual dishonesty.
It doesn’t take an analyst to see that the current state of the Pinoy is largely caused by the sort of enterprise of their “elites”.
Intellectual dishonesty is believing everything that comes out of facebook and rejecting LEGITIMATE news form journalists just coz you like it.
Intellectual dishonesty is ignoring or failing to provide PROOF of your claims and proclaiming your conclusion as just “because”
How can you have a debate with people who routine make up bull shit to fit their narrative or dont give evidence for their conclusion.
benign0 as a writer starts with the CONCLUSION first , gives zero evidence of anything and pulls out “facts” from his ass. He bashes everything while offering no alternative and no constructive actionable criticism beyond stop acting like a filipino.
He advocates for dangerous policies such as the Philippines to be TAKEN over by the chinese or put under martial law while living in the comfort of Australia.
This is REAL intellectual dishonesty i.e. benign0
Intellectual dishonesty is believe everything that comes out from the MAINSTREAM MEDIA w/o critical thinking and blindly following every corporate media just because it’s “legit”.
Intellectual dishonesty is ignoring or failing to share IDEAS and resorts to childish and immature tantrums by considering opinions as “facts” w/o differentiating between the two.
How can you debate with people who routine make up bullshit to fit their narrative or dont give evidence for their conclusion… while you are just doing the same?
Darth Mortis the fool as a heckler starts with the his INCESSANT WHINING and loves to resort to making excuses just to defend his LAZINESS that he wants to get SPOONFED while parroting his SAME OLD SHIT over and over.
He is also advocates for dangerous policies such as his Sinophobia and his same old tiring Yellotardism/Martial law bullshit while living in the confort zone of his communist/anarchist buddies. Just like putting his same old tiring Martial law fearmongering to an article about a certain British rock band.
This is REAL intellectual dishonesty i.e. Darth morthis the commiefuck
P.S. Hoping you’re enjoying another banhammer.
Like how intellectually dishonest Philippine media was in regards to the Bikoy issue? If anything, they’re uncritically delivered a crook’s message.
So you fully admit that you’re a crook yourself? As expected from a left-leaning SJW soyboy who loves to be in the comfort of his safe space.
“How can you have a debate with people who routine make up bull shit to fit their narrative or dont give evidence for their conclusion.”
Perhaps Mr.David could find an opportunity to ask this same question to the opposition and the other “non yellow” admin detractors. That should also help your definition of intellectual honesty.
“a mindset that convinced them that they were entitled to rule a nation on the basis of credentials. ”
Who is best to lead us but not the most credentialed and the best among us? You go to a doctor you want him to be in med school. You go to engineer to build your house he must have a degree. Its simple LOGIC.
USE YOUR BRAINS PEOPLE!
benign0 has the same alternative “mind set ” as the anti-vaxxers and flat earthers.
Instead you’d rather the filipinos vote for actors and charlatans… Otso has the most QUALIFIED candidates. You cannot complain against pinoy character and the lack of being logical and OBJECTIVE.
When you yourself benign0 are promoting candidates based on EMOTION and fake news.
This blog is SAD!
Oh please, you fail to see the point of the article which is simply that Otso Derecho failed in marketing their platform. This has nothing to do with qualified candidates not “deserving”. This website has always pushed for innovative and forward thinking platforms.
Pinoy Citizen!!!! I missed you!!!! This is a sad website that you got yourself booted out of then you come backl!!! Isn’t it sadder to be kicked out of a sad website only to insist on coming back to the same sad website? Oh yeah , my bad. Election time and quota must be met when you are assigned a certain website.
I’ll boot him and his alternicks out again if he/they misbehave. All up to him/them.
That also includes Darth mortis the fool. Give him the boot as well. It’s the same old shit over and over that he’s spitting.
I seem to recall he could not wait to get booted out yet she is back. As indecisive as she is yellow.l
Nah, it’s Pinoy NPC #2 is not just sad but also completely BUTTHURT that he resorts to TROLLING.
You’re not using your brains at all, son. It’s YOU who are promoting YOUR candidates based on EMOTIONS and fake news… in favor of the Opposition.
My advice. Take your Yellowtardism to somewhere else.
“I would like to venture an explanation for this sad state of affairs.”
Sad for you, sir, and your clique. Poor people.
“What is curious about Filipino political values, I think, is that they seem to have regressed from being modern, at least in aspiration, to being traditional.”
Please sir, elaborate what you mean by “traditional.” Far as we know, it is your own yellow people who were on the centuries-old turf of landlord and church dominance. If that isn’t traditional, let’s rewrite the dictionary.
“The respect reserved for the articulate, the high-minded and the brilliant is at an all-time ebb in our political life. Critics, debaters and people of ideas are often denigrated as useless charlatans.”
Your own intellectuals, you mean. The other side has pretty good brains, too. But this is an election, not a debaters’ club, and the well-being of a nation is at stake, something your intellectuals obviously failed to deliver.
“Voter preference today appears to favor those who are perceived to be approachable, compassionate and service-oriented. In short, those who can help Filipinos with their short-term needs.”
Short-term. Implying their yellow candidates would deliver for the long-term.
Lets see, medium-term (30 years) from EDSA: Did the Philippines do better?
Long-term (300+ years), the church and landed gentry of the yellows: Did the Philippines do better?
“Our people are looking for patrons, not nation-builders or statesmen.”
A play on words. Too subjective. Next.
“It has not always been like this. Something has definitely changed in the way we view politics.”
Professor recognizes that power has melted away from the yellow grasp.
“The mastery of modern politics and democratic governance is now largely viewed as the sport of a self-serving elite.”
Sir, were you born under a rock? That’s what it’s always been.
Tldr: Our customers aren’t buying our product and it’s their fault.
Polticians, more than businessmen, are supposed to serve the people. Unless Prof. David’s definition of people is exclusive to his clique, in which case, go choose a hacienda somewhere and declare it your own sovereign state. I hear tax havens are great. Just a suggestion, though.
PS: “Pinoy Citizen,” please don’t bother to bash this. I have seen your tactics. Credentialed leaders have failed us. Bald-faced lies are obvious. Mudslinging and overused emotional all-caps miss the point. None of these will be better for the country.
One of the reasons Duterte’s popularity continues to rise while the opposition continues to fail is because Duterte also targets the little problems in parts of the country that were ignored by the previous administrations – while the opposition focuses on Luzon problems.
Take for example the free irrigation enacted by Duterte. You think the opposition cared about the millions of farmers, the millions of Filipinos that have been begging for years to give them free irrigation? Did the opposition even know this was an issue to begin with?
The opposition continues to screech over the idea that the freedom of press is being attacked? While for the first time, small Filipinos were given a platform to voice out their concerns through the Presidential Complaint Center. I work in a government agency, and I’ve seen how government agencies cannot anymore ignore the concerns of the common people because the PCC will keep following up the issues brought forward by the smaller people.
How do Diokno’s “fight for justice” platform resonate with the rest of the Philippines when only people from NCR can relate to this? Do you think Filipinos in the outer reaches of Visayas cares about this so called justice when they struggle to even get to town because of the lack of roads?
Free college tuition? A big chunk of the country don’t even have proper schools to begin with.
Anti-train law? Give the people a means to grow their food first before we talk about consumer issues. Give them dams and irrigation facilities first.
Oh wait. Duterte is already doing that.
Also, isn’t it hilarious that the opposition keeps promoting the idea that DEMOCRACY IS DYING under the Duterte “regime”. But at the same time, they slam the majority’s opinion and the majority choice simply because it doesn’t align with what they want.
Hilarious, I tell you!
“It has not always been like this. Something has definitely changed in the way we view politics. The mastery of modern politics and democratic governance is now largely viewed as the sport of a self-serving elite.”
Now there’s a statement that betrays his thinking like he was born yesterday. It has always been like this, the self-serving elite have always been around, and David is making it look like they only came about today. Rabid intellectual dishonesty is what David is spouting here.
On the contrary, where was Randy David during the Second Aquino Administration when they also represent the self-serving elite. Worse is that it had a self-serving President who wants to control all branches of the government just to do what he wants. I bet David is silent or he’s a full Yellowtard. Intelligent kuno.
You could smell the partisanship from a light year away.
erm, Randy
please allow me to rephrase your statement in this manner:
OtsoDiretso political candidates not – good – enough for Filipino voters.
now that’s a lot better !
The unforgivable political sin is vanity, the killer diet is sour grapes.
He should go back to defending companies like Sanofi or downplaying the SAF44 massacre like the rest of their insane enablers.