Filipinos are coming to terms with the political reality underlying the presidential race today. Following the EDSA “revolution” in 1986, the pendulum had swung too far out the side of ultra-representative “democracy” in the Philippines. As a result, the deeply disturbing reality of the true nature of the way Filipinos have squandered their “freedom” has all been revealed. Rather than apply a mature discipline and sense of accountability in the way they exercise their democratic freedoms and rights, Filipinos have, instead, used their freedom to turn their country into a sad global punchline.
It is hardly surprising. Politicians who are products of the popular vote reflect the character of their constituents. So if, now, Filipinos lament the banal thievery of their government officials, the mediocrity in the thinking applied to development goals, and the incompetence of their top leaders and sovereigns, the highways of blame lead nowhere else but back to themselves.
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Indeed, the culmination of the culture of worshipping the notion of “sacrifice” that Filipinos have perverted beyond all recognition and, on the back of this, the favour bestowed on politicians who pander singularly to this perverse rule of “sacrifice” is no less than current President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III, son of the late former President Corazon ‘Mrs Sacrifice’ Aquino.
Something’s gotta give. And evidently something has today. After three decades of emo governance, sacrifice platforms and mediocrity agendas have been pitched once too many to Filipinos and now two politicians representing the antitheses of bakla politics have emerged as serious contenders — Rodrigo Duterte and Bongbong Marcos.
As compelling challengers to the no-results victim-mentality-pandering campaigns that dominated presidential elections over the last 30 years, Duterte and Marcos are seen by many Filipinos as leaders who offer a roadmap that could see the Philippines return to the stoic disciplined meritocracy it once was. Indeed, none of the other candidates offer any semblance of a vision to begin with. Administration candidate Mar Roxas, for one, is seen to be no more than a sad compromise for the once-venerable Liberal Party. The Daang Matuwud (‘straight path’) doctrine that started out as a campaign catchphrase of BS Aquino back in the 2009 campaign has long been tainted by the incumbent administration’s bald six-year-long reign of hypocrisy. Under the Aquino administration, pork barrel thievery was perpetrated at unprecedented scales and appalling human rights abuses were not only tolerated but sanctioned by Malacanang.
Indeed, BS Aquino has been slammed by no less than the United Nations for his human rights abuses thanks to the efforts of international lawyer Amal Alamuddin who earlier this year brought the case of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the UN High Commission on Human Rights Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) which recently ruled that her detention under the Aquino regume was “arbitrary” and, therefore, unwarranted.
In her e-mail [to her Filipino lawyer, Lorenzo Gadon], Clooney said the UN body found Arroyo’s detention arbitrary and illegal because “the Sandiganbayan failed to take into account her individual circumstances, failed to consider measures alternative to pretrial detention, and because of undue delays in proceedings against her.”
The WGAD also found her detention “politically motivated” because her confinement was due to “her exercise of her right to take part in government and the conduct of public affairs” and “because of her political… opinion,” Clooney said.
She reported that the UN body underscored the Aquino administration’s decision to stop Arroyo from traveling in November 2011 in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling allowing her to seek medical treatment for her neck and spine illnesses.
But Aquino one-upped all his predecessors by upping the ante of criminal rule. The possibility of President BS Aquino dabbling in high treason may also be emerging. Investigators both in the Philippines and in other countries may already be in the process of piecing together the puzzle of what exactly was behind the involvement of embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in Aquino’s controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) project. Left to the devices of BS Aquino and his shadowy partnership with Kuala Lumpur, a vast chunk of Mindanao would have been carved out and handed over to the terrorist Moro Islamic Liberation Front which at one time or another in its history had been funded in various capacities by the Malaysian government.
And what do detractors of Duterte and Marcos deliver in the way of intelligent arguments in light of all of the above? Predictable ones. They cater mainly to the tired old assumption that Filipinos continue to harbour an irrational fear of a return to the bad old days of “authoritarian” rule. In the case of Duterte, it is his track record of turning the southern Philippine city of Davao into a model metropolis with an iron-fisted leadership style that is admired by constituents and condemned by the chattering classes of Imperial Manila up north.
As for Bongbong Marcos’s detractors, the epic tantrums they are throwing over his recently-announced candidacy centres around just three quaint points:
(1) He is the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
(2) He and his family should return their “ill-gotten wealth” first.
(3) He may declare martial law again during his term.
But is there anything else beyond these?
(sound of chirping crickets in the background)
Specifically, is there anything about the possibility of seeing a Marcos Vice Presidency that one can argue against that has something to do with how he might actually perform his duties during his term?
Unfortunately, Filipinos are known for their inability to think that far ahead and focus on relevant arguments that pass the So What? Test. This can be gleaned when one closely examines the nature of their support for the other presidential candidates. The support for these candidates is underpinned by shallow ideas lacking in substance. The thinking is focused on concepts of “honesty” (i.e. lack of a history of “dishonesty”, for one), “sacrifice”, and none much else. Instead of true platforms these politicians exhibit mere lists of issues they promise to “tackle” if elected all of which do nothing but insult the already meagre intelligence of their supporters.
In contrast to the rest of the uninspiring presidential candidates, Duterte and Marcos do offer something different — an alternative to the idiotic dogma of the Yellow rhetoric that dominated Philippine politics for 30 years. All it takes is a bit of imagination to think outside the square that has framed the Philippine political “debate” over the last several decades. It is time Filipinos think beyond their girly fear of “martial law”, their infantile aversion to disciplined governance, and their lazy habit of substituting modern logical thinking with a fixation on political superstition.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
The Philippines is the fifth largest Christian country on earth, with about 85% of the population being adherents. (Wiki)
So how does the Bible say the Christ will rule? … you got it right … IRON-FISTED STYLE!!!
Don’t believe it? Check your Holy Book again.
Revelation 2:27 “and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;”
Revelation 12:5 “[ The Male Child, Christ ] And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.”
Revelation 19:15 “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”
So if you’re gonna look for the right leader for this country, look for someone who can rule the way Jesus does it.
Note: I already know your reactions atheist/agnostics —- “we don’t need your Bible thumping BS.” Sorry but this comment is not for you, it is only for the 85% who constitute the majority vote in this land.
so the Holy Bible foretold that Duterte & BBM will become our country’s next president & VP? Well it might but the Bible said that there’ll be an anti-Chirst, a false prophet & World War 3 will come as well before the so-called the 3rd coming of Christ. :\
The iron-fisted style of governing is like a razor sharp knife – it is very effective but a neutral object – neither good nor evil in itself.
I wouldn’t be surprised if both an evil person or a righteous one could use the same tool effectively.
Since this stupid bible thumping BS is not meant for me (atheist) I’ll let it pass. This time….
But that does not mean that you should continue posting bible verses, because that will fall under the “don’t hang your shit on me” category.
Jim DiGriz
Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt,…
Here’s my article on “Who created God?”:
http://zaxxun.com/who-created-god/
Hope it helps
yes we need like duterti or marcos style i rich the other country that belong to the roman catholict is poor unlike other country that mostly other kind of christian are not too much poor roman catholict country are most coroupt country try to observe the country belong to the vatican is por
Thanks God He answered our plea.yet you came to question it.good and evil is twin.we fought evil because each one of us sure knows what is good.you dispise good beacause you hated the truth.not sure if its triplet one them might be is called neutral.
idiot aquino followers pasok!
Para naman kay benigno, (webmaster) isa lang ang itatanong sayo ng mga idiot aquino followers
“Magkano ang article na to?”
Hintay lang tayo Gyro, lalabas din ang mga iyan…
BBM for VP, no one comes even close.
For the top chair, MDS or Duterte, but I have a feeling these two will come into a mutual agreement, because they are smart people.
MDS? when she lost against ramos we found out her true color. if you can’t beat them then join them. a brand new house in la vista, qc. about 100m. her husband bets 1m per fight in the cockpits. think again.
In my opinion to the people of the Philippines , the Philippines right now lack discipline , the justice system is slow to make decisions, they are easily bought if not by money ,,,,,is by favors of those who put them there , corruption is basically the trend of the country,, nobody is afraid to break the law..it will need a strong and bold leader. Who are your choices..observe and compare them who among them will instill discipline and hopefully would not abuse his power.. They are the one to vote.
meriam duterti marcos gordon is thae best contender
All these years there were other choices that were competent, Filipinos failed to vote them in. They let the trend set in until finally, no better choices than these two are left. Though Filipinos now realize they want an alternative to the emo choice that actually messed up the country these past 5 years, it’s too late. The choice have now been more limited than ever, and we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place for 2016. All because, Filipino don’t think, they just react.
Indeed. In a way one can consider the bid of Marcos and the possible bid of Duterte for offices as courageous acts — done at a time when all the other intelligent, visionary, and experienced politicians have balked at subjecting themselves to the whims of an electorate long-conditioned to vote for idiots.
The way BS Aquino won against far more qualified candidates back in 2010 may have dealt a fatal blow to the idea that statesmanship, vision, and intelligence could win in the Philippines.
Yeah, just in the market, for the business to remain profitable, it sells what the customer wants.
The political parties here simply serve incompetent ones because they’re the ones the people will more likely vote. If we Filipinos demand for competent ones, then these political parties will present them.
The problem of the Filipinos in general is that we don’t demand for better governance.
I don’t know guys, there’s this fable about not counting your eggs until they’re hatched and all. Why don’t you guys wait till at least Duterte makes up his mind yet again about… ahem… not running? You guys want platforms, yet you say you will vote for them sight unseen. Anyare?
One other thing: it’s all right to thump discipline as if it’s going out of fashion — but it’s such a nebulous concept round here. I’d like to know what kind of “discipline” Duterte and Bongbong will impose on the country if they get the lion’s share of the votes. How will they put “discipline” into the public sphere? and some such.
Lol! What makes you think “we guys” are supporting anyone?
You really want me to search and read every single article spread out over six pages of search results after keying in “Bongbong Marcos” here in GRP?
I’ll gladly take that, and take note of the progress I’m having while reading every single one of the webmaster’s thoughts on Bongbong’s virtues — but in a few hours. I have a job to finish, unfortunately.
Use the time to edit and make yourself less of an abject stooge before Bongbong, yes?
@Pallacertus: Nope, I’m not asking you to do all that. I did not ask you to come up with quotes from our articles or, worse, a list of our articles as proof.
Here is my question again:
I’m asking you what makes you think “we guys” are supporting anyone.
Apparently, Filipinos are ALLERGIC to the word “think”.
There you go again with your stupid assumptions and saying “you guys” after reading an article from one writer…tsk tsk.
This is a collective blogsite and one writer’s views on issues doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of all the writers.
I’ll take Ralph’s caution and have it hang over benign0’s head like a sword of Damocles, thank you.
It’s quite pathetic how you often miss the point of the articles because you focus on the wrong things – proving that GRP is supporting a politician. If it’s not Binay or GMA, it’s Bong Bong.
You need to focus on the important points raised in the articles, for your own sake.
Never been so happy for our country. I can’t wait for them start governing.
…Or maybe I just can’t wait for Pnoy’s rule to end. Thinking that we endured his idiotic, shallow leadership makes me feel abused.
What a shame that this blog(ger) seem to have political inclinations. I thought Get Real was unbiased and, most of all, supportive of critical thinking.
Filipinos should never settle for less. A Marcos or any person from a political dynasty for that matter who takes office in Malacañang is not good enough. The still unexplained wealth of these political dynasties whether it be by the Marcoses or the Aquinos should not be accepted by the people. Supporting their political aspirations is doing exactly that and personally I think that’s irresponsible and backwards. One must not forget the past.
Everything you say I agree with. If Filipinos are truly serious about reform, then they should be looking to candidates who do not come from the familiar clique of oligarchs.
Unfortunately what we are seeing today is the same set of choices. And that alone already shows the extent to which the Philippine political “debate” has bankrupted itself.
Exactly why one should exercise more caution not to (appear to) support any of these families. There’s no such thing as “the lesser evil” here. The day we start settling for less is the day we lose. The Filipino people should encourage the deserving to run for office. That’s why thought leaders and other personalities who can shape public opinion should be more discerning in what they say and do in public. Surely we don’t want the wrong message to come across.
This is an opinion blog. What did you expect, that posters here will do their best to hedge their opinions on the possibility that they might be fucking wrong, or that even their perches might not be high enough to afford them a view of the commotion below them, let alone multiple views of said commotion?
Please.
@Ralph, I take your point about “exercising caution” in the way we deliver our ideas. But on the other hand, there is a slippery slope between exercising caution here and spoonfeeding our audience with overly-sanitised content.
The assumption we work with here is that the commentors will step up to issuing intelligent reality checks on our ideas. And this is why we are the greatest political blog of the Philippines — because we work under the premise that Filipinos are intelligent enough to spot BS and articulate their challenge against it when called to the task.
In that way we can take license in our resolve to issue bold and, arguably, outrageous views on any subject matter. The other side of the equation is the the audience response to counterbalance our bravado.
Coming back to the specifics relevant to this article, the challenge is in the article itself. All the anti-Bongbong/Duterte mob has to offer are enumerated in three points there. If there is a compelling argument that speaks to the future rather than leans on the past to prop up its validity, I’m all ears. And, as a follow-on to that, is there any potential for abuse in these two candidates (or for that matter for any candidate) that the checks and balances inherent in the current system of government cannot handle?
if we want something new and changes then we must choose someone to changed the governance in this country itself … but the main problem is about democracy which is “for sale” all the time specially in this coming elections lastly those people lack of understanding and believing some false or twisted history and some of them the main media is there basis which is favorable from the present administration by using and manipulating on them too.
Do not forget it takes money to win elections..who has the most money wins…same as in America……in the Philipines watch carefully this upcoming budget when it passed..how much is that 300 billion pesos or something…the one who control those and who are good of hiding it wins…watch them carefully….I kinda doubt if they will spend they own money and gamble their life savings….if corruption has to stop this is the time to stop it….watch that budjet like a hawk Filipinos…
Discipline and intelligence (even in crafty ways) Filipinos have. The problem is both characteristics are applied for personal gain and not for the benefit of the whole nation.
Question to Aquino Followers: WHY DIDN’T YOU FOLLOW THE LAW WHEN YOU STILL HAD THE CHANCE???
Ok…so…what’s the platform? Specifics, please.
It’s called the internet. Inform yourself instead of asking others to do the work for you.
Aside from the fact that it would be inappropriate to list the platform here.
benign0 has already been accused of propagating the two candidates.
Yes, like Gremlins, you can propagate candidates by adding water.
I thought this election should be all about platforms. Where the f-ck are the platforms? Just look it up? Yeah…right up your a-r-s-e where the sun don’t shine.
May I ask what your obsession with my ass is? Does it arouse you imagining things up my ass?
Poor Pinoys, pinning their hopes on dictatorships. Hero mentality at its finest
How idiotic can they get?
In a lost-cause country like the Philippines Dictatorship is the only form of government that would work anyway.
Democracy here is like asking two wolves and a sheep to decide what’s for dinner.
lost cause? I thought salvation is at hand with Marcos.
Dictatorships tend to collapse especially when power is concentrated into the hands of people with a family history of abusing it.
The article above describes Marcos as a leader “who offer a roadmap that could see the Philippines return to the stoic disciplined meritocracy it once was”. If such was the case, why would Lee Kuan Yew say this about Marcos: “International outrage over the killing resulted in foreign banks stopping all loans to the Philippines, which owed over US$25 billion and could not pay the interest due. This brought Marcos to the crunch. He sent his minister for trade and industry, Bobby Ongpin, to ask me for a loan of US$300-500 million to meet the interest payments. I looked him straight in the eye and said, “We will never see that money back.””
PLEASE EXPLAIN.
Are your posts here devoted to spreading stupidity?
hey are crazy marcos have too much money are you insane
Democracy is as foreign to the Filipino people as their Catholicism and Protestantism, since these form of government and religions were not founded by them, but were handed down by the Spanish and Americans. You cannot fully embrace,nor successfully apply, an idea and theology that you didn’t help create; thus, resulting in a totally dysfunctional system.
Hey idiot. The point of this article is that unless the three stooges (Binay, Poe and Roxas) get their act together and provide a compelling alternative (and not just plain emo sacrifice rhetoric), the Filipinos may just gravitate towards candidates who aren’t so emo.
Did I dispute the point of this article?
What I wanted to point out is about the mentality of putting their hopes on one person, thinking that he will SINGLEHANDEDLY save the Philippines.
What is happening nowadays is that exactly what I said. Now Filipinos wanted to be ruled with an iron fist because they claim that it will instill discipline that will lead to progress. But I tell ya, it’ NOT the real reason. The real reason is that they finally realized the mistake they did in 2010, and they desperately wanted to fix it. In short, they’re trying to do the good thing now, AFTER trying everything else.
And I say it’s TOO LATE. This pathetic excuse of a country has already signed its death warrant a long time ago.
PS: You’re actually expecting those 3 to do the right thing? Hahaha! Who’s the idiot now?
Hey Dickless Suck on Your Rosary,
Don’t you know that the way you vote for your favorite politicians is the same way you follow your hand-me-down Catholic and Protestant religion: through Blind Faith. I’m afraid you’re the bigger idiot.
Aetna
@hahacienda,
Bong Bong Marcos is not Ferdinand Marcos. He is his father’s son. He is not bound to the same fate.
The problem with BongBong Marcos is not that he is the son of Ferdinand Marcos but rather he refuses to admit his father’s disastrous presidency and all the issues and mistakes that resulted it. And still want’s his father to be seen as a hero.
Problem here is that if you can’t admit the shortcomings on the past what makes you think he can lead the country to the future?
As for Duterte the question is he going to be a president that follows the rule of law? He also has a history of human rights violations especially with the Davao Death Squad. So essentially he’s cleaning up crime in his city by committing a crime of his own. Which is already a form of corruption which is already a problem of this country.
Marcos family won over 986 cases hurled against them by both US and Philippine governments, don’t you think that’s not enough “admission”?
Next thing, do you know about Economic Hitmen by the US/CIA and how they would work to bring down a country and/or presidency ?
Haha. People who assume we are Marcos loyalists and “paid” by this party (prove it if you can) are not thinking deeply or critically. Because of the emo attitude of Filipinos in 2010, they painted themselves into a corner. So for 2016, we are condemned to poor and very limited choices. Simply, it’s because people want it that way. For example, I heard that someone voted Binay for the reason that they assume it’s a way to insult Aquino. Clearly, that’s an emo way to vote. If the voters are like that, then we know why we will remain in the clutches of corrupt oligarchs for years to come.
Filipinos don’t like hearing the truth, especially when it dispels their delusions of reality.
“The problem with BongBong Marcos is not that he is the son of Ferdinand Marcos but rather he refuses to admit his father’s disastrous presidency and all the issues and mistakes that resulted it. And still want’s his father to be seen as a hero.” – shooter
because he does not agree to such a point of view. and it is not just that there were negative effects. let us be honest here. what you and the rest of the vehement anti-marcos people are asking is that he condemn his own father.
No, its that Filipino’s condemn his Father. Those outside the country want another Marcos in the palace like they want AIDS.Fail-ipino’s inside the country are too stupid to remember the past. HA, the Marcos family still never returned the loot they stole…and the old lady has the tits to brag about it !!! Good Lord, elect him,binny bing Martwat, see what happens.Think abnoy was bad.
gising!
Maybe this fear of another Marcos or ironfist Duterte in high office has more to do with Pinoys not being able to do something “if” things go bad. Just like when corruption became rampant in Aquino government, people just recourse on their starstruck persona to escape the ugly reality. They should know that predators are more likely to prey on the helpless.
corruption was rampant long before Pnoy took office,LOL !
Yes, Vlad, but see in Marcos era you’ll find people in all walks of life find ways to fight what they disapprove of the government. There were even powerful oppositions then, be it communist or the liberals. There’s NPA formation, there’s workers union, the university orgs themselves are active in their rallies against the admin, fighting for the oppressed, and that was in face of Martial Law. All these convictions and courageous acts were gone after EDSA People Power not because corruption and atrocities disappear but because the people became sheep, most lives and thinking became mediocre.
Fear is the only thing Filipinos respect.
When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when the iron’s hot.
True freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline.
the cost of freedom is death. Death is where you will find freedom,not before!
Just got news (and now in rounding in the Internet): Duterte officially says he’s not running for presidency 🙁 T_T
Probably realize that if he wins the presidential election and leaves his turf in Davao, he will no longer be the “bad ass” once he sets foot in Malacanang.
Duterte is no ‘bad ass’, he is a thug ! A punk-ass bitch that needs to get his ass kicked good. His little girl that punched the guy in the street would have got a fist full of knuckles down her throat if she ever pulled that shit w/anyone I know.
Thieves and liars are all the country has to run the country, sadness never had it so sad.
Appropriately, Benign0’s title names two things Filipino normally hate: discipline and intelligence. I ought to write something about that.
Some group I know who claims to be GRP’s sister group would disagree with this due to Marcos and Duterte.
What a laugh. 30 years after the Marcos were drummed out of the country the Son-of-the-scumbag is on the brink of running the country.
Filipino’s,being far to stupid to remember past mistakes, will find out the hard way.
The apple does not fall far from the tree. The loot that FM bagged is going to be brought back (that which was taken out in the 1st place)and they shall run the country even further into the ground.
Poor Fail-ippines, too dumb to help themselves, to stupid to remember the past and too timid to get rid of all these scumbags once and for all.(or are the Failipino’s stupid enough to think the Marcos family will share the loot? LMAO!!!)
Wow, that country is screwed, GET OUT NOW !!!! IF YOU CAN!!!
Problem with people like you is, you’re nailed on the wall and can’t seem to think clearly since your brain is stuck in history’s ass.
First, you’re the perfect example of an illogical bastard who probably never studied critical thinking since your arguments are based on fallacy and stupidity.
Second, It’s people like you who give a bad impression for Filipinos who still hope for their country to be better again. Taking the easy way out and simply leaving the country like COWARD.
Third, You probably didn’t bother to read Bong Bong Marcos’ Accomplishments for this country, simply because you’re blinded by History. Thus, again pointing out to how close minded and ignorant you are.
Typical banter from dumb ass FILIPINOS must stop. PLEASE educate yourself in the proper form of argument so that you will not be percieved as a dumbass who bases argument on ad hominem fallacies.
Nobody hates history, they hate their own histories.
indio, i agree with you without any second thought.
Hey, i just want to emphasized whats within Marcos regime and to those who ruled the country after him. Well, by simply comparing all Marcos achievements versus to those came after him. Literally, they are nothing. What happened after Marcos regime???? Philippines became a big shit. Problema dito, problema doon. Alangya, pahirap ng pahirap lalo e. Internally and externally walang nangyayari. Before, we are even recognize when it comes to agriculture, education, prosperity and so fort and so on. Ngayon, hindi lang tayong kasalukuyang nabubuhay ang nagsasacrifice. Wake up Filipinos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both the Aquinos and Marcoses have their own shares of accomplishments and faults, though you seem to always try to highlight the negatives of the Aquinos and the positives of the other. Yep, you’re totally unbiased as you claim to be. 😀
Marcos Loyalists love that.
They want Marcos discipline like that in Singapore by Lee Kuan Yew so Filipinos will be afraid to break the law; they must fear and respect the law.
Right, those who prefer responsibility and discipline is a Marcos loyalist. You injected venom in those words so you keep on with your trolling shenanigans.
Fact: trying to attribute responsibility and discipline and labelling it as being a ‘Marcos loyalist’ is borderline stupidity.
Next is you’re gonna say that ALL Filipinos are Marcos loyalists. Then afterwards, you kill yourself since you can’t handle your own insanity that you will be confined into a mental asylum. Typical.
Get over it, baby!
Please stop your shitposting and take it to somewhere else like PAB.