Next Philippine President Homophobic?

[PeterRS]

The Philippines has a tendency to elect as Presidents people who are famous and near hopeless. Joseph Estrada was a popular actor who ran for President and won in 1998. He ended up being impeached and behind bars! Yet he was still elected Mayor of Manila for 2 terms from 2013 to 20191 The present incumbent Duterte was exceedingly popular as Mayor of the southern city of Davao. This despite Davao having the highest murder rate, the second highest rape rate and the fourth highest rate of all crimes in the country. He also ran a vigilante Death Squad which murdered 1,400 men, women and children as alleged criminals.

His Presidential term has been clouded by accusations of extra judicial killings during his war on drugs. His comments on human rights have ben considered internationally as deeply offensive, provocative and threatening. During his campaign he outraged Australians with his comments about a missionary  who had been gang raped and murdered. He claimed that as Mayor he should have had the right to be first in the rape queue! Yet the people of the country elected this foul man to the highest office, helping him see off a challenge from the son of the murdering, thieving Ferdinand Marcos by 263,000 votes. The Philippines really seem to pay little attention to the political credentials of their candidates. Now Duterte has announced that, as he is barred from a second term, he will run as Vice President for the elections to be held next year. It is even thought that Duterte's daughter may be on the ticket for President.

Now, though, there is another famous name on the horizon. Manny Pacquiao is a world famous boxer. He is a senator in the Philippines parliament. He is also well known for his extremely homophobic comments. 5 years ago he stated that people in same sex relationships were "worse than animals."

“Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female. If men mate with men and women mate with women they are worse than animals.”

The outcry led to his doubling down on the remarks by referring to the Bible before eventually he apologised. Nike immediately withdrew his endorsement contract. He remains an outspoken advocate against the LGBT community. Whether he will win the election or not is way to early to tell. He is currently trailing in the polls, but electioneering has not started yet. And as a famous celebrity, I will not put money on his not being elected.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/feb/17/manny-pacquiao-gay-comments-nike-boxing

[reader]

From Philstar Global

In shock announcement, Duterte says to retire from politics

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte made a shock announcement Saturday, saying that he would retire from politics and no longer pursue a vice presidential run, in deference to popular opinion that this runs counter to the intent of the Constitution.

Duterte initially said he would run for vice president for continutiy of his administration's programs and to get immunity from suit,a privilege that that office does not enjoy.

"The overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino is that I am not qualified, and it would be a violation of the Constitution to circumvent the law, the spirit of the Constitution," Duterte said after his long-time aide turned senator, Bong Go, announced that the president withdrew his acceptance of nomination as the vice presidential candidate of the PDP-Laban faction controlled by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

"In obedience to the will of the people, who after all placed me in the presidency many years ago, I now say sa mga kababayan ko, sundin ko ang gusto ninyo (I will follow what you want,)" Duterte added. "Today, I announce my retirement from politics."

In a surprising turn of events, Go filed a certificate of candidacy for vice president instead of Duterte. Go was previously the faction's chosen standard bearer, but he had repeatedly refused to accept the nomination. It is now unclear who the PDP-Laban's presidential candidate would be.

While unexpected, it is not the first time that Duterte said he was retiring from politics. He made the same overture in 2015, only for him to eventually run for president.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/10/02/2131104/shock-announcement-duterte-says-retire-politics

=============================

From Channel News Asia

Philippines loosens coronavirus curbs in capital region

MANILA: The Philippines further loosened coronavirus restrictions in the capital region on Friday (Oct 1), allowing restaurants to accept more guests and gyms to reopen after recording a decline in daily COVID-19 cases.

The Philippines, which is battling one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in Asia, is gradually relaxing curbs to allow the recovery of the economy.

Restaurants and personal care services were permitted to double their allowable operating capacity to 20 per cent, while fitness studios and gyms were allowed to reopen their doors, but only to fully vaccinated clients.

"This is one step towards the recovery of the economy. People are enthusiastic about opening up," Benjamin Abalos, chairperson of the capital's council of mayors, told Reuters.

The capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities that is home to 13 million people, is the country's coronavirus epicentre, accounting for a third of confirmed infections and one in every four deaths. Nearly four-fifths of the area's population has already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, government data showed.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/philippines-covid-19-restrictions-eased-cases-fall-2214671

 

[Guest]

39 minutes ago, reader said:

The capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities that is home to 13 million people, is the country's coronavirus epicentre, accounting for a third of confirmed infections and one in every four deaths. Nearly four-fifths of the area's population has already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, government data showed.

So 80% x 13 million = 10.4 million

Meawhile, ourworldindata.org shows 14.53% of the total population fully vaccinated.  Total population = 109.6 million, so 15.92 million.

So 5.52 million fully vaccinated from the 96.6 million outside the Manila area ?      Some way to go there.

Admittedly, this is probably slightly pessimistic as the ourworldindata.org numbers are about 3 weeks old. 

However, I suspect The Philippines will not be an alternative holiday destination in 2021. 

[spoon]

Phillippines has the advantage of being and island nations and can easily open only the captial for tourist if they wanted too. Of course that would also mean they need to have extra check at any local departure airports and ports to ensure tourist doesnt venture away, at least 14 days if they want to follow sandbox model. 

[PeterRS]

Philippine general elections have been often proven to be a joke with a joker elected. Sadly the electorate seems to have little clue about governance.

[GWMinUS]

I think the Filipinos are not unlike the Thais. The RICH run the Country and the man in the Street just complains.

🤕

[PeterRS]

1 hour ago, GWMinUS said:

I think the Filipinos are not unlike the Thais. The RICH run the Country and the man in the Street just complains.

🤕

I don't think I agree with the first sentence. The Filipinos seem far more gullible with famous names getting much more of the vote irrespective of whatever platform and policies they may have run on. Filipinos are much more star struck! Also, I don't think most Filipinos are all paid for their votes whereas we know a great deal of cash changes hands in Thailand.

[NIrishGuy]

3 hours ago, PeterRS said:

....., I don't think most Filipinos are all paid for their votes whereas we know a great deal of cash changes hands in Thailand.

I maybe wouldn't be too sure about that last part as Im told by my Filipino partner that there are many cases an entire (poor) townships vote being bought en masse but whatever candidate, who buys the top local politicians vote, either with money directly or perhaps with offers of local positions of influence etc and they then instruct their following to vote in whatever way they are told, likewise cases of money simply being distributed in the same poor neighbourhoods to literally just buy up the votes as that candidate is then seem as "their guy" etc.

On up the social ladder it may become a bit more subtle in that if not hard cash again the politician uses their (seemingly vast sway locally) to assist directly in appointing even just ordinary people. supporters to jobs in hospitals etc, where a simple phone call from them is all it takes to get someone employed or them to get government assistance etc.

 

On one hand I guess you could say the same happens in the West, but just a little more subtly perhaps, but it seems that vote "buying' IS very much a thing in the Ph's and the ruling families ( on both sides) are up to their necks in all sorts of scheming to secure their vote, right up from the poor all the way up to the top in them oiling the wheels to try to get their hands on the levers of power.

 

As for Dutuere retiring, all I'd say there perhaps is "watch this space" as he's made that same claim before and he's still there and the one thing can all see re the Ph's and their political families is that once they taste power it's hard to get them to give it up again - as amazing can be seen by Admelda Marcos and her family still commanding a certain power there and running and winning elections even after all of their very public history or corruption and greed there !

As I often comment to my BF, the Flipino people cant really complain as they get EXACTLY the politicians they deserve ( a bit like here in the West now I come to think of it) and they repeatedly elect and continue to idolise the most corrupt politicians they can seem to find almost !  Some of the conversations I've had with my partners family re the likes of Duetere and him basically being a murdered and State supporter of same are incredible but of course they always end with the line "well you wouldn't understand as you're not Flipino but for us he's a great man! ( but leaving out then and he got my wife, son and daughter appointed to their jobs when he was Mayor of Davao part of course .....)" 

[PeterRS]

1 hour ago, NIrishGuy said:

I maybe wouldn't be too sure about that last part as Im told by my Filipino partner that there are many cases an entire (poor) townships vote being bought en masse but whatever candidate, who buys the top local politicians vote, either with money directly or perhaps with offers of local positions of influence etc and they then instruct their following to vote in whatever way they are told, likewise cases of money simply being distributed in the same poor neighbourhoods to literally just buy up the votes as that candidate is then seem as "their guy" etc. . . .

On one hand I guess you could say the same happens in the West, but just a little more subtly perhaps, but it seems that vote "buying' IS very much a thing in the Ph's and the ruling families ( on both sides) are up to their necks in all sorts of scheming to secure their vote, right up from the poor all the way up to the top in them oiling the wheels to try to get their hands on the levers of power.

I fully accept I am not at all sure about buying of votes in The Philippines. I just assumed nowhere could be worse than Thailand when it comes to little dollops of cash being liberally handed over.

And as you say, cash seems to be king in just about every democracy. It can be a simple red bill to a village voter in Thailand. Perhaps a million dollar cheque in the USA to secure an Ambassadorship in some rather nice posting. Even an entire voting block guaranteeing their votes in return for an anti-this or pro-that seat on the Supreme Court. Or, as with Thaksin at his first election, very large bribes being paid to certain individuals on the Constitutional Court to ensure his "honest mistake" in having his gardener and housekeeper owning a gazillion shares in his company which should have been declared as his assets prior to the election and which should have disqualified him would be forgiven!

Given the state of the world - or should I say the worsening state of the world - I often wonder if democracy as we have known it is all but dead. And yes I know the obvious follow on from that. If democracy is dying, what goes in its place? Major systemic reforms would be a good start, but does anyone seriously think that those presently with their hands on the levers of power will be prepared to promote reform? I certainly don't. 

Going back to the Philippines, as long as the financial power is concentrated in the hands of just a few dozen families, I cannot see much change there either. The US could have done something when they ruled the islands as their colony, but did nothing. Then they propped up the murdering, thieving dictator Marcos because they needed the air cases in the country during the Cold War. If only we could turn back the clock a century or more and undo much of what were to become our present day disasters!