Bongbong On Course for Presidency. God Help The Philippines!

[PeterRS]

There was a time when The Philippines, released from colonialism by its former master the United States, enjoyed one of the most dynamic economies in the world. It was also politically stable and seemingly a thriving democracy. By the mid-1960s, other countries in Asia were mired in their own problems. Japan was recovering from World War 2. South Korea was in a worse mess following the Korean War. Hong Kong was still a sweatshop about to be engulfed by the mainland's Cultural Revolution. Malaysia and Singapore were much too young to have developed their economies.

So when the Asian Development Bank was deciding where to locate its headquarters, there was only one real option - Manila. What no one then knew was that within a few years The Philippines would start a long period of disastrous decline, headed by a murdering  kleptocrat who had been voted into the Presidency in that same year - 1965. With America soon to become engulfed in its series of wars in IndoChina, Ferdinand Marcos knew his previous colonial masters needed him and the military bases he could provide - big time. They would in no way force him to accept the usual checks and balances. As power increasingly went to his head, he declared martial law in 1972. There then followed a period of plunder of the nation's wealth, extra judicial killings and a massive increase in dire poverty nationwide. Opponents were first silenced and then killed. His dreadful wife Imelda whom he created the Governor of Manila believed, or so she claimed, her job was to give the Filipino people the glamour that none could even think about when they could barely afford to feed their families.

By February 1986, the Filipinos had had enough of the murdering thieving Marcoses. They booted them out in a People Power Revolution and installed in his place as President Corazon Aquino, the widow of a senator killed by Marcos. That should have been the end of the Marcoses who deserved to be consigned to oblivion. The family fled into exile in Hawaii where they plotted their return to take power again in their home country. Only Marcos himself was by now too ill and died in 1989. President Aquino allowed the rest of the family to return to The Philippines to face justice for the billions they had stolen and ensure it was returned to the state. This was a decision that many were to come to regret. Marcos' all-powerful wife was hale and hearty and his children had all been earlier installed in positions of power. All used their former cronies to build a wall of silence around their kleptomania. Alleged to have stolen up to US$10 billion, the state has so far only managed to recover little more than $3.5 billion.

The body of Marcos was kept embalmed in his home province until a national burial in the Cemetery of Heros was approved by President Duterte in 2016. To escape from the law, Imelda ran for office - and won. Even today at age 83 she out of reach of the arms of the law as a Member of the House of Representatives. She remains cocooned in her fantasy world of beauty, fine art, haute couture dresses, goodness knows how many pairs of shoes - and the rock solid belief that her husband was betrayed and wronged.

Why this should still be something many in the media are now talking about again is the fact that another Marcos, another crook, seems set to become the next President of the country in May. Bongbong is the couple's only son. 4 years ago he was pretty much out of favour. Thanks to Trump-like use of social media he has cultivated an almost totally different persona. He has been almost completely disassociated with his father's crimes. Now he is a clean-cut businessman promising Filipinos a great future. Sadly, memories are short and too many believe him. In a recent survey, close to half of all Filipino voters are ready to vote for the former dictator's son.

Not surprisingly, the man is a liar. He studied at Oxford University where he claims he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts. In fact he failed in Economics and twice in Politics. He did not receive a degree. He enrolled in the Wharton School of Business and again failed to graduate. Back in The Philippines, his father made him Chairman of the Telecoms company Philcomsat in early1985. Despite rarely visiting the company's offices or doing any work at all, he drew a salary that was allegedly up to $97,000 per month. Since his return, he has played major part in ensuring the family's ill-gotten wealth remains hidden. He has consistently trashed those who accuse his father of his many human rights abuses.

But thanks largely to social media, Bongbong the crook stands at the pinnacle of power in a country where the government is infested with corruption and where power remains vested in a small number of hugely wealthy and influential families. 

Marcos senior frequently claimed that he would make The Philippines the Singapore of East Asia. Lee Kwan Yew loathed Marcos and wrote of him in 2000, "a self-indulgent ageing ruler who allowed his wife and cronies to clean out the country through ingenious monopolies and put the government heavily in debt . . . Only in The Philippines could a leader like Ferdinand Marcos, who pillaged his country for over 20 years, still be considered for a national burial." Once Bongbong sits on the throne, let's be ready for all manner of pardons and the still undiscovered stolen wealth remaining hidden where it will never be discovered. It now seems clear that yet again the Filipinos will elect a ridiculous, yet highly dangerous, figure to lead it. 

Adapted from  https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/12/14/what-is-behind-the-resurgence-of-the-marcos-dynasty

[TotallyOz]

I have been watching this with surprise. But, if the USA can elect Donald Trump, I can't image many countries not falling for insane leaders based on the push by media, lies, and ignorance.

[TMax]

So sad to see the Filipinos falling for the crooks and dynasties again, just what they don't need is another Marcos or Duterte in power but they will continue down that path by the look of it. If the Marcos - Duterte tandem do get up then the Philippines will be well and truly screwed again and then another dodgy pair will take over at the following election, it seems the lessons just aren't learnt that well over there. At some stage they need to break the trend of voting for certain types and move away from the crooked ones and the dynasties, voting for celebrities is not really the answer either, Estrada is a classic example of that.

[caeron]

 

I used to have some faith in mankind. The last few years cured me of it. Now I just hope we can avoid total disaster for a few more decades when I won't be around to see "The Walking Dead" happen in real life.

[PeterRS]

I used to love visiting Manila for long week-ends. Before Bangkok became the Asian centre for commercial gay activities, Manila beat it hands down. A long week-end at the Philippine Plaza Hotel by the bay was incredibly inexpensive given its high quality and there were always so many gay westerners from all around Asia with their Filipino boys du jour. It really was gay central. I have written before of the delights of the huge barn of a place 690 Retiro Strip in the Quezon City area with its catwalks and well over 100 naked guys.

In those waning years of the Marcos dictatorship, we were blissfully unaware of the depths to which Marcos and his cronies had sunk. Clearly corruption on a massive scale enabled the plethora of bars and clubs for all types to exist. One of Marcos' main antagonists of the time was the Cardinal of the country, a seemingly lovely man named I often thought rather appropriately Cardinal Sin. Jaime Sin was much loved and respected in the almost exclusively Catholic country. While his ranting against the evils of the Marcos regime seemed to come to nought, his open support for Corazon Aquino must have helped ensure the success of People Power.

It took the murder in broad daylight of her husband, the main opposition leader Benigno Aquino returning from medical treatment in the USA, to waken us up a little. By then I had become enchanted with the gay scene in Bangkok and my visits to Manila tapered off. On my rare visits to Manila in recent decades, I have been depressed at the gay scene. For those interested, though, I am told other parts of the country are very beautiful and there are plenty of young willing men around. Any member been recently?

[PeterRS]

2 hours ago, TMax said:

At some stage they need to break the trend of voting for certain types and move away from the crooked ones and the dynasties, voting for celebrities is not really the answer either, Estrada is a classic example of that.

As I see it, the problem is one not uncommon throughout much of Asia. There is an assumption that one man one vote is the solution for democratic rule. That presumably is what the American colonial power assumed when it drew up the Constitution before leaving the The Philippines. Prior to to the US taking over as the colonial power, the country's Constitution had been based on the French model. That Constitution was immediately changed and in 1935, aware that it would eventually have to give the country independence, a new Constitution was adopted based almost exclusively on that of the USA. It has been changed since, but the earlier Constitution established the democratic principles by which the country would initially govern itself. It did put in place the institutions essential to a functioning democracy. And it is true that for a while the judiciary was independent and the first Presidents were acclaimed for their trusteeship of the post, particularly Ramon Magsaysay and Diosdado Macapagal. Then came Marcos, martial law and the descent.

It is tempting to call Filipinos politically naive. As @TMax points out, Filipinos are addicted far more to popularity than policies. I cannot believe that the actor Joseph Estrada would have been elected in any other country. Even Duterte at the time of his election would only have had an outside chance - although with right wing nationalism sweeping much of the world, that might not be the case today.

If Bongbong Marcos wins, as seems likely, it will largely be because he comes from one of the wealthiest families in the country and the fake history that is proving so successful in sanitising his father and mother's crimes. But I forgot in my earlier post to mention the dark horse. Another popular figure is in the race - Manny Pacquiao. Although he happens to be a member of parliament, he is a boxer who became famous because of his pugilistic exploits around the world. He is virtually worshipped in the country. He is also a noted homophobe. He has continually called homosexuals "worse than animals". He is also a bible thumper. So it would seem to this outsider that the choice is between one of two evils. I suspect Pacquiao will tamper less with the country's government. Marcos is the real danger man because he knows exactly how the country is run and knows exactly where his family's ghosts are hidden. 

So much for democracy!

[GWMinUS]

Yes, unfortunately it will be a choice between Marco and Pacquiao. Of course my friends living in the Vasayas are voting for Pacquiao.

God help them and us who love the Philippines...

[PeterRS]

And do we continue to believe that in this day and age one-man-one-vote is the democracy that works best? This is particularly true when very few countries actually give individuals a vote that truly elects a leader. Increasingly out of date systems like electoral colleges, constituencies where the winner takes all and countries allow those with the cash to spend gazillions to see elected only those who will pass the policies they wish to see passed or even just to stand for election. The changes in our day to day lives since Churchill made his much quoted comment on democracy being the worst form of government except for all the other forms that have been tried from time to time was made have been massive. Would he agree now, I wonder? I suspect he would add only in those countries where there is freedom of speech, a truly independent judiciary and a Constitution that all respect. 

[GWMinUS]

As someone who has been visiting the Philippines for over 15 years and who has many good friends there.  I have to say seeing real Democracy work there is most difficult. First so much is in the hands of so few. The rich run things both in business and in politics. The Filipino Aristocracy. And in politics what you have to spend counts even more. Even when Benigno Aquino III was elected President, I had great hopes for the future. But again he was from a rich family and never made a difference for the common Filipino. For there it has gone straight download hill. President Rodrigo Duterte may not come from a rich family but his so corrupt and excercises his power so ruthlessly to assure he and his daughter will be on top. What can I say about Manny Pacquiao? It is too bad he is a homophobe. My gay friends all ignore that and want to see him win. He is loved!!

But in the end I have to say I feel the Filipino People will never change. They are not like "us" Europeans or Americans. They are too often uneducated or too easily swayed. Being an American I feel we are also becoming too easily swayed. We will see...