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Cagayan de Oro
Thursday, March 28, 2024
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One and the same

THE country’s political and economic elite are one and the same.
They take full control of almost everything –- from politics, economics to business, name it  —  they have everything at their beck and call.
President Digong Duterte, is one of them who belongs to the more than 250 political families  now prevalent in Philippine politics, a dismal real time scenario in a country that exists on a pseudo monarchial manner under the guise of a democratic system of governance.
That said, the joke was on him when he questioned the Cayetanos of Taguig of continuously embracing a political dynasty like no other.
On a popular note, the Dutertes take control of the local politics of Davao, and likewise all other political families in almost all provinces and cities of the country’s 7,100 plus islands.
He has left a convincing impression that his family, the Cayetanos, the Villars, the Marcoses, the Zubiris of Bukidnon,  the Uys of Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro and the rest of political families in the country have one thing  in common -–supremacy on everything under the sun.
Sizing him up close, Duterte's jest on the Cayetanos and his own family speaks well of the true state of governance in this country – political conspiracy.
By being true to himself, President Duterte was just speaking straight from his glib tongue. He has all the sarcasm for the well-heeled, scented crowd of the political elite and the powers-that-be, yet he is doing impressive job of endearing himself in the eyes of the greater mass.
Duterte may be coarse, rough and uncouth, but throughout his stint in Malacanang so far, he has played well with metaphors — the indirect approach of governance that locked him  up with the culture of the masses’ behavior and thinking.
Further, Duterte’s obnoxious ways are something previous leaders of this country could not replicate, nor out-shadow, or even out-pace him.   
What matters most to people is Duterte’s standpoint and how he conveys his biting messages correctly and effectively albeit sarcastically, including the long standing issue on political dynasties.
But with a steady record of very good ratings courtesy of SWS and Pulse Asia,  more people have become optimistic about change in their quality of life.  And more people as well are satisfied with how democracy works under a foul-mouthed,  aggressive presidency under a skewed system of governance.
Duterte is still   popular and  known for his  toughness  on crime and corruption, but still notorious for his aggressive rhetorics and policies.
Despite criticisms, Duterte's popularity has held strong in this country. The SWS/Pulse Asia survey results show that 85 percent of  Filipinos are satisfied with his kind of governance.
Beyond his controversial statements, President Digong has also been criticized to the max for his brutal war on drugs and criminality.
Yet despite all the negative impressions about him, President Duterte’s presidency is not  the usual thing — he is now part of  a global phenomenon worth a penny to mention: Russia has  Putin, the U.S. has Trump and China has Xi Jinping, to name a few.
Similarly, these global leaders had their own political dynasties hiding under their skirts ([email protected]).  
Editors’s note: Ruffy Magbanua is  the lead convenor of the Crusade for Clean Government, a volunteer anti-corruption watchdog operating in Mindnanao. Magbanua is also  the immediate past president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club)

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