The counting of votes for the national elections is not over yet. Nonetheless, the unofficial and partial results from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Transparency Media Server as of May 13 at 2:02 pm, representing 98.35% of election returns show that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is leading. The Philippines is facing an impending six-year term in which a dictator’s son will be seated in power.
A Marcos presidency will drastically change the political landscape of the country. A leader who refuses to face the people and the media and aims to poison his constituents with disinformation is setting up dangerous precedence for Philippine politics. The country is already suffering from its infamous corruption-riddled government and, unfortunately, Filipinos are likely to sink further into bad governance in the next six years.
Constant dodging and hiding
To help the public fully scrutinize which candidate is most qualified to be president, COMELEC and major media agencies conducted several debates. However, Marcos Jr. rejected almost every presidential debate invitation that came his way including those of GMA’s, CNN’s, and even COMELEC’s, all of which garnered massive audiences of voters. In an interview with News5, Marcos argued, “If there’s so many debates, pare-pareho na ’yung tanong, we’re not getting anywhere anymore.”
With that poor excuse, Marcos was able to get away with his absence from debates. As a result, many voters missed the chance to know his stance on relevant issues and his non-attendance blocked his fellow candidates from challenging his platforms. A structured dialogue between the candidates that tested their knowledge, plans, and the type of leadership they can offer was an essential opportunity that Marcos robbed from the people.
Another problematic consequence of his absence from debates is that questions about his family’s controversies remain unanswered. Some debates were formatted to allow veteran journalists to ask the hard questions and Marcos chose to dodge these by not attending at all. His disregard for journalists’ inquiries during his campaigns is utterly disturbing; in fact, this is a threat to press freedom when he is seated as president. As Lian Buan, a reporter who covered Marcos in his campaigns said, “Reporters are an important vessel. Para sa ’kin, kapag hindi ka sumagot sa reporter, hindi ka sumagot sa tao.”
Facing the public and the media is a must for those who wish to call themselves public servants. The Constitution stated, “Public office is a public trust.” It is basic decency for Marcos to show humility before the people — even the opposition — and earn their trust during the campaigns and continue to maintain it once elected. This is a responsibility that public servants cannot turn their backs from. Unfortunately, with how Marcos dealt with the media in the past months, facing the people and the tough questions seems to be impossible to be expected from Marcos Jr. and his government.
Spearheading disinformation
Aside from his silence, the main factor which propelled Marcos to the top of the unofficial and partial results of the presidential race is the rampant disinformation on social media. While the Marcos camp continuously denied that they hired trolls to spread false information on sites like Facebook, Youtube, and Tiktok, Marcos did have a record of attempting to sway the online narrative favorable to him and his family through Cambridge Analytica.
Cambridge Analytica was said to have influenced political events such as the 2016 United States elections and the exit of Great Britain from the European Union with the use of harvested data of social media users, according to The New York Times.
“We had a request straight from Bongbong Marcos to do a family rebranding,” revealed former Business Development Director of Cambridge Analytica turned whistleblower Brittany Kaiser in an interview with veteran journalist Maria Ressa.
“As you call it, historical revisionism — that’s exactly what it is but it’s done in a data-driven and scientific way,” Kaiser added.
Moreover, Marcos himself pushed the narrative that his father’s presidency is the golden years of the Philippines under the pretense that this is what most Filipinos believe.
In an interview with ABS-CBN in 2015, Marcos said, “I think it’s… the political history in the recent years and the constant refrain na ‘Buti pa noong panahon ni Marcos, maginhawa ang buhay, buti pa noong panahon ni Marcos, tinutulungan kami ng pamahalaan, maraming programa, maraming proyekto. Mula noong pinalitan siya, wala na kaming nakitang ganun. Sana maibalik ’yun.’ That is the general sentiment.”
Thus, began the parade of disinformation on social media, which many Filipinos use as their source of news and information. Now, hoards of his supporters are flocking to social media every day to parrot false information about him, his family, and the Martial Law era. This resulted in the burying of historical facts about that time — about 70,000 were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured, and 3,257 were killed during Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship, according to Amnesty International.
Despite the atrocities of that era, Marcos Jr. still considered his father to be a figure to look up to. In an interview with One News, he was asked what he admired most about the late dictator. “His love for the country,” the son answered matter-of-factly.
Awaiting below
The partial and unofficial results show that Marcos Jr. had a landslide win with over 30 million Filipinos contributing to his victory. The people gave away the highest elected position to a politician who will set as a baseline for government officials the refusal to face the people and the media, and the instigation of disinformation campaigns on social media. If someone like Marcos can be president through such means, why would other politicians not follow suit?
The Duterte administration will leave behind a culture of impunity with its constant red-tagging and its infamous drug war and normality of incompetence with its poor pandemic response. With the present administration’s lack of accountability for the damage it had done to the country, the standards for public servants already hit rock bottom. Add to that a supposed leader who lets “fake news” speak for him, and you’ll get six years of even sinking further down. Holding Marcos Jr. accountable would be impossible and silencing dissent through disinformation would be far easier during his presidency.
Ultimately, the Philippines will be getting farther from the dream of a government that values the citizens’ criticisms and ensures that their rights are upheld — a government that is truly for the people.
Fight toward rising
If the Filipino people become tolerant of these subpar unqualified leaders, accepting such governance for what it has become, we’ll only get buried beneath lies and false narratives. While the power-hungry political clans who held hands with Marcos keep their heads above water, the people will be left to drown.
Therefore, it is important to continuously fight for the narrative of the truth to prevail. Debunk misinformation and unveil the wrongdoings the Marcoses keep burying under their lies. Insist on holding them accountable. All of these are easier said than done. In today’s political climate where red-tagging is the norm, safety lies in silence. Also, having constant political dialogues with people who have fallen prey to disinformation is undeniably mentally taxing.
However, there is always unimaginable strength within each Filipino. Our lands are witnesses of our long history of battles against the ones who rule for themselves. The blood that was repeatedly shed for the country is the same that flows within your veins, that keeps you alive and this is a testament to who you are. Centuries ago, it was Rizal and Bonifacio, then it was Gen. Luna and Mabini, then Aquino Jr. and Gomez. Today, it’s you. The fate of the country depends on you. Whatever happens tomorrow, stand your ground for the Filipinos shall be triumphant, as they always have.
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