Distraction and destruction that can galvanize the nation

In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Duterte will naturally try to convince us that nothing goes wrong in the way things work in this country. He would tell us, in fact, that we are fine, except that we are experiencing birth pains and obstacles such as the inflation rate of 5.2%, high fuel and commodity prices, and the P53.52 to a dollar The message of the administration is that with important measures already taken as the war on drugs, the removal of some corrupt officials, new projects under the project "Build, Build , Build ", martial law in Mindanao and be promulgated Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), we are now ready to switch the game to federalism through the Charter Change (Cha-Cha).

Here is Duterte's script, but what do our people say?

Why do not we ask the opinion of Filipino mothers like Nancy Castro who feel the weight of the new taxes under the TRAIN law? Nancy is a small business owner who runs a canteen. She said prices of soft drinks, meat, vegetables, rice and electricity all rose sharply.

Why do not we listen to rice growers whose income has dropped by 10% due to rising fuel prices caused by TRAIN? Their revenues have gone down and, worse, they are not receiving fuel coupons as a government grant.

We also have to hear from the 200,000 contract workers of NutriAsia, PLDT, Hanjin Shipyards, Manila Harbor Center, Jollibee and Nissin World, among others, who were fired after the president signed the deal. EO 51 supposed to fulfill its electoral promise to put an end to the contracting of work.

Take the family and friends of Tisoy Argoncillo who was arrested on June 15, a few meters from his home. He was taken away by the police because he had gone out on the street in the open and the president ordered a crackdown on the "tambays". Four days later, he died in a congested police station in Novaliches. He was 25 years old.

Speaking of death, families and relatives of thousands of people killed in the drug war of this administration, including minors like Kian delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz and, the most recent, four years … old Skyler Abatayo, continues to be heard.

Meanwhile, Malacañang insists that he quietly protests against the intrusion of China and the violation of our sovereignty over the Philippine Sea of ​​the West (WPS). Obviously, this is not enough for Filipino fishermen like Delfin Egana, Geronimo Egana, Rommel Cejuela and Ronnie Drio in Panatag Shoal in Zambales, who have complained of being harassed and their best catch confiscated. by the Chinese Coast Guard.

Unfortunately, Duterte and his administration do not listen. They remain too dense and impervious despite the recent drop in satisfaction rates.

Some Filipinos can still trust or, at least, tolerate Duterte as an unorthodox leader, a man strongly perceived as one who can pull the country out of the vicious circle of poverty, corruption and despair.

But there are also those who have unmasked him as a tyrant, an authoritarian populist, who has mastered the art of distraction and deception. On stage, he could seem sincere and "authentic" that he could apparently get away with murders openly endorsing and insulting women. His strategy is to entertain and confuse people, inundate them with ridiculous remarks while his followers spread fake news online and offline.

With the antics of Duterte, the Administration also showed how to use with all the rigor the state's resources to reduce dissent and persecute the political opposition, as evidenced by my unfair detention on trumped-up charges and the unconstitutional ouster of the Sereno justice leader by Quo Warranto's petition instead of dismissal

His shocking approach that began with extrajudicial executions under the guise of the war against the drug, the murder of lawyers, priests and local officials has actually been effective in fear among the population.

All of these things are falling into places now. Two years after the beginning of Duterte's tenure, his boundless misogyny, his incitement to violence, his shameless heresy, his wrath in front of China and his rants against human rights, the church, the media and the political opposition are dismantling. to perpetuate oneself in power.

Attacks on democratic institutions, civil liberties and the rule of law are deliberately designed to weaken them, to ensure accountability, to suppress the mechanisms of control and balance, and to pave the way for a "constitutional" dictatorship using federalism as a pretext and precursor.

The bad news for Duterte and his cohorts is that recent polls show that a majority of our people are opposed or indifferent to the proposal to change the Constitution to federalism. According to the same surveys, the main concerns and concerns of our populations are rising inflation, rising wages and creating jobs.

It also means that Filipinos can be cautious and vigilant, but are not blind followers. The popularity of Duterte, which is eroding, will not be enough to respond to the growing feeling of our people who are opposed to a sudden and gigantic political leap at the moment, especially since palpable reforms that impact their lives are not undertaken.

The red lines are traced by non-socio-economic negotiations. As long as jobs are not created and secured, that incomes are not increased, that commodity prices are not stabilized, that taxation is not gradual and that living standards are not stable. 39 not improve, a social volcano is waiting to burst. and ruin the finals for Duterte.

Duterte may have already hijacked major branches of government, such as the Supreme Court and Congress; he may have relentlessly attacked independent bodies such as the Ombudsman and the Commission on Human Rights; and it may have seriously undermined religious freedom and the freedom of the press, there are still some vestiges of freedom (even if they are recently threatened), which remain in the gift of the people: concerted citizen action , and elections.

These last strongholds of democracy will be put to the test and will be under extreme pressure in the coming days while Duterte and his cohorts will do everything in their power and their "creativity" to push Cha-Cha and derail the mid-term elections 2019. As Bishop Broderick Pabillo said: "Edalism [F] is the Trojan horse, the smoke screen to succeed [Charter change] which is the formula of total control of country."

It is good that Vice President Leni Robredo is uniting and leading the opposition. The biggest challenge now is about this opposition as to how it will take shape and take a stand in such platforms of action as the initiatives against Cha-Cha and No-el. The opposition must be able to form and support the broadest coalition of forces and formations to launch a formidable challenge against Dutertismo, based on common principles of democracy, sovereignty, rule of law, human rights and the rule of law. man and social justice. The coming battles against Cha-Cha and No-el may prove to be the decisive tests for the convergence of interests and the work of alliance. We must put aside past differences, intensify the momentum that is gaining ground and working together and stronger for the greater good of our people and our country.

In the end, as has always been the case before, it will be up to the Filipino people – the real and ultimate ruler – to intervene and chart our common destiny. Whether these setbacks and setbacks of democracy, human rights and the rule of law continue or grow steadily will depend largely on how our people collectively confront and respond to them. The emergence of a new and broad coalition of opposition will be a good start in this direction. – Rappler.com