Opinion 5/20/16 (Philippines, president, politics, democracy, government, Duterte, authority)

Sun.Star Cebu's Carvajal: "From the bottom up"

PHILIPPINE democracy is hardly that because colonial masters handed it down on a people steeped in a comprehensively authoritarian culture. To this day, in fact, all basic social institutions around a so-called democratic government are authoritarian in degrees ranging from mild to despotic.
The Filipino family is authoritarian. Not-so-authoritarian parents simply do not bother to consult much less consider the opinion of children while despotic parents impose their iron will on children, choosing professions and even spouses for them. Schools are no less authoritarian. Most are run as business concerns by profit-oriented stockholders. More to the point, professors and teachers simply dole out knowledge to their students and demand that such be regurgitated back to them at exam time. A good memory is all you need to get through an authoritarian school system. Catholic Churches are even more authoritarian. Bishops run their dioceses with unquestioned authority as they are not accountable to the people but to the Pope that appointed them. Priests in turn submit to the bishop’s authority and dictate official interpretation of doctrine and manner of practice on Church members many of whom remain religious illiterates because of a practically non-existent system of religious instruction. .... Meanwhile Federalism can help by weakening the authoritarian grip of imperial Manila over the whole nation. Passed on diminished to the regions authoritarianism on that level will be easier for people to challenge than inside the impregnable castle of imperial Manila. Federalism is an opportunity to re-start building our democracy from the bottom up. But it would greatly help if our basic social institutions of family, school and church were to become less authoritarian and more democratic. [full text]

International New York Times: Ninotchka Rosca "Don't Wave a Big Stick With the New Philippines President"

Inquirer Peter Wallace: "A Clean Philippines"

It’s hard to go beyond discussing Rodrigo Duterte because, really, what else is there? The subject must consume our interest because it will consume our lives over the next six years. (And, yes, Mr. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., it will be six years. There is no “Plan B” or any other wild idea. And in regard to the VP race, I hope whoever loses has as much love for the Philippines as Mar Roxas does. He said: “It’s not about me. It’s not about anyone. It’s about how we love our country and how we’ll do all that we can for her.” The loser should not drag out the decision, but just accept it graciously.) Today I’m going to suggest a few things that presumptive President-elect Duterte might want to do. The people voted for him because he promised what this administration didn’t give: action. It was change they wanted; the straight path (daang matuwid) was but a rutted dirt road. They want a cemented one, built fast. But fast wasn’t in this administration’s vocabulary. Expectations are high, but so is the level of fear. [full text]