"Continuing agony through an Unlikely priority"
(Thoughts after Duterte's emphasis on orderism
over the welfare of the people suffering from COVID19 pandemic)
AS time goes by, the Duterte regime continues to incite hatred against the folk by prioritising his (misguided) pet agenda of "law and order" than those of ensuring the welfare of his people. Basing much on his recent statements with a long line of controversial remarks, the president is seemingly pursuing the direction that's terrorism and repression as the number of Filipinos infected with COVID19 virus continues to rise rapidly.
Based on reports, the number of infections have again reached 5000 a day one year since declaring a national emergency indicates that the government failed to manage, control this coronavirus pandemic. That despite numerous "quarantine" modes (lockdowns, checkpoints, and curfews), the regime has failed to pursue drastic measures such as, rapid contact tracing, mass testing, immediate treatment, and mass vaccination. Worse, dismissing popular clamour prior to his "late realisation" such as those stated.
It is not surprising that the regime really prefers to treat this COVID19 pandemic in a (misguided) law and order viewpoint. With his militarist lockdowns, checkpoints, and curfews, no matter how it is proved a dismal failure will still be insisted. His supporters initially downplay the need for mass testing and rapid contact tracing until its realisation, but still continues to cling to the president's statements that doesn't help except to gaslight. Imagine, the pandemic response was dismal as opposed to the much-focused campaign against the opposition, especially those of the left. It is also not suprising that with his past comparisons to Hitler and Marcos meant he is willing to slaughter and at the same time claiming he is for "development". That development, of course, is both bloodied and debt-driven as his administration borrows from moneylenders all for his "developmental projects" that forces people to pay for decades, and guarded by his attack dogs amidst popular disapproval.
As more and more Filipinos continue to suffer both from the pandemic and the state's mismanagement, coupled with its brand of terror, expect it aggravating further no matter how its apologists trying to dismiss as "promoting disunity" or justifying the measure as as a "necessary move" in restoring order and control especially amidst the crisis. While claiming that they're "defending freedom and democracy" on various comments their idol's terror against the opposition and concerned folks alike have become more vicious and deadly these past few months. The recent "bloody Sunday" and other related acts showeth the order's focus on its “whole of nation approach". With the Anti-Terror Act in place, and Duterte's Task Force having extraordinary powers and funds, it has become more emboldened to wage its campaign of suppression- that aside from its armed forces and the police, the judiciary, other government agencies, and local government units, as being mobilised, treated as pawns in its pursuit of suppressing dissent be it in the Metro Manila or in other regions such as CALABRAZON and in Bicolandia.
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But despite these serious issues people suddenly getting concerned, the orderists will remain confident on what Duterte has administered the country. For sure some would describe the administration's way of running the country as comparable to an injured person having a plaster cast while recovering. Sounds “Greek” knowing that Duterte’s use of force and the presentation of development is comparable to those of Papadopoulos and his promotion of “strength” as means to create an atmosphere of peace and recovery.
However, this presentation of strength is not because of defending national sovereignty and the people. This is all about maintaining entrenched interests- be it Ayala, Pangilinan, or Duterte's own Dennis Uy, these interest-seekers, along with those in the government, has to keep firm in “what they invest” even at the expense of the folk. Of course they would provide concessions to the majority- despite sensing the obvious reason as to “shut them up” in a form of infrastructure, some semblance of agrarian reform, or piecemeal welfare packages; but again, these and other "benevolent acts" are means to “shutting people up” especially when the folk getting concerned after someone exposes inconsistencies of the order when it comes to ensuring the welfare and of the common good.
Sorry for the thought, for as Duterte’s brand of orderism tends to be not driven by the desire of change- it is plain simple “continuity of a past with modern amenities and piecemeal concessions”. Like Papadopoulos’s Greece, it has to showcase strength in promoting peace, like Salazar’s Portugal, it has to showcase development to generate progress, but the very society remains backward while its folk be at the mercy of the prevailing elites that ruled through centuries past.
And to think that there are those who speak much about reform, especially those of neoliberalists, this doesn’t even tantamount to “bigger and greater changes”. Easily accommodating to neoliberal economic policies, they think depending on "foreign direct investments" and less regulations (especially those on labour) means making the pie bigger for both local and international interest seekers while telling the folk they’re “trickling down” to the vast mass of society. But despite their presentations a concerned rather sees this as “as it is”. True that there’s some semblance of development that’s ongoing (especially those of infrastructure), but does it benefit the folk? Or just some concession meant to shit the majority up in a time of growing disquiet? Wages are low, costs of living remained high, contrary to the claims that “food is cheap” when in fact prices of every commodity increases. Corruption remains rampant, be it as obvious or “done silent and clean” Expect protests of course, but will the order just accept their pleas? Nope! Expect a beating of a truncheon, prison, or worse, a shallow grave and be marked as “killed by a communist” or whatsoever just to escape their complicit in their bloodied action.
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Regardless of what orderists insist or its preemptive responses, upsurge in calls for accountability and immediate address of social concerns continues to resound. But to think that the orderists rather chose to be hell-bent in destroying the growing opposition with illegal arrests and murders, this doesn't stop the fact that the regime's way of handling the situation, be it this militaristic lockdown "quarantine" to those of all out terror is nothing but misguided priorities that aggravate tension, hunger, suffering against the folk the way words like "healing the wounds", "reconciliation", "recovery", or even "hope", as nothing but ruses that's dismissible.