Random Thoughts on the Philippine Election

It's been more than a week since the Philippine general elections last May 9, 2016 and I still am euphoric over the victory of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte.  Regardless of whoever wins the Vice-Presidential race whether it be Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. or Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, and despite my disappointment that the Liberal Party (LP) will continue to control the incoming Congress.

This election resulted in many of my friends on social media being invested emotionally in the campaign.  Although many have moved on, I have noticed that the supporters of Mar Roxas, despite Leni Robredo emerging as the apparent winner in the vice-presidential race, have been more bitter than others in coming to terms with Duterte's victory.  And some public figures who were passionate about their support for Mar are writing as though they are unhinged.  (I won't need to name names here). Not surprised, during the campaign, they were among those who were the most vocal in highlighting every negative story against Duterte.  To be fair, I've seen a few supporters of Binay, Grace Poe, and on rare occassions, supporters of Miriam do the same thing, but to be frank, it was the Mar supporters who displayed the most vitriol.  And they claimed to be for the "Straight Path" (or as they call it in the Infernal Subdialect "Daang Matuwid"). 

A few of my friends, passionate supporters of Mar, could not believe I supported Duterte.  Evidently, for them, federalism and self-determination issues were of little importance.  For me though, Duterte's advocacy of federalism was the one item that sealed the deal.  The problem with the Philippines was the question of whether it is really a nation or not.  Federalism promises to address that age-old question and provide a means for the captive and stateless nations of the Philippine state to exercise meaningful and genuine self-determination without going the drastic route of partition or unilateral secession.