PHILIPPINES: The President and Vice President of the Philippines are prominent members of two of the biggest political dynasties in a country largely controlled by dozens of families. Once a “uni-team,” now they’re actively against each other.
A recent documentary from Bloomberg featured the feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Vice President Sara Duterte, both of whom are children of former Presidents, highlighting that the bitter clash between them and their factions could have far-reaching global consequences. Mr Marcos, like his father before him, is allied with the United States, while Ms Duterte is more open to China.
The Vice President’s father, Rodrigo Duterte, strengthened relations with China during his term from 2016 to 2022. Earlier this year, he was arrested after an investigation by the International Criminal Court and is now imprisoned in The Hague. In the wake of his arrest, his daughter has grown in popularity and is widely believed to be eyeing a run for the presidency in 2028.
The Bloomberg documentary underlines that both Washington and Beijing are watching the Philippines closely, especially given the archipelago’s location in the South China Sea and its geopolitical implications.
But what do the Filipino people want?
Like several other nations in Asia, 2025 has been a time of unrest marked by demonstrations and protests. On Sep 21, the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by the first President Marcos in 1972, anti-corruption protests were held across the nation, with the biggest held in the capital, Manila, reaching tens of thousands.
Since then, smaller protests have continued.
The dissatisfaction many feel has stemmed from anomalies in flood control programmes, allegedly worth billions of dollars, at both the executive and legislative levels. While investigations have been launched, no one has yet been jailed for the misdeeds.
Philippine politics has been famously personality-driven for decades. Still, many in the country are saying that they’ve had enough of both factions and are demanding better accountability, especially for the taxes they pay, considering that millions of Filipinos are suffering in poverty. At the same time, politicians and their families enjoy lives of ease and wealth.
In the wake of the Sep 21 protest, journalist Howie Severino wrote:
“They say Filipinos are among the happiest people on Earth. For decades, we’ve laughed through floods and endured hardships, often romanticised as ‘resilience,’ but even the most patient people have their limits…
“The anger doesn’t just echo through the streets — it reverberates through screens. The frustration of a nation is no longer confined to physical rallies; it spills into the digital world, where social media becomes a powerful tool for accountability…
“Even youths far from the nation’s capital are now active participants, challenging irregularities in their cities and municipalities, demanding transparency and change.
“Honed by years of hardship and deception, an angered, more discerning nation now redefines resilience not just as endurance. It is the strength to demand accountability.” /TISG
Follow Google News
Join us on WhatsApp
Follow us on Telegram