The Philippine Left Has an Opportunity to Break the Country’s Political Mold
For too long, the Philippine left has been sucked into giving support to different factions of the ruling elite. An unprecedented left-wing campaign in this year’s presidential election is a chance to break with that approach and put forward a radical agenda.
Labor leader Leody de Guzman speaking at a demonstration on August 26, 2019. He is now running for president of the Philippines on a ticket with renowned scholar-activist Walden Bello. (Josefiel Rivera / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images)
National elections are taking place in the Philippines this May, and the political stakes are high. The six-year stint of Rodrigo Duterte as the country’s president is finally coming to an end.
However, recent polls show that the clear front-runner in the race to succeed Duterte is Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, son and namesake of the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the Philippines from 1965 to 1986.
Marcos Jr has vowed to carry on with Duterte’s agenda and the legacy of strongman rule. Duterte himself may be stepping down, but Dutertismo — the populist-authoritarian brand of politics that carried him to victory — is likely to remain as powerful as ever, or even gain strength.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.