Philippines - Marcos - memory loss ?

[fohat.digs]

For those of us old enough to remember when Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from office for his colossal corruption and cruelty, the election of his son to the presidency is beyond mind-boggling.

If he was somehow apologetic for his father's behavior or pledged to honesty and transparency in his own conduct, his election might have made some sense. But it seems that the Philippines electorate has completely forgotten their suffering in the 1980s and voted on the basis of celebrity alone.

Readers on this forum are familiar with my views on society and politics, but this is truly bizarre on a whole new level. Even Brexit-level and Trump-level insanity does not approach this.

What do ordinary people see as the upside of electing such self-serving and corrupt officials?

[tp4tissue]

elections may be easier to rig out there.

[Leslieann]

Easy to rig but also fascist dictators are in vogue.

There's a large percentage of people that doesn't really care who's in charge so long as they punish those "beneath" them.

[kokokoy]

Rigging is always given in PH politics.  ) Vote buying is rampant. Even without these though he would have won since Filipinos idolize these type of people who potray themselves as the hero or protaganist that will bring a direct change in their lives (better jobs and lower commodity prices). See what is/was in office:

- the current president,  an authoritarian almost a celebrity in his own right
- an action star was elected president got impeached for graft and corruption, pardoned years later then won as city mayor twice
- another action star presidential candidate after the one above with no political background almost won but most likely got cheated
- the leading senator to the current election is an action star whom got convicted, sentenced, served and later paroled
- several celebrities (a boxing champ, comedian, radio celbrities, child actors, etc.) is/was in office

Nothing against their educational background but it should have mattered together with their character.

I see myself already as an outsider, been outside of PH for 15 years, but still heartbroken together with my family and several friends with how things went. Anyway PH politics is a joke and this far the biggest one.