The recent statement from Harry Roque declaring Mocha Uson as a role model for a Filipina during the International Working Women’s Day seems to be a mockery to those who desire for empowerment such as a Filipina.
For as everyone sought her posts, of showing distorted reports what more of comments coming from the regime’s supporters, the latter, using Roque’s terms, tends to redescribe her fanaticism as patriotic what more of empowering as a Filipina; and from it makes everyone think praising her in that commemorative day for women be mistaken for April Fools- thanks to her (as well as Duterte’s supporters) daily dose of “reportage”.
For as observed in social media pages, every fanatic understood the importance of virtual life and the tendency to act irrationally on issues worth concerning be it peace and order or the status of the economy. And from there showing a somewhat understanding of the use of social media as a mobilising tool, assuming to be as progressive as the progressives and as patriotic as the patriots, these apologists spew messages of change complete with patriotic colours and the usual ‘Pinoy Pride’.
But just like its predecessors, Uson, et al. firmly believe that their idol, assuming to be infallible in its actions, provides order and stability- even at the expense of civil liberties and of human rights; if not the one who will succeed in restoring their idealised glorious days of the pasts such as those from ‘72 to ‘86.
Sounds usual as in the past administrations, knowing that with social media as its tool, what more of various sites proliferate, they will continue in exploiting the virtual world to entice people to support the regime’s version of “change and development”- with failures, such as those of their predecessors, be emphasised as an example of what is to be detested in spite of the fact that some if not most of its policies continue with new names and terms; once they would even assume to be as “socialist” as the “socialists” like their idol, that they accommodate both “left” and “right” in the spirit of unity and inclusion, which is contrary to the existing divisiveness.
For what is really familiar is that they, with all its bravado, rather invoke messages of fear be in a form of a red scare, to those of a death threat, as they heckle those who are concerned in issues, what more of those who opposed their idol’s statements and policies. They would even favour their own versions of various reports as they broadcast it no matter how distorted or untrustworthy the information is as long as their idol is on the good light or his rivals getting ‘shitstormed’. Perhaps because they think mainstream or alternative media doesn’t favor theirs and be described as “yellow mouthpieces”.
And even not so political but still concerning matters like the recent fire at the University of the Philippines Shopping Centre has been an object of their ire as they describe the fire as “what they deserved for opposing Duterte” if not for describing the University as a “den of radicals and subversives”.
For sure everyone desires for a regime that tries to provide welfare and at the same time making efforts to bring development, a just order and stability; but, to think that with a regime synonymous with bloodstained “imposition of justice”, and most of which are riddled with “hearsay” if not justified by being a collateral damage if not a “sacrifice” to ensure order, then is this worth supporting for? Anyway, be it Lucio Tan’s reduction of obligations from a million to a several thousand, or the punishment of politicians due to corruption or drugs, or even the series of infrastructure-building activities, the change Duterte brought and supported by Uson and the rest of the gang isn’t change at all but a continuation of retaining interests with some “sacrifices” enough to save face and is packaged as a propaganda feat for their idol than those of a state duty to improve the people’s well-being. Prices of commodities and services continue to rise enough making people question about the recent tax reform law’s trustworthiness due to its effects. The infrastructure programs that they described as fruits of tax reforms turns out to be same old loans that has to be paid for years if not for decades as in the old days; all of these makes one ask: is this the change being babbled about?
All in all, from these examples show that as in the past, the socioeconomic policy remains neoliberal hidden in a populist or to use Duterte’s “socialist” trappings, with the president’s economic honchos trying to insist how necessary their rehash of policies even it affects badly those who actually voted and supported him. Farmers still demand land, workers for a just living wage, slum dwellers for decent homes and livelihood, even the women who once voted for/supported Duterte for his promises end detested him because of his slurs, no matter how he apologised or justified using hyperbole or using his ethnicity for an alibi.
But in spite of the ever-growing concern coming from all walks of life regarding these actually-existing situations the fanatic continues to churn its gospel of fear if not their version of change. Mocha Uson may still be appraised by the regime and its apologists, calling her as an “examplar of an empowered Filipina” as if like gospel truth the way their hecklings continue just like the old times, enough to make meme pages serve as their source of screenshots, if not intensify further actions regardless of those trying to malign through their comments and posts.
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