Childism and its threats to Filipino children during the Duterte administration’s COVID-19 response
Article
While the policy responses of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration have been subject to much criticism, little has been said about Filipino children and their families who were directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. What is common, however, is the explicit use of the child as a metaphor to criticize Duterte’s actions. This metaphor is inherently childist and prejudiced towards children and their well-being. Thus, this paper examines the views of the media and the general public regarding Duterte and his administration, highlighting expressions of childist language. It also uncovers the systemic neglect of children under the Duterte administration, through a desk review of documents, reports, and implemented mandates that directly impact children and their families, specifically in the context of COVID-19. With these, the paper illustrates how childism and the metaphor of Duterte as a child poses a threat of neglect towards the Filipino child, resulting in policies crafted by a government and society that is prejudiced against children. Ultimately, a call to elevate the discourse is presented, urging greater care in how we contextualize children, as they are often overlooked but significantly affected by policy decisions. Reducing the pandemic response of the Duterte administration as “infantile” subverts the imminent threat of further neglecting the needs of children, which has yet to be addressed by robust government action that highlights a more responsive shift towards children’s development.
Ang popularidad ng phallic jokes: Isang kritikal na pagsusuri sa mga phallokratikong pahayag ni Rodrigo Duterte sa midya
Article
Abstrakt
Bahagi ng lipunang Pilipino ang pagbibiro, polemikal man ito o sinasalita. Ngunit kahit kailan, hindi maituturing na “magandang biro” ang anumang sexista, patriarkal, machismo, o misogynistang pahayag na nagpapatibay sa kultura ng impunidad katulad ng panghihipo, panggagahasa, pananakit, at pang-aabuso. Naging popular ang Duterte jokes, lalo na ang mga birong nagtampok sa kaniyang phallus, sa midya at tiningnan bilang “katawa-tawang” pahayag na kung tutuusin ay sumagasa sa ilang kaugalian at kalinangang Pilipino. Layunin ng pag-aaral na ito ang malapatan ng kritikal na pagsusuri ang mga naging pahayag ni Duterte na may direktang kinalaman sa kaniyang pagiging phallocrat, isang uri ng lider na nagpapakatianod sa sexistang patriarka. Mula sa dalawang pahayag niya hinggil sa kaniyang aring lalagpas sa pusod (mula sa 2019) at kaniyang sariling pagpapakahulugan sa utog (mula sa 2017 at 2019), sinuri kung paanong namayani, tinanggap, at pinagtawanan ng mga tagapakinig ang ganitong uri ng biro.
Ang bahaging ito ng pag-aaral ay sumentro sa teksto ng popularidad ng mga birong kabastusan ni Duterte. Isang mito lang kung tutuusin na ang kaniyang mga phallokratikong pagbibiro ay bumaba sa kaunawaang masa at nagpapakita ng imahen ng bayang Pilipino, sapagkat kung susuriin, nilapastangan niya ang mga konseptong pangkalinangan at pangkamalayan ng mga Pilipino. Sa ganitong pananangkapan, napapatunayan tuloy ang penomeno kung paano at bakit napagtagumpayan ng mga post-kolonyal phallocrat na katulad ni Duterte na kuhanin ang loob ng sambayanan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibiro.
Abstract
In Philippine society, jokes are an integral element, whether polemical or verbal. But at no instance should any sexist, patriarchal, machismo, or misogynistic remark that reinforces a culture of impunity such as touching, rape, pain, and abuse be considered a “good joke.” Duterte jokes, especially his phallic jokes, became popular in media and was viewed as a “ridiculous” statement that, in fact, ran over some Filipino customs and culture. The purpose of this study is to take a critical analysis at Duterte’s remarks that are directly related to his being a phallocrat, a type of leader who is a sexist patriarch. From its two statements regarding his virile organ with length that reaches his navel (2019) and his own interpretation of utog (2017 and 2019), it examined how this type of jokes prevailed, accepted, and laughed at by the audience.
This part of the study focuses on the context of the popularity of Duterte’s obscene jokes. It is a myth that his phallocratic jokes have descended on the understanding of the masses and reflect the image of the Filipino people, because when examined, he actually desecrated the culture and consciousness of the Filipinos. Through this, the phenomenon of how and why post-colonial phallocrats like Duterte managed to win over the hearts of the people, via jokes is demonstrated.
Duterte as misogynist fascist: A discourse analysis of Duterte’s misogynist criticisms against women
Article
This paper is an attempt to explain the cultural and political consequences of President Duterte’s misogynistic microassaults against women in his public speeches and personal behaviors that brazenly demean women. Employing critical discourse analysis on relevant material found in online sources covering the period from the precampaign to the year 2018 (the second year of Duterte’s presidency), this study will explore how Duterte’s microassaults against strong women who dare stand up against his hypermasculine power serve to further consolidate his fascist power while instilling among the population the traditional sex-roles assigned to women such as passivity, obedience, and docility.
The Theological Squabble of Duterte Against the Catholic Church: Discourse Analysis of Duterte’s God-Talk Based in the Verses Found on Online News
Article
This paper is an attempt to provide a discourse analysis of President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial statements and public pronouncements about God, the Catholic Church and its clergy, and Christian teachings based on online news and similar websites. Using critical discourse analysis grounded in Michel Foucault’s (1980) theory of knowledge/power nexus, the present paper is a modest attempt to come up with a systematic account of Duterte’s “theological” musings based on his random extemporized diatribes against God and Christian religion. Reconstructing Duterte’s “theology” does not mean assessing it from the mainstream religious point of view but rather bringing into light the theological tenets of Duterte’s concept of God and foregrounding them in the context of our predominantly Christian culture. This study wants primarily to understand what are the objectives that these performative pronouncements seek to achieve politically, and what interests they serve based on Foucault’s (1980) analysis of “regime of truth.”
