Bago ang ikatlong State of the Nation Address o SONA ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., balikan muna natin ang kanyang naging pamumuno sa mga nakalipas na taon.
Anu-ano nga ba ang mga isyu at mensahe na gustong marinig ng mga Pilipino sa kanyang #SONA2024?
Himayin natin ang ilang mga isyu na hinaharap ng kanyang administrasyon at ang direksyong dapat nitong tunguhin sa mga susunod na taon, kasama ang political consultant at PR strategist na si Alan German sa #TheMangahasInterviews.
Anu-ano nga ba ang mga isyu at mensahe na gustong marinig ng mga Pilipino sa kanyang #SONA2024?
Himayin natin ang ilang mga isyu na hinaharap ng kanyang administrasyon at ang direksyong dapat nitong tunguhin sa mga susunod na taon, kasama ang political consultant at PR strategist na si Alan German sa #TheMangahasInterviews.
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NewsTranscript
00:00The third zone of President Bongbong Marcos, what are the new and unique issues and messages that he will bring, what does the people want to hear?
00:20Let's talk about that together with a talented political strategist, PR consultant, and by training, a mathematician, Mr. Alan Herman. Good afternoon, Alan.
00:36Good afternoon Ma'am Malu and to all the viewers and listeners of our program, to our loyal viewers and followers of our program. It's an honor to have you with us today.
00:51So you said, the job of a politician is to win. That's also your father's advice. Make people laugh or make them cry.
01:02Should we be crying or laughing after two years of President Bongbong Marcos?
01:13That's the problem Ma'am Malu. Even though Filipinos should be crying, they are still looking for a reason and a way to laugh and to make light and to laugh at situations.
01:27Most of the time, what happens is because we want to laugh, we're always in a good mood, they always call it GV. That's what the youth is talking about, GV, good vibes.
01:39In our good vibes, we don't take the sacred power of our balota seriously. That's why sometimes, we get involved in the election of our elected public officials.
01:57Okay. We will go back to the specific issues according to the surveys that are based on the interests of the people. But when you campaigned, you said to win a candidate, you have four M's.
02:10Man, message, machinery and money. President DPM has machinery and money. What is the man? Is he doing all right? Does he need improvement? And the messaging, is it clear or not clear?
02:26I will start with the messaging because that will segue into the man. If we can remember, let's look back, the main message of President BBM and the second president Inday Sara Duterte is unity.
02:43That's what they're shouting, unity, unity this and unity that. The problem in the two years that we've seen, the BBM administration unfortunately has been anything but unified.
02:57The messaging did not match what happened. What we call there is messaging and actuality disconnect. There was a disconnect between what they're saying, we're unified, unified.
03:10What happened early in the administration of President BBM, we had an overhaul of his allies, what we call rod tagging. We had rod tagging, the allies of Vic Rodriguez, then executive secretary,
03:28there was a wide-ranging overhaul of his administration. That did not match what they call unity. Now, their rift with the second president is very obvious and apparent.
03:48That's why we have a disconnect in the messaging part. If we divide that into the man part, what comes out because the messaging is disconnected to what's happening,
04:04it reflects to the person who is giving the message, the man himself. There is a perception that President BBM needs to be more aggressive or stronger in his speech.
04:21He's not always in the middle. He's staying in the fold so to speak. That's what we call staying in the fold, especially after the administration of President Duterte,
04:33when President Duterte used to say, take no prisoners when speaking. Maybe he's being too brave. So maybe there is a nice middle ground because of that message disconnect.
04:46They're saying that if there's good news, President BBM will be there. If there's a problematic situation, the cabinet members or Speaker Martin will be there. Is that a strategy?
04:59Well, it is a strategy that needs to be applied tactically and very well in measured quantities. That's right. Theoretically, if we follow the textbook definition of my practice, PR, that's right.
05:13That's right. It's better if a candidate or a politician is only responding to good news. That's what we call associative connection.
05:25If there's a good administration, what they see is the face of President BBM. The problem is, and perhaps we can distill this a little bit more,
05:37PR has many meanings. PR is public relations. PR is performance and recognition. If there's a good performance and recognition, President BBM will be there.
05:48The problem is, PR also stands for problems and the reforms that you will make, problems and resolutions.
05:57So there should be someone who addresses the problems of President BBM. Otherwise, he might be labeled as an escapist or the one who doesn't show up whenever there's a fair-weather politician or fair-weather leader.
06:15In his second term, now's the time, it's a critical time that he needs to establish that he's not like that.
06:25You said fair-weather politician. According to some management books, leadership is doing the right things and management is doing things right.
06:39Where is President BBM? Is he a leader? Is he a manager?
06:44Wow. That is a very tough question ma'am. I might not be able to leave my house if I answer it correctly.
06:50Perhaps sticking to his brand, he's more of a manager than a leader because his messaging is participative government unified. It is a unified effort.
07:06Unity, unity. We will bring all the colors of the political spectrum together and the Philippines will rise.
07:14I am the one who will lead. Not necessarily I am the leader that you will follow, but I shall be unified with you managing the rise of the Philippines.
07:27I think that is more consistent with his messaging.
07:31All right. You also mentioned that when he won, perhaps his motto was redemption or revival for the Marcos family.
07:40But you also noticed that there are a lot of old-fashioned things that are being done.
07:45For example, Bagong Pilipinas, Kadiwa Stores, and other places where the former sons and employees of his father are now in office.
07:59In your opinion, how different or how similar is Bongbong Marcos Jr. to Ferdinand Marcos Sr.?
08:07Well, maybe a lot of people will say that the father was cut a better, more imposing, had more gravitas as a figure.
08:21He's really good at speaking. When he speaks, even plants, trees, and animals in the jungle will listen.
08:30He had that gravitas and that presence.
08:33There are a lot of elders that I've talked to who said that they know Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
08:41that he has a presence that they find lacking in the son.
08:45I'm not saying that he lacks it. I'm saying comparative to his father.
08:49Even PBBM himself will admit that he doesn't have that same panache and that same gravitas of his father.
09:00I have the same father. But having said that, you forgot to say ma'am, his push for charter change.
09:11Correct.
09:12A lot of people also said that, oh my gosh, here we go again.
09:15This is another tool for his administration to stay in place and last longer beyond the mandated six years.
09:24So there are parallelisms.
09:26Maybe the main difference, according to the subject matter in which I am an expert on,
09:35I cannot talk about so much the political dynamics, but in terms of perception and messaging,
09:41what's different is what we call the big bad.
09:44During the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., their big bad was the communists.
09:50That was the public enemy number one. This is the hated, hated, despised.
09:54Boogeyman.
09:55The boogeyman. The big bad boogeyman.
09:59All of his machinations, if you want to call it that, he always had that ready excuse.
10:05It's the boogeyman. He's a communist.
10:07That's why we will declare martial law because there are communists. We will turn red.
10:12That's different and very strangely because in these times,
10:16the big bad boogeyman of the Marcos administration is, surprise surprise,
10:21the family of his vice president, the Duterte supporters.
10:28So the dynamic is quite odd in the sense that, in a way, this is the irony of it,
10:35he achieved the unity that he's talking about because all political spectrums,
10:42including left-leaning, right-wing, even the so-called yellow-pink,
10:49now they seem to be soft in the administration because the enemy now, the big bad, are the Dutertes.
10:55So that's the weird dynamic happening now.
10:59In your investigation, even the surveys have shown it,
11:03the public approval rating of the candidate, BBM, was increased because of the support of Sara Duterte and family.
11:15That means Northern Luzon and Mindanao were included.
11:18That's why his approval rating was increased by 50 to 60 percent in the public opinion polls.
11:26But if that's gone, what do you think? Is that very bad for him?
11:30Does that signal that he's withering away from the popular base?
11:35Well again ma'am, to dovetail on your point, first of all,
11:39let's not forget that the surveys were validated by the actual election results.
11:44VP Inday Sara got more votes than PBBM. That's number one.
11:50Number two, before VP Sara Duterte slid down as vice president,
11:57he was the one who led the surveys. He was the runaway leader.
12:02So is it a problem now that there is a clear break from the UNITEAM?
12:11Yes, and I believe that's why they're addressing it in this way.
12:14We don't want to assume and say out and out that it's coming from the administration.
12:24But the supporters and those who are surrounding the Marcos administration are really trying hard,
12:32and the Duterte family is trying hard to demonize them to the ends of the earth.
12:40And in the hope that that will cause some sort of seismic shift that will rise by pushing down.
12:46What do you think could happen? Because it's like a political struggle.
12:51But also, there are real issues. The EJK inquiry in the House, the ICC inquiry, the Pogo issues,
13:01or even China in the West Philippine Sea. There are real issues and political struggles.
13:07Can those issues be meshed or the real issues are different and the politics are different?
13:16It's not just going to be meshed, ma'am. It will be put in a big pot and mixed.
13:22It will turn bitter and it will make the Duterte family angry.
13:29So these issues will be magnified in fact to cast the Dutertes in a negative light.
13:36Because the break has been so evident. There has been a political rift.
13:42They call it a kitchen sink. Everything in the kitchen sink will be thrown at the Dutertes.
13:48Okay. But the downside is that if it's just about the Dutertes, this political struggle,
13:55actually it's not clear what policy President BBM wants.
14:00He's still quiet about the banning of the Pogo. It's like a diplomatic pact in the West Philippine Sea.
14:10Maybe it's right that we don't get the retaliatory action of the first blood.
14:17But in the ICC, it's like a touch-go. So there are expectations from the people, not just the simple Dutertes.
14:25How do you think should BBM look at these issues?
14:29Is politics a priority or are the people expecting him to be in the right position a priority?
14:34I would hope, in fact there is an expectation that when the time comes, he will address it definitively.
14:43Again, a little bit of bitterness, a little bit of decisiveness, bear some fangs.
14:50Up to this point, you're right ma'am. He has been a very diplomatic, almost vanilla, the plain vanilla on these issues.
14:59Maybe the people are expecting that these issues are genuine issues, not fake news,
15:12or you're just making up stories about your rival, your political rival.
15:17These are actual national issues that should be addressed definitively by a president in his second year in office.
15:24Third zone, but the issues are still the same for the people.
15:29The latest public opinion polls, again and again, inflation, high prices, especially food, jobs, wages,
15:38corruption, the fourth or fifth, and criminality.
15:43In your opinion, what can be the message to strengthen BBM as a good leader and a good manager?
15:53That's right. First, let's expect that he's in the zone and he's doing just fine.
16:01Because this is, again, a state of the nation address.
16:04It's like a CEO addressing his stockholders.
16:08It's like an annual stockholders meeting. You have to start with the wins.
16:13Let's give it to any president that when he or she delivers a zone, it should start with the wins.
16:21Again, it's PR, public relations, performance, and recognition.
16:26Talk about the performance first, what we're doing.
16:28Then slowly dovetail into, to answer your question ma'am,
16:33we need to identify the problems and what are the resolutions that we're doing.
16:39That's not a motherhood statement.
16:42For example, inflation. Of course, the president, you can expect it on Monday.
16:49The president will say, we're 100% sure that our GDP is increasing.
16:55That our GDP is fast-growing and fast-rising.
16:59But he has to dovetail that somehow to the PR side of problems and resolutions.
17:04That our GDP is increasing but our poverty incidence is high.
17:09Our inflation is high.
17:12Our transportation. My God, FaceOut's jeepney is very angry.
17:16We need to address that and say what are the concrete solutions.
17:21We will unify and solve that.
17:25By this time, the third zone, the problem has to be stated
17:30and the solutions, the clear step solutions have to be outlined for the people.
17:37That's what we're hoping for.
17:39The problem is, of course, the news that the unemployment rate is going down.
17:46The prices are decelerating.
17:49But the food inflation is the biggest problem.
17:55I don't think they're actually communicating with the people
17:59who are specifically in a dire situation.
18:04It's like you're leading me into my next great point.
18:10Because PR is also about perception and reality.
18:13That's also the meaning of PR.
18:16So you're right.
18:18What the newspapers, news items, I don't want to say propagandists,
18:26but the messengers of the admin is the fastest-growing economy.
18:32One of the rising stars in Asia.
18:36That's the perception.
18:37But the reality is the Filipinos have no savings.
18:40They can't buy rice.
18:42If the family is hit by a health issue, especially the breadwinner, it's catastrophic.
18:49It will lead to financial ruin.
18:51In fact, we're one of the leaders, unfortunately, in the world
18:54in terms of catastrophic effects of sickness in families.
19:02People don't feel it.
19:04It's dangerous if we don't address it.
19:06If the President doesn't address it, it will foment dissent.
19:09People will get angry.
19:11But they have two good news that they can boast about.
19:14Pesos increased to the minimum daily wage.
19:19And maybe this August, rice will be P27 per kilo.
19:23Not P20 but P27.
19:25Can they boast about that as plus points for President BBM?
19:30Absolutely.
19:32They should boast about that because it will be included in the so-called HELPS.
19:37The SONA and whatever the President's message is,
19:40just really has to address those points.
19:43So HELPS.
19:46Health.
19:47E is education.
19:49L is livelihood.
19:50P is peace and order.
19:52And S is social services.
19:54Those are the only things people want to hear about when it comes to SONA.
19:59And that's proven.
20:01I'm not saying that as part of a certain demographic or part of a certain target market.
20:06Across the board, that's what Filipinos are looking for.
20:09What are our leaders doing to address the so-called HELPS aspects of our lives?
20:17The HELPS aspect.
20:19President BBM has been in office for two years now.
20:22But aid programs are flooding in.
20:25Household assistance.
20:27Tupad.
20:28Aid to the transport sector.
20:30Aid to farmers.
20:32Do these actually send the message right and clear to the people in need for help?
20:39Wow.
20:40That is another...
20:41We can dedicate two whole topics for that, ma'am.
20:45Two whole shows to that.
20:49But the quick answer, ma'am, is unfortunately and proven.
20:53I'm not saying it's not whole.
20:55A lot of people might get mad at us.
20:57They might say, look at Allan Arman.
20:59Sweeping generalization.
21:01Whatever he's thinking, he's telling the truth.
21:04This is backed up by data.
21:07Unfortunately, what is being messaged is a culture of mendicancy.
21:11That is the problem that's happening now with Filipinos.
21:16So much so that this will affect, and I promise you...
21:20Let's go back to this episode.
21:23I think I will sadly, in a way, be proven right, especially on the local level.
21:29This culture of mendicancy will be very, very prevalent in our upcoming midterm polls.
21:36What they're looking for is a candidate who will give a handout.
21:43They don't want a leader.
21:46They want a patron.
21:47Filipino voters want somebody that will just give it to them.
21:52They don't want to be taught how to fish.
21:55They want to be given the fish.
21:57All right.
21:58And that's the flip side of the aid, especially when there's an upcoming election.
22:02They say it's like largesse or pamudmud to the allies.
22:08And the flip side is corruption.
22:11It's favoring the running candidates, incumbents, re-electionees, who will be given aid.
22:21So what is that?
22:23Politicians like to have aid.
22:25And of course, the other side of it is people expect that politicians will give them help.
22:30So it's like a chicken and egg situation.
22:33Again, we've painted ourselves into quite a corner ma'am.
22:38What a conundrum and what a terrible state.
22:42We've established this never-ending cycle.
22:45It's a culture of mendicancy and politicians really like that.
22:49I hope the listeners and viewers won't get mad at me.
22:56But in our circles, in my industry, you're really at a disadvantage if you're against the incumbent.
23:04Because if you think about it, Tupad, AICS, MAIP, and the others, what other aid is that?
23:12If you're going to pass it, I'm not saying it is, but this is our humorous term for it.
23:21This is a humorous term.
23:23Politicians, don't get mad at me.
23:25But the humorous term for it is, that's legal vote-buying almost.
23:30It's like funds in aid of re-election, right?
23:34You got it.
23:39People really think that it's from the graces and the good hearts of our politicians.
23:45But actually, it's from the fund of the country.
23:48That's why those who are willing to give aid, if you notice, they're always wearing Armani.
23:55Because that's Armani that they're giving away.
24:00Our money, not Armani.
24:05That's the money of the people, the aid.
24:08So why do you look like that?
24:09Why do you look like you're from Tarpolin?
24:11That's not from Buiso.
24:13Like we said before, the money, the vote you're selling, they'll give it to you.
24:18That's our problem.
24:21They'll give you thousands.
24:24They'll give you thousands.
24:27Now, with the opening of the UNITEAM, people are confused.
24:32Who is the political opposition now?
24:34And you're saying that in May 2025, it's like a make or break election for the Pink Lawan.
24:42Or what we're saying before the 2022 election is a real political opposition.
24:49So what is the field of our political spectrum now?
24:54Who is the political opposition?
24:57To be honest, if we're going to base that on a textbook, proper, let's say that word first, proper,
25:06proper definition, proper meaning of opposition, it should be based on ideology.
25:13Ideology is what says whether you're opposed to the administration or not.
25:19Unfortunately, in the Philippines, that's not happening.
25:23Because all of our politicians are saying the same thing.
25:27We don't have any semblance of a strong political party system.
25:32Who is the real opposition?
25:35If I could answer that question in this program ma'am, this will be the best, the most viewed program in news and public affairs.
25:45If you notice, even the Pink Lawan and the Yellow Lawan, just like former Senator Antonio Trillanes,
25:54now he's saying that we should join the admin.
26:01Can you imagine? That's such an odd thing.
26:04We have viral pictures of the children of Chris Aquino visiting the First Lady.
26:12The Rojas.
26:14Correct. The Rojas.
26:17Who is the true opposition? Who is ideologically opposed to the administration?
26:26Traditionally, those are what we call left of center.
26:30Those are the groups.
26:32But if you look at it, even those who are left of center now are pro-admin because again, the big bad boogeyman are the Dutertes.
26:40They have joined forces of color.
26:44Green is the enemy.
26:47Like LGBTQIA+.
26:50Correct.
26:52Actually, joining forces is very transient.
26:56During the time of President Duterte, he got them all.
26:59During the time of President Erap, he got them all on board.
27:03And now, here we are again.
27:05So what's our situation? It's confusing to the people and voters, but to the politicians, what's the clear answer?
27:13Go with the winner? Go with the money?
27:16In fact, I like the word you used ma'am, transient.
27:20I'll take your transient and I'll raise it.
27:23In fact, perhaps the better word to use is transactional.
27:28That's painful.
27:29The relationship is transactional.
27:32Go with the winner.
27:34As they say, if someone is in the kitchen, we should go there if we want to eat.
27:39That's one of the rules of being a successful politician in the Philippines.
27:44Okay.
27:45So you're saying that those who are left behind are expected to rise again?
27:52It's cyclical.
27:56Thank you for that question ma'am so I can return to my area of expertise again.
28:02The voter OAP in the Philippines is cyclical.
28:07It's what we call order of attribute preference.
28:10In fact, that's not only in the Philippines.
28:12It's cyclical worldwide.
28:14Unfortunately, the leftists, the liberal parties, the yellows, their main message was really anchored on the I.
28:23What you said earlier, inspire.
28:26Yes, it was all about justice, justice.
28:30If there's no corruption, it was integrity, it was sovereignty, patriotism.
28:36For the voters now, clearly this is not conjecture.
28:41The data supports it.
28:42It's not the time for the messaging of a politician to be like that.
28:47We're on the M now.
28:49We're on the motivate now.
28:51So I think the yellow ones or the pink ones or whatever you would like to label them,
28:57they need to bide their time or adapt their messaging.
29:01It's not possible anymore.
29:03If there's no corruption, there's no poverty.
29:08It's not possible anymore.
29:10The government should be upright.
29:12It's like a very fine and gentle wording.
29:17So you mean the attack and scare, the A, the inspire, the lockdown is now on the motivate.
29:24But what could really motivate people now?
29:26Because during social media, everybody has an opinion.
29:30Of course, there are silos to dig in the opposing forces or the different opinions.
29:39How do you motivate in this day and age of social media?
29:43Let's go back to the inherent advantage of having AICs, Tupad, Mahainip, and Ayuda.
29:49That's what we mean by motivate, the quick return mentality.
29:56What's in it for me?
29:57How do you motivate?
29:59If you vote for me, I will add the budget to your barangay.
30:03That's what will motivate the people.
30:06They're looking for a leader, not a leader, but somebody to vote who will again give them the fish,
30:13not teach them the fish.
30:15That's the political zeitgeist now, the voter zeitgeist now.
30:19But that's a very pragmatic or cynical view on politics.
30:25Because in other places, local government units, newcomers win.
30:31Or what you said is ideology or vision-based politics.
30:36How can we distinguish national elections and our local politicians?
30:44Okay. I'm glad you pointed that out, ma'am.
30:47I'm not saying that all politics are like that and that is the only path to victory.
30:53There are outliers.
30:54Thankfully, I have a lot of clients that are still public servants more than they are politicians.
31:01That's a good thing.
31:03I'm glad you made the distinction between national and local.
31:08Because one thing that's coming out of the data is very, very weird.
31:14This is only happening in the Philippines.
31:17Again, I've said it before.
31:19On the local level, we're looking for solutions.
31:22On the national level, we're looking for distractions.
31:25Very weird.
31:26It should be the other way around.
31:28So what do I mean by that?
31:30On the national level, we won't listen to the candidate senator or president or vice president
31:40who gives a platform, who says exactly what the solution is,
31:45how to raise it, how to solve your problem.
31:48No. What we're looking for is who has a good jingle, who has popular influencers,
31:53who has a very snazzy social media presence to distract us.
31:59But on the local level, thankfully, what voters are looking for, at least based on data,
32:05is the exact opposite.
32:08No, I don't want to be distracted.
32:10When I vote for barangay captain or mayor,
32:15what I'm looking for is who will be able to fix the post,
32:18who will be able to fix the water because we don't have water in our barangay,
32:23who will be able to fix the roads that are broken.
32:27Hopefully, that will translate on the broader scale.
32:31It has to start from somewhere, Ma'am Malu.
32:33You're right. Let's not be too negativist.
32:36Hopefully, our sensibility in the local level will spread and expand
32:44and our national order of attribute preference will be held.
32:49All right. So construct rather than distract.
32:52That's what the candidates are looking for.
32:55You talked about trajectory.
32:57When campaigning, there are trajectory events, issues that could push up or down certain candidates.
33:04In the current time of President BBM, two years and the third SONA,
33:08what are the trajectory or top-line issues that you think will make or break the next four years for him?
33:16I honestly believe, Ma'am, if the BBM administration makes a dent in the price of rice
33:24and he will be able to implement what you're saying about rice,
33:27if he will be able to continue to lower the price, that is an inflection jump for him definitely.
33:31If he will be able to imprison someone who is perceived to be very corrupt,
33:36I think that will be an inflection jump for him if he's able to do that.
33:42If he's able to, for example, maybe it's a pipe dream,
33:49but the traffic is very guttural.
33:55If he's able to fix the traffic in different cities in the Philippines,
34:03that will also, I believe, cause an inflection jump.
34:07Okay. But that's asking too much of the President.
34:10He's like a micromanager.
34:13The President is also in charge of foreign policy, taking care of the national household and funds,
34:19also organizing and settling disputes in the bureaucracy and political parties.
34:25So where should the President BBM focus on?
34:28Because it's all coming down on him at the same time.
34:31Unfortunately, Ma'am, most of our countrymen don't understand what you just said
34:41so beautifully and accurately.
34:43You're right. The President is not in charge of everything.
34:49Unfortunately, most of our countrymen don't know that or don't realize that,
34:53that this is a massive, massive bureaucracy that is running the country.
34:59All the wins are necessarily not for BBM and all the losses are not necessarily for BBM.
35:07I would think in terms of foreign policy, Ma'am,
35:09he should concentrate and really take a hardline stance on what we should really do about China,
35:16the enroachment in our territories.
35:20Maybe we should revisit our past wins in international tribunals.
35:25In terms of the economy, I think he should focus on macro,
35:29more than macro, micro, more than macroeconomic indicators,
35:34what we call the trickle-down effect that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
35:41that became a buzzword.
35:43The trickle-down effect that people are feeling,
35:47the so-called macroeconomic wins.
35:50He should concentrate on that.
35:51And of course, what I mentioned, the helps.
35:54He should just focus on those aspects of Filipino lives.
35:58It's not trickle-down, it's just tickle-down.
36:01We're just being tickled, but the benefits don't seem to go down.
36:05I have a question for you.
36:07Because they say, all politics is family.
36:10Family is politics in the Philippines.
36:12On the other side of the unity, it's the family that is winning.
36:17It's like a fighting family.
36:19Before BBM won, it was also a fighting family.
36:22The Aquinas versus the Marcoses.
36:24How good or bad are the families doing now?
36:27Because on BBM's side, he has his son, our congressman,
36:32and the speaker is his brother-in-law.
36:36His cousin.
36:37Okay.
36:38On the other side, he has Vice President Sara,
36:42his brother-in-law who is a congressman,
36:44his brother-in-law who is a mayor,
36:46and of course, former President Duterte.
36:48So it's like a family feud.
36:50And don't we love it, ma'am.
36:53That's why Game of Thrones is very popular here in our country.
36:56Game of Thrones.
36:57And also House of the Dragon.
36:59Because it's very familiar.
37:02Very family.
37:03How are the families doing?
37:05One is doing better than the other, ma'am, definitely.
37:08Because the cards are stacked.
37:11One is in power.
37:13They have every resource and all the infrastructure and all the,
37:19let's use the word now, power.
37:23They make the other family's life difficult.
37:25They have the ICC to use as a tool.
37:28So Duterte's, they have the funds of Congress.
37:34They have the legislation to craft laws to shut down the franchises,
37:40for example, of known Duterte allies,
37:42like Pastor Apollo Iboloy, a wanted criminal.
37:46So they have the capability and the power,
37:51to make the lives of the Dutertes and those who are supportive of them,
37:55a living hell.
37:56So one is really in the lead.
37:58But the public opinion, Paul,
38:03that Vice President Sara's downfall is still higher or less,
38:08compared to President BBM.
38:10So her popularity seems to be very resilient.
38:13In fact, that's why they should tread carefully.
38:18Because that's what the Filipinos want.
38:20If they go beyond that, what we call the FPJ effect,
38:24and in fact, it is called that.
38:27It is indeed called the FPJ effect,
38:30named after the late great king of action movies, FPJ,
38:34who is being beaten up.
38:35The Filipinos want that.
38:37They're being beaten up.
38:38They're so pitiful.
38:39Suddenly, they'll laugh at the end.
38:41They'll succeed.
38:44So if you beat on, especially VP Inday Sara,
38:48who is a lady that also plays into it,
38:50she might become an underdog.
38:52That's why they should calibrate that well.
38:55All right.
38:56But what's in it for her now?
38:58Because she no longer has a cabinet position,
39:00although she remains as Vice President,
39:02but her presence and voice seems to be muted.
39:06Well, you know, ma'am,
39:08her resignation as a member of the cabinet,
39:12I think, was in fact long overdue.
39:15She should have done that months before she did it
39:19because the former President Duterte is openly
39:23oppressing his brothers.
39:26She should have done that months before.
39:28But right now, I think she should,
39:31admittedly, she doesn't have exposure
39:35because she was getting her exposure mainly
39:38as the Deputy Secretary.
39:41But right now, what should VP Sara be doing?
39:48If she wants to, she can already take the mantle
39:51of the so-called head of the opposition.
39:53But she refused.
39:55She blamed Atty. Harry Roque.
39:58She said, I'm not the head of the opposition.
40:00I refuse that title.
40:02So right now, who knows what's going on in her head, ma'am.
40:05All right.
40:06She said she won't attend the SONA
40:09because she's a designated survivor.
40:12The joke did not play.
40:14Well-received.
40:16The joke wasn't well-received.
40:18In fact, a lot of people are saying,
40:20had she made that joke in the United States,
40:22she would be jailed because that's a veiled threat
40:25to the presidency and the institution.
40:29But I think what happened there,
40:32just reading it from a spectator's point of view,
40:36I think because the interview was done in Davao,
40:38the media, her friend,
40:42the one interviewing VP Sara's friend,
40:46I think she was in a moment of levity
40:49and perhaps a little bit of too much comfort.
40:52Those are the words she let go.
40:55But as a vice president,
40:57I would say that she should be more circumspect
41:02and mindful that her words carry more weight
41:07than the normal citizen.
41:09Okay.
41:10We talked about families.
41:12The May 2025 elections are coming.
41:14The first election, the first parliamentary election
41:17is in Bangsamoro.
41:19And there are 12 seats in the Senate that will be contested.
41:24But there are families all over the place.
41:26Families in the Senate,
41:28there are a lot of them.
41:30There are mothers, siblings,
41:36different situations.
41:38They said that in the budget,
41:40there should be an item for a family reunion
41:43because there are a lot of families.
41:45And in Bangsamoro,
41:46it seems like the members and the families will return.
41:50So, are you worried?
41:52Is there a possible break in this situation?
41:58Am I worried?
41:59I'll say that I'm absolutely worried.
42:02I'm dejected and I'm concerned.
42:04Don't forget ma'am,
42:06only in the Philippines,
42:08there are members of Congress who are married.
42:12They're married.
42:13They're from different districts.
42:15They're married but they're representatives of the Congress.
42:19They're from different districts.
42:21How did that happen?
42:22They must be living in different houses.
42:24Only in the Philippines.
42:27Am I worried?
42:28Absolutely.
42:29I think we should be as a country.
42:32We should be.
42:33But again,
42:34I'll go back to what you said about the chicken and egg.
42:38That cycle,
42:40that unbreakable sad cycle.
42:43Because how can we ever pass an anti-dynasty law
42:47when the people crafting and approving that law
42:51are themselves part of political dynasties?
42:54They're also elders.
42:56That's right.
43:00Even if you think about it,
43:03in schools,
43:05in school boards,
43:06for example,
43:07they don't allow all officials to have children.
43:11In companies,
43:12they don't allow that.
43:14So why in the government,
43:16if we've been hoping for a long time
43:20that it will improve the situation in the Philippines,
43:24we're letting the politicians do the family business.
43:28It's a strange, strange development.
43:32Okay.
43:33You said that when BBM won,
43:35his agenda was really redemption,
43:38reviving his family.
43:40In the third zone,
43:42what do you think should be the theme?
43:45Is it still redemption?
43:47There's historical revisionism mentioned by other people.
43:51Is he close to achieving that?
43:53Or would you like his sauna to tackle a different path,
43:57to take a different path?
44:00Personally,
44:02if you were to ask me what would I like to see in the sauna,
44:05I would like to see him outline real-world problems
44:09and provide real-world solutions,
44:11as I said.
44:12Maybe instead of redemption,
44:15the theme is very, very odd,
44:19I know to say,
44:21on a third sauna,
44:23and he's in second place.
44:25But I hope the theme is move on.
44:30Can we move on from the distractions
44:32of what's going on right now,
44:34the political,
44:35the fights,
44:37the citizens,
44:39because that's what's in the news right now,
44:43the fights.
44:44When in fact,
44:45things that should be on the front page,
44:47at the front and center of our discussions,
44:50are being ignored
44:52because of the family fights,
44:54as you mentioned,
44:56I hope the theme is
44:57let's move on from the drama
44:59and let's focus on the job.
45:01I hope that's the theme.
45:03He doesn't seem to actually want to
45:07be that clear
45:09or be that sharp
45:10because there's always a catch.
45:13Speaker Martin Romualdez would say things
45:15that maybe the president cannot say yet,
45:18like a trial balloon.
45:20Of course,
45:21the first lady herself is quarreling
45:23with VP Sara verbally.
45:26But not the president himself.
45:29And then of course,
45:30the sister,
45:31Senator Aimee,
45:32is saying things
45:33that she should be doing.
45:34Be harsher on corrupt people
45:36and be clean on the West Philippine Sea,
45:39et cetera.
45:40The president is in some sort of a bubble.
45:44He's not facing justice.
45:47I believe the president,
45:50of course,
45:51this is unsolicited
45:52and most likely ignored advice,
45:54but if I were to give him unsolicited advice,
45:57he should really rely on the data
45:59because the data shows,
46:00and I'm happy you brought it up,
46:01Ma'am Maluna,
46:02when First Lady Lisa Araneta Marcos spoke,
46:07across the board,
46:08I saw that that was a positive.
46:12We did a quick sentiment scan
46:14and eventually,
46:15in the sustained sentiment scan,
46:17we saw the number
46:18that a lot of Filipinos actually resonated with it.
46:22There,
46:23they're already fighting.
46:24There,
46:25her husband is fighting
46:28regardless of whether she's the first lady
46:30and he's the president.
46:31If she is a wife fighting for her husband,
46:36it resonated well
46:37because she showed what we call muscle flexing.
46:41The president should,
46:42by now,
46:43in his third sauna,
46:44be flexing a little muscle
46:47and he should be
46:51clear-cut
46:53on his stand on certain issues.
46:56But as the man,
46:57that's not in character.
46:59It's not, Ma'am.
47:01It's not.
47:02You got it.
47:03It's not.
47:05He speaks very gently.
47:07Actually,
47:08apparently,
47:09everything he says is measured.
47:10Or maybe
47:11the speechwriters have made it so for him.
47:14He doesn't quarrel with anyone.
47:16He always calls everyone
47:18like,
47:19one-on-one,
47:20or wake up again.
47:21And actually,
47:22he shows up only when there's good news.
47:26And you know,
47:27it's a credit to him,
47:28in a way,
47:29right?
47:30It's a credit to him.
47:31He's that guy.
47:32He is that stand-up guy
47:34that doesn't want to cause any friction.
47:37But as in anything,
47:40there's a right time for the right message.
47:44And by now,
47:46the time for proxies are over.
47:47It should not be anymore First Lady.
47:49It should not be anymore
47:51Speaker Martin
47:53or Governor Aimee
47:55talking.
47:56The Filipinos,
47:57I think,
47:58would like to hear it from the President now.
48:00Kunting pangil.
48:02Pero,
48:03sa tingin ninyo
48:04sa susunod na SONA
48:05at sa susunod na
48:06apat na taon pa,
48:08is that ever an evolution
48:10or metamorphosis we can see
48:12kay President BBM?
48:13Parang wala sa kanyang
48:14karakter
48:15or inclination.
48:18Well,
48:19siyempre, ma'am,
48:20it will benefit me to say this
48:22because I'm the guy doing it.
48:25And we have to
48:27acknowledge the fact that
48:28PBBM
48:29is a very, very
48:30highly intelligent
48:31and clever individual.
48:33These things can be taught, ma'am.
48:35These things can be taught.
48:37Pero, dalawang taon na?
48:38Does he need to
48:39a little more time
48:40to learn?
48:42I think he should pick it up.
48:44I think
48:45he can pick it up very quickly.
48:46I just don't think
48:47he has decided yet.
48:50He has endeavored
48:51to actually commit
48:52to this kind of messaging.
48:53But once he does,
48:54I think he will pick it up
48:55very quickly.
48:56Okay.
48:57But when he does,
48:58that might actually bring him
49:00as a character
49:01or image
49:02closer to his father?
49:05That's a good point, ma'am.
49:06That's a good point.
49:07But
49:09the data,
49:10and I keep on
49:11itong mahiwagang data
49:12that I'm always quoting,
49:14unfortunately, ma'am,
49:15tayo na lang hua
49:16nakakaalala sa Martial Law.
49:19It has been
49:20pretty much
49:22it's a non-issue anymore
49:24nowadays.
49:25Nakalimutan na hua nila.
49:26And again,
49:2731 million votes
49:29have shown
49:30that Martial Law
49:32is a long-forgotten
49:34long-forgotten
49:36period of our history.
49:38I wanted to ask you
49:39kasi sabi mo nga para
49:40it wasn't the experience
49:41of many.
49:42Kunti lang.
49:43Yung Metro Manila
49:44at yung mga sumalis
49:45sa People Power,
49:46sa EDSA,
49:47ano po.
49:48Pero even Martial Law
49:49wasn't the experience
49:50of many.
49:51It wasn't the experience
49:52of many.
49:53In fact,
49:54that was mga four
49:55generations ago.
49:56So,
49:57paano nang manalo
49:58si BBM?
49:59Well,
50:00again,
50:01maybe it will take
50:02five episodes
50:03for us to truly distill.
50:05But,
50:06essentially,
50:07they started early.
50:08They prepared well.
50:10Again,
50:11it's the 4Ms.
50:12They developed
50:13the messaging very well.
50:14The machinery
50:15was built
50:16over 10 years.
50:17And slowly,
50:18through the use
50:19of social media,
50:20na-sanitize nila
50:21yung Martial Law
50:22episode
50:23ng Pilipinas.
50:24And that's how
50:25he won.
50:26They capitalized
50:27on the promise
50:28of,
50:29they,
50:30aminin na natin,
50:31there was that
50:32whole myth
50:33of the gold.
50:34These little
50:35ingredients
50:36all made it
50:37possible
50:38for the
50:39Filipino voter
50:40to hope.
50:41Okay.
50:42Tapos,
50:43yung pagbabalik
50:44ng mga tema,
50:45na tema
50:46ng Tatay Binya,
50:47like Bagong Pilipinas,
50:48pati yung panata,
50:49eh,
50:50dapat daw,
50:51eh,
50:52big kasi na
50:53sa mga
50:54flag-raising ceremony.
50:55O kaya yung kadiwa.
50:56O kaya yung
50:57maharlika.
50:58Do you suggest
50:59na parang ganun pa rin
51:00yung parang ipursu?
51:01Kasi,
51:02medyo parang
51:03discordant.
51:04Sa,
51:05hindi lang sa memory,
51:06ano,
51:07kasi parang
51:08nababalik yung
51:09alaala ng makalipas
51:10dahil inuulit nila.
51:11Do you think
51:12the messaging
51:13is a bit
51:14skewed
51:15in favor of,
51:16you know,
51:17remembering
51:18the past?
51:19Personally,
51:20ma'am,
51:21I am as befuddled
51:22and confused
51:23as you are
51:24kung bakit nila
51:25binabalik yan
51:26and why they're using
51:27those elements.
51:28To begin with,
51:29as we mentioned,
51:30hindi siya
51:31tugma.
51:32There is,
51:33currently,
51:34there is a disconnect
51:35with PBBM's
51:36own personality
51:37na hindi naman ganyan,
51:38na hindi naman siya yung
51:39stiff,
51:40marching stiff,
51:41stiff-collared
51:42kind of guy,
51:43di ba?
51:44So,
51:45it's,
51:46it's odd
51:47that
51:48they are bringing
51:49these aspects
51:50of the branding back.
51:51Ako,
51:52I would probably
51:53adopt the same program
51:54but
51:55maybe
51:56rebrand it
51:57and
51:58that panata,
51:59that's a whole nother story
52:00that,
52:01that oath
52:02of allegiance.
52:03Is there
52:04actually a problem
52:05with the so-called
52:06factions
52:07within the
52:08BBM camp?
52:09Hindi pa ito yung
52:10unity na break
52:11or split?
52:12Ano po?
52:13Within the BBM camp,
52:14supposedly,
52:15andami ding mga
52:16politics?
52:17Well,
52:18I wouldn't,
52:19to be fair,
52:20I would not say
52:21that it's any more
52:22pronounced
52:23than the
52:24factions of past
52:25presidents.
52:26This is
52:27always
52:28an issue
52:29kahit sino
52:30manhuyo
52:31nakaupo.
52:32Even during
52:33the time of,
52:34if you think about
52:35sino ba yung
52:36pinaka
52:37supposedly
52:38marangal
52:39at supposedly
52:40daang matawid
52:41administration
52:42which was
52:43Pinoy,
52:44even then
52:45there was
52:46that whole
52:47balay
52:48versus
52:49samar
52:50rift.
52:51So,
52:52every administration
52:53sa
52:54recent
52:55administration
52:56ni
52:57Pangulong
52:58Rodrigo
52:59Duterte
53:00merong
53:01Davao Boys
53:02versus
53:03merong
53:04BG
53:05camp,
53:06merong
53:07Bato
53:08camp,
53:09may ganyan,
53:10tapos
53:11meron pang
53:12loyal to
53:13the first
53:14lady,
53:15merong
53:16Bato
53:17camp,
53:18merong
53:19Bato
53:20camp,
53:21merong
53:22Bato
53:23camp,
53:24merong
53:25Bato
53:26camp,
53:27merong
53:28Bato
53:29camp,
53:30merong
53:31Bato
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53:33merong
53:34Bato
53:35camp,
53:36merong
53:37Bato
53:38camp,
53:39merong
53:40Bato
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53:42merong
53:43Bato
53:44camp,
53:45merong
53:46Bato
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53:48merong
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53:51merong
53:52Bato
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53:54merong
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53:57merong
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54:00merong
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54:03merong
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54:06merong
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54:09merong
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54:12merong
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54:18merong
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54:21merong
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54:24merong
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54:27merong
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54:30merong
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54:33merong
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54:36merong
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54:39merong
54:40Bato
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54:42merong
54:43Bato
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54:45merong
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54:48merong
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54:51merong
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54:54merong
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54:57merong
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55:00merong
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55:03merong
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55:06merong
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55:09merong
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55:12merong
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55:15merong
55:16Bato
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55:18merong
55:19Bato
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55:21merong
55:22Bato
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55:24merong
55:25Bato
55:26camp,
55:27merong
55:28Bato
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55:30merong
55:31Bato
55:32camp,
55:33merong
55:34Bato
55:35camp,
55:36merong
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55:39merong
55:40Bato
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55:42merong
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55:45merong
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55:48merong
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55:51merong
55:52Bato
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55:54merong
55:55Bato
55:56camp,
55:57merong
55:58Bato
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56:00merong
56:01Bato
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56:03merong
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56:06merong
56:07Bato
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56:09merong
56:10Bato
56:11camp,
56:12merong
56:13Bato
56:14camp,
56:15merong
56:16Bato
56:17camp,
56:18merong
56:19Bato
56:20camp,
56:21merong
56:22Bato
56:23camp,
56:24merong
56:25Bato
56:26camp,
56:27merong
56:28Bato
56:29camp,
56:30merong
56:31Bato
56:32camp,
56:33merong
56:34Bato
56:35camp,
56:36merong
56:37Bato
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56:39merong
56:40Bato
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56:42merong
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56:45merong
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56:48merong
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56:51merong
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56:54merong
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56:57merong
56:58Bato
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57:00merong
57:01Bato
57:02camp,
57:03merong
57:04Bato
57:05camp,