MANILA — The day after the elections caused a flurry among many of my colleagues at work here, and many more among my friends in the academe.
While many celebrated the landslide victory of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, there were those who expressed a cocktail of emotions: two parts anger, one part frustration, one part grief.
Apparently, it was beyond their comprehension why majority of Filipinos would choose a seemingly- unconventional option for the government’s top position.
The question of those who are currently undergoing the stages of grief was, ‘Why? Why did many people vote for Digong?’
In simple terms, Digong is such a hit among the majority of Filipinos because among the roster of presidential bets, those who voted for him found him utterly cathartic — someone who was able to say, and do the things they could never dare to do in public.
For many people, that offered some sort of psychological release to many, many pent up and repressed feelings — anger and frustration at the grindingly-slow rate of change being at the top of the list.
More than that, it is anger and frustration that — although the current administration achieved positive credit ratings and was on-spot in its target of economic growth as promised in the Philippine Development Plan — these achievements were not exactly felt by majority of the Filipinos in the countryside. Thus, it stoked feelings of a glass half empty, rather than one that is half full.
Digong’s candidness was a breath of fresh air to most people who are tired of coached, rehearsed, and ‘edited’ politicians. His unfettered expressions immediately became a point of connection, and just one of the many mediating factors that catapulted Digong to the presidency.
Those who find Digong’s rock star popularity perplexing need to be reminded that in a democracy, people choose who they think reflects their self concept, their values, their natural selves.
Many Filipinos saw themselves in Digong: someone who did not belong to an oligarchy, someone from the middle class, someone desperate for drastic positive change in our country.
Moreover, he represented the desire of many Filipinos in the province — the clamor of finally levelling the playing field between Metro Manila and the other provinces in terms of access to opportunities from scholarships, businesses, to connectivity.
Digong’s victory, for the majority of those who voted for him, was an emotional vote before it was an ethnolinguistic one. It may seem irrational to some, but that is exactly the point. We, human beings are generally irrational creatures who are driven to action more by our emotions than by rational thinking. It is emotion that establishes a stronger connection.
This is why no matter how stellar Miriam Defensor Santiago’s resume is — and it is beyond impressive –she was never able to truly capture the hearts and therefore, the votes of the general public because the emotional connection was tenuous for the majority. MDS represented the intellectual elite who sadly compose the minority.
It’s just like school. Most students remember the crazy experiences brought about by bonding moments with friends, prom, and Founders’ Day activities, but biology exams and chemistry projects do not seem to strike a chord in the hearts of many.
If an analysis on the pulse of the general population were made since the beginning of the current administration, election strategists would have already been able to picture the kind of profile the different kinds of voters would be looking for in the 2016 elections.
Kudos to the ‘rational’ voters who carefully thought out their decisions by examining each candidate’s platforms, policies, and qualifications.
However, elections is the tyranny of the majority, and unfortunately in our society, ‘rational’ voters remain a minority.
Candidates and parties interested to give it another go in the next elections might want to consider throwing in social psychologists in their teams to complement their circle of political and economic advisers.
Now, people are beginning to see the significance of social psychology in voter preferences and in election strategy.
To our new administration, the best of luck in transforming our country for the better.
To everyone else, remember, the success of any administration lies in the teamwork, the support, and the cooperation of its constituents. After all, inclusive growth does not only mean that everyone is able to savor good. More importantly, it means that everyone takes part in creating what is good.
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Author’s email: fso.stacy@gmail.com
