Masama ba ang mangaliwa?: A critical analysis on the Filipino youth’s perception towards the left.

Abstract

Last 30th of June 2016, the Filipino people were yelling “Change is coming” as incumbent President Duterte was holding his inaugural speech at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañang Palace. This was the Duterte Administration’s slogan which captured the hearts of the Filipino crowd which manifested in Duterte’s overwhelming victory in the presidential elections. Unbeknownst to most who voted for him, one of the changes which were to be conveyed by the administration is a change in fundamental ideology with the president identifying himself with the left embodied by President Duterte saying that he is a socialist. This statement was questioned by a lot of people especially by political analysts as to whether it was true or not, but the Duterte Administration has made some key decisions and actions which have suggested to several Filipinos that the President indeed was of left-wing orientation. These actions are: the administration’s vibrant attempt to make peace with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its militia the New People’s Army (NPA) which is very significant since this was never a priority in the previous administrations; Duterte’s appointment of left-leaning personalities in his cabinet such as the Department of Agrarian Reform’s Secretary, Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano, of the Left-wing Anakpawis Partylist and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Secretary, Judy Taguiwalo, who was nominated by another left leaning group, the National Democratic Front (NDF) which was shunned by some business and political elites in the country; Duterte’s warm welcome of activists and left-wing groups which was uncommon to previous presidents of the country ; and Duterte’s pronouncements of being independent from America leading his administration’s foreign policy to being closer allies with China and Russia which was taken by Filipinos as a move by a communist since they believed that China and Russia are communist countries. All things considered, these have been met with negative comments and feedback from the Filipino people of all ages and backgrounds, in addition to the administration being heavily criticized by the elite of the country for leaning towards the communist-left. [Introducation]