Flagrant audacity (Sabong News)
Author
Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid
Date
APRIL 23 2022
This is my foreword to “Jokes Only, A Book on Duterteisms,” the most recent publication authored by my colleague, Dr. Crispin C. Maslog.
What could stand out as the most remembered legacy of outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is what I would describe as his “flagrant audacity” that borders on braggadocio. His followers may see this as independence of mind but he has been a controversial figure for his dirty language, unbecoming of a President.
While some saw this as a positive attribute and essential in providing relief from our feelings of uncertainty, I beg to disagree. His predilection towards dark topics like sex and killings, and negative perceptions about some heads of states and institutions like the Pope, Church, and even reputable international organizations, and repeatedly voicing out these biases in public, is something unheard of in recent history.
My initial reaction when asked to write the foreword for a book about President Duterte’s dirty jokes, therefore, was to decline the invitation. I thought that the best way to show my displeasure over the indecent jokes and irreverent remarks was to distance myself from the controversy and to let history be the ultimate judge of his behavior.
But as the author of this book and other observers noted, must we merely regard his jokes as entertainment, a necessary escape from the harsh realities of life? Or as a serious issue that might have impacted on the morals of our younger generation? Here, the author cited the findings of a brief random online survey he conducted on 365 people’s perceptions regarding the impact of Duterte’s public utterances. A majority say his jokes were “bastos.” I agreed to write the foreword because I believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that we hand over to the next generation a lofty legacy that can serve as a model, an exemplar in good governance. We cannot let President Duterte ride into the sunset without evaluating him and his work. In many democratic countries, it is in the body of work, in the speeches and stories shared by the leader, that we get a glimpse of the distinctive values of a society. What a leader says, whether in formal or informal settings, becomes an extension of government policies, and could therefore define the character of his administration.
Thus, this collection of jokes could be a reflection of the Duterte leadership, and become a mirror of our generation. It may reflect on our concept of self-worth and affect the psyche of our nation, if we let the President go without so much as censuring him for his indecent language.
It is a sad commentary that at the end of the day, although the President may have left some noteworthy legacies, what may be most remembered about him by the next generation would be the negative – his dirty language and vituperation which have done considerable damage to the image of our women, the Church, and social life and the morals of the younger generation.
His administration may have pushed for and achieved legislation on key tax reforms, reduction of red tape to “ease doing business,” protection for migrant workers, universal health care, and his efforts to push back on our oligarchic system. In the end, all these achievements may be pushed into the background by his joke to confront the Chinese navy on a jetski in the China seas.
My good friend who wrote the first published book in the Philippine Press, Dr. John A. Lent, is a co-foreword writer of this book which is available at either the New Day Publishers or Solidaridad Bookstore.
My e-mail,
