Cartoon by: Jairus Kristan Samudio
Published by: Michelle Piquero
Date Published: November 18, 2024
Time Published: 11:40 AM
Unity is the act of being together, helping one another and lifting each other in times of difficulty. It means working together toward the same political goals with mutual agreement and purpose. Unity is about helping each other not dragging each other down. However, despite the promised “unity” during the 2022 elections, the escalating tension between two notorious political clans have raised concerns and doubts about the UniTeam alliance.
Last Friday, Vice President Sara Duterte held a two-hour media briefing to publicly criticize President Marcos Jr., revealing that their alliance is nothing more than just transactional politics. Duterte also accused Marcos of using her popularity to secure votes in order to win the election [1]. Now, the question is, where is the “unity” that they have promised to the Filipino people?
It seems that promises are indeed meant to be broken. This briefing revealed that the “unity” they had promised has turned into disunity, and the political clans are now divided. Although political tactics are not new, it's alarming how the feud between the political clans escalated to the point that a press conference has been held to tarnish reputations. The fact that their divided alliance was revealed not only within our country but also to the entire world is scandalous and unprofessional.
Moreover, Duterte revealed that she had messaged Senator Imee Marcos, the president's sister, with the threat “If you don’t stop, I will dig up your father’s remains and throw them in the West Philippine Sea.” Additionally, Duterte admitted that she had imagined beheading President Marcos Jr [3]. She further explained that her actions were driven by frustration, as she was “fed up” with the accusations of corruption, which she claimed were part of a political attack initiated by President Ferdinand Marcos [4]. These revelations are not something to be proud of, it only shows how toxic politicians can be. People should be aware of the ongoing feud between the two political clans as it concerns and impacts their leadership and the whole country itself. Instead of focusing on the country's problem that needs immediate attention, they chose to focus on their conflicts, making the situation worse. Furthermore, her reason is not enough to justify her actions. She should've thought of the consequences of her actions first before deciding to do something that cannot be undone.
With this information, we can now confirm that their alliance is a “marriage of convenience,” formed for the sake of political expediency. As the relationship between these political clans becomes more and more toxic, it wouldn't be surprising if they soon turn from allies to enemies. Instead of resolving their issues privately and addressing more important problems that our country faces, these leaders have chosen to escalate their conflict and threaten each other amidst the chaos. The fact that people voted for them and entrusted them with their positions is concerning, to think that as leaders, they're supposed to set a positive example for future generations who aspire to follow their footsteps, yet their action and behavior tells a different story. Some may think that political conflicts are normal and unavoidable, but we must consider the impact they can have on our country.
If they have time for feuds, then they have plenty of time to fulfill their duties as trustworthy leaders. Instead of dragging each other down, they should focus on creating solutions to the country's issues and demonstrate the real meaning of unity. Our country faces many problems, and leaders should prioritize meeting the people's needs, in order to prove that they're worthy of their roles. They were labeled as a leader so they should act like one. They were chosen and entrusted with their positions, so the least they can do is show the Filipino people that they're worthy of that trust. Therefore, this also serves as a wake-up call to us Filipinos, to vote responsibly. The future is in our hands, our choices affect our future, so let's elect worthy leaders based on their accomplishments and not be swayed by their empty promises. Think about the younger generations who will suffer if we vote for "leaders” who are not capable of leading, so if we want a peaceful, advanced, and developed country, always choose leaders wisely.
REFERENCES:
[1] ABS-CBN News. (2024, October 19). VP Duterte presser shows UniTeam “unity” was just transactional politics — analyst. ABS-CBN News.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/.../vp-duterte-presser-shows...
[2] Robles, R., & Robles, R. (2024, October 18). Philippines’ VP Sara slams Marcos over deception claims: ‘I imagined myself cutting his head.’ South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/.../philippines-vp-sara-slams-marcos...
[3] Wee, S., & Elemia, C. (2024, October 22). Why the Philippines’ vice president talked about beheading her boss. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/.../duterte-marcos-philippines...
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