Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
The Philippines is run by populists. The Senate is full of them. The President is one, a haunt of history elected by hook or crook. The former President is also one, "just one of us, rough and ready". Even the House reps are populists, locally. Dynastic barons who easily pull in votes from the fawning locals who don't know any different.
The problem with populists is that they are not business executives, or anything close. They are popular because they are good at currying favor from the powerful. Not running a great nation to benefit its citizens. Entitlement. Impunity. Rewards. Riches. These are the values of populists. Not achievement, productivity, or even fairness. Or honesty.
Color me out of step because I don't like populists. I like capitalist sharks who are tough but honest. Wealth producers. Competitors. Innovators. Decisive bosses. I like them.
I like people who are conceptual, strategic, tactical, movers, shakers and impatient with fools.
The Philippines has these people. They are the oligarchs who crank out growth and profits with unabated enthusiasm. But they stay out of the political world. It's dirty. And unprofitable unless you are corrupt. Are the oligarchs Philippine patriots? I don't know. I have a hard time exclaiming "yes!" because I don't think it matters to them what the politicians are doing. I don't see nationalists in the business arena. I see capitalists.
The most successful business people with government jobs are the Villars. Father. Wife. Son. They seem to use their political jobs to write laws that favor their business interests. That's not nationalism in my book. It's capitalism with an advantage.
One is inclined to wonder who in government is for the nation? Populists are for themselves. Business people are for themselves. Dynasts are for themselves. Citizens are just the poor schmucks who are used, abused, and tossed aside. It's why the Philippines has a notoriously poor record in global rankings for labor well-being. Bottom ten!!!
Well, my job here is not to wail and weep. It's to describe the scene and figure out who might be able to break out of this greedy morass of incompetent populist despair and put the nation on a saner footing. A productive footing. A wealthy footing that does much better at taking care of workers.
This person must be smart and dedicated. Determined. Capable in the style of a business shark. Leni Robredo seems to be smart, but is not a shark. I look around and only one person catches my eye.
Gilbert Teodoro, Secretary of Defense. Lawyer. Politician. Businessman.
There are those who say, but yeah, he was with that corrupt President Arroyo and lost some rubber boats. And was going to run as VP to Sara Duterte until she conceded to Marcos and went for VP herself. And I say, yes, that is the school of hard knocks that shapes leaders. If you are looking for a perfection, you are just another populist. You are a part of the problem.
His credentials include:
- Brains, bar top-notcher
- Aggressive Western mindset, read his pronouncements on China's actions
- Close to the US, full speed ahead on EDCA and building defense
- Experienced in government, under Arroyo and now Marcos
- Business acumen, sits on boards of prominent companies
- Has integrity, lost to Aquino because he refused to do dirty politics
- He is for the Philippines, he could be anywhere else, making money
Instead, he's the Secretary of Defense. At a very difficult time.
You'd prefer Duterte or Tulfo? You'd prefer Robredo? You'd prefer Hontiveros?
Okay, tell me how they are better than Secretary Teodoro.
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Photo from Binar News, Indonesia, May 14, 2019. Current Senators Dela Rosa and Go then featured on President Duterte's list of favored senatorial candidates.
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