When did lying become okay? Norms and narratives in Philippine politics

Begin the lesson with the popular online trend “We’re X, of course we Y…” where the students will classify themselves as part of a certain group or subculture and provide a list of habits and characteristics that align with that group. You may use the following prompts:

• We’re Gen Z, of course…
• We’re from (school/city/province), of course…
• We’re “trapo” (traditional politicians), of course… 

Afterwards, you may segue to introducing the topic and objectives of the lesson which will spotlight norms and narratives in Philippine political culture and how they relate to the disinformation in the country.

Why do some public figures enjoy strong public support despite blatantly peddling lies? Why do some people stick to their beliefs even if they are already presented with facts that dispute them? Are certain societies more vulnerable to disinformation than others? These are only a few of the difficult questions about disinformation that boggle the minds of so many. In deconstructing disinformation as a social phenomenon, we can turn to the explanations offered by Sociology–the study of human society, social institutions, and social relationships.

What are norms and narratives?

Norms are a fundamental concept in Sociology. They are most commonly defined as informal, mostly unwritten, rules or expectations that society has for people’s behavior. They define what is acceptable or appropriate in given situations. Narratives, on the other hand, are stories that reflect the beliefs, worldviews, and norms of the people within a society or culture. Understanding the social norms and narratives in our society can help explain the whys and the hows of the rise of disinformation in the Philippines.

Norms and narratives in Philippine political culture

The Philippines has its own unique political culture which can explain the kinds of leaders we elect and the expectations we have on candidates during election season and once we have elected them. Unlike many democratic countries, the Philippines has weak political parties. Instead, what we have are charismatic political personalities who bank on star power and loyalty of their supporters. 

Here, it is common practice for politicians to appear on television shows, have their faces plastered on tarpaulins, and be treated like celebrities wherever they go. “Political culture in the Philippines,” according to Combinido and Curato (2021), “has long blurred the boundaries between politics and showbiz.” Politicians who possess the right image branding are favorable to get elected.

What norms do you observe in Filipino politicians? Here are some examples to consider:

• They dress up nicely and present themselves in public looking well-groomed all the time.
• They perform acts of compassion, ready to extend help to the poor, weak, and vulnerable.
• They must come from a reputable family.

In the age of social media, Filipino politicians have found ways to connect to their audience in a more direct and personalized manner. By producing online content that features their family life, their personal hobbies, and other regular day-to-day activities, they become more relatable and more “authentic” (Note: perceived to be authentic) to their audiences and potential voters. It has become easier for politicians to build narratives – and, likewise, mobilize their supporters to build on and spread these narratives – that support their image branding.

What narratives are usually built and told in our political culture? Here are some points to consider:

• Filipinos look for heroes – leaders whom they can look up to but also those who understand, take care, and provide for the poor and disadvantaged. 
• Filipinos lack discipline and hence need a strongman, a paternalistic kind of leader who strikes fear to those who misbehave but also protects his own people. 

Sources: 

• Combinido, P. & Curato, N. (2021). Curing “Patient Zero”: Reclaiming the Digital Public Sphere in the Philippines. In A. Sinpeng & R. Tapsell (Eds.) From Grassroots Activism to Disinformation: Social Media Trends in Southeast Asia. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
• David, R. (2015, December 3). Four models of political leadership. Inquirer.net. https://opinion.inquirer.net/90847/four-models-of-political-leadership 

These norms and narratives point to two distinct characteristics of Philippine political culture: personalistic and patronage. 

• Personalistic politics: System of governance based on personal relationships, i.e. family, kinship, friendship, personal loyalties; over and above political principles or ideologies
• Patronage politics: Money-based system of campaigning and governance; based on cultural expectations for the candidate to act as a patron or ninong/ninang which means being a provider to one's constituents, responding to personal requests, answering personal problems, giving money to supporters

Source: Montiel, C., Lutgardo, B., & Acosta, N. (2002). "Philippine political culture: views from inside the halls of power. Manila: Philippine Governance Forum. https://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/UNDP4/philippine-political-culture-view-from-inside-the-halls-of-power/index.html

Watch the video essay “The Duterte Show: A reflection on the last 3 years” that presents the reflections of anthropologist Arnold Azurin about Filipinos under the Duterte presidency. Assign the students to identify the Filipino norms and narratives discussed in the video and how these were either continuously practiced and told (hence, reinforced) or challenged and broken (hence, gave rise to new norms). 

Divide the class into small groups and assign each group with one of the key arguments in the video. Instruct them to discuss it using the guide questions below:

• To what extent do you agree or disagree with the argument? What personal experiences or observations do you have that support or disagree with the argument?
• How does the argument connect to the rise of mis- and disinformation in the Philippines?
• Can these norms still be challenged and changed? How?

Norms in Philippine politics according to Arnold Azurin:

1. Filipinos are very sentimental when it comes to our friends and family. 
2. To be able to go into politics you have to be entertaining. 
3. Filipinos love picnics more than paying attention to what is right and wrong about our social and political values.

Normalizing hatred and political lies

Use of coarse and profane language among politicians is not new in the Philippines. This comes with “gangster-like behavior” which is quite common among provincial warlords (Combinido & Curato, 2021). What distinguished the 2016 national elections is the normalization of such behavior in the national political discourse. Bad manners like cussing, cursing, and use of suggestive terms and sexual expletives have become part of the image branding of former president Rodrigo Duterte as an authentic, iron-fisted, and no-nonsense leader. Duterte’s vitriol (harsh and angry words) has targeted journalists, human rights activists, members of the political opposition, and other critics. 

Aside from the normalization of hatred in the national political scene,  political lies in mainstream politics have also become normalized. Duterte’s blatant lies in public speeches, both as a candidate and as elected president, “reset the boundaries of acceptable political speech” (Combinido & Curato, 2021). He has blatantly lied on many occasions including when:

• He accused members of the International Critical Court as pedophiles
• He named a list of personalities involved in an unverified plot to oust him from presidency
• He has inflated the number of drug users in the country

These lies are amplified in social media through both disinformation-for-hire and organic support of his supporters.

Sources: 

• Combinido, P. & Curato, N. (2021). Curing “Patient Zero”: Reclaiming the Digital Public Sphere in the Philippines. In A. Sinpeng & R. Tapsell (Eds.) From Grassroots Activism to Disinformation: Social Media Trends in Southeast Asia. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
• Higgins, A. (2021, January 10). The Art of the Lie? The Bigger the Better. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/10/world/europe/trump-truth-lies-power.html

To wrap up the session, return to one of the preliminary questions presented to the students at the beginning: Why do some people stick to their beliefs even if they are already presented with facts that dispute them?

It is easy to put the blame on the general public for being easily manipulated by lies, for not fact-checking, or for being ‘brainwashed’. But these assumptions might be misjudgements because in reality people may actually vote and make decisions not solely based on facts. They may base it on the norms and narratives that they have become accustomed to (i.e., need for a strongman leader; cursing and lying means “authenticity”). This does not make them “bobotante” (dumb voters), as others would say.

Given this, we must realize that disinformation cannot be solved by simply insisting on facts. We must also deeply understand the anxieties and sentiments of Filipinos that drive the norms and narratives that make them willing to accept – and even propagate – lies and hateful speech. What alternative norms and narratives should we promote in our political culture to make it more resilient to disinformation?

Play the Lesson 4 video explainer to recap the main takeaways of the lesson. For possible next topics to discuss in class, check out the complete list of PH Disinfo Hub lessons here.