WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO DIGONG’S SUPPORTERS?

By Philip M. Lustre Jr.

It’s not true that the over 16 million voters, who have catapulted the current president to the presidency, have remained solid after four months in power. 

On the contrary, it could be perceived that the political support he enjoys from this block of voters is being eroded by his misdoings – those rants and curses, whimsical tendencies, careless remarks, undecipherable foreign policy statements, unpredictable temperament, and his global image of an unrepentant thug.

After four months, his political constituency is being divided and their political support being eroded, leading to an untenable situation where he could no longer depend on them when the political dynamics start to unfold and enter into a heightened phase. He is perceived as the "pambansang kahihiyan," or the "national embarrassment."

The 16 million voters could now be divided into the following categories:

The Fanatics – These people perceive him as the president, who does no wrong. Everything he does and says is correct. A questionable move or statement could be part of a grand strategy or conspiracy, which is equally nebulous as their thought processes. They are strong believers of conspiracy theories against their idol.

They are the idolaters, who persist in their belief he would bring the country to progress, but they could not explain how and why. They are relentless in their defense of him. They are the apologists, or the defenders of the faith. 

People, who don’t share their beliefs, call them “dutertards,” and like automatons, which hardly have a mind of their own, they would gladly carry that unpalatable tag without a thorough understanding of its connotation and implications. They would brand the other side as "yellow."

The “Doubting Thomases” – These are the people who have started to doubt the president. They know and feel that he is taking the country to nowhere, but they could not decide if they would take a more decisive attitude towards him. 

For them, he is no longer the knight in shining armor; his Teflon of invincibility has lost its luster. But they are still lost. They have yet to cross the Rubicon, as they cling to the foolish belief that he should be given a chance to prove his worth or redeem himself.

The “Denying Peters” – These are the people who voted him to power, but they would deny they have voted him and, ergo, support him. They know and understand that they have made a big mistake in their choice of president, but they are not prepared to admit what they feel was a mistake in the last presidential elections. 

They would claim they voted somebody else to reflect efforts to save face. Like the biblical Peter, these people would have their realization later, but at the moment, they have remained on a crossroad. 

Somewhere, sometime, and somehow, they would admit their mistake, but we have to wait for this thing to happen. Patience and perseverance is required in dealing with them.

The “Brave Hearts” - These are his voters yet they would immediately admit their mistake without fanfare. They are people gifted with a rare kind of discernment and richness of heart. They would call a spade a spade. 

They are not afraid to face the consequences of their choice, but are humble to articulate their mistake. These are people, who are willing to repent and rectify their error. 

They could be counted when the political dynamics turn for the some defining and decisive phase.

The Indifferent or Uncaring - These voters hardly care; in fact, they are the uncaring ones. They could probably include the fence sitters, who would only participate on the last minute. 

They are probably the overwhelming majority. They would not make their sentiment manifest publicly. At the moment, they just do not want to participate.