I've participated in the sub several times lately - non-political things when I can lol. I've had a lot of these thoughts for a while now but just feel like writing some up. To some extent I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here.

It appears now that Duterte is going to run for vice president. This is utterly appalling, and he certainly has not hidden his rationale for doing so. I don't know what the final decision will be on the legality of this (though who is even left to stand up to him now that way?), but it is without a doubt utterly in defiance of the spirit of democracy in a country with a single term limit. The very suggestion of this should be political suicide. Yet, this story is paraded about by the many Filipinos I know well and am friends with on social media. Clearly, the educational system has failed to prove the value of democracy.

Moreover, it seems highly likely that another Duterte will be president. Last year I made it a point to ask every Filipino I talked to (in Leyte) who they wanted to be the next president - it was always Sara Duterte. That's just my anecdote of course, but she's clearly been on the radar for some time. Some of those people five years ago lamented to me the prominence of political dynasties in the Philippines - where did that sentiment go?. If it is not a Duterte, it will almost certainly be a Marcos. I'm not even sure which would be worse at this point, but it seems both families are becoming increasingly intertwined. I can't help but feel that this country is politically dooming itself for the next couple generations. If so many people don't realize just how damaging these two regimes were, I can't help but feel hopeless for now. This country will be a dictatorship in all but name, and its international standing will be devastated.

I just don't think anyone else can win. Pacquiao, I guess it's possible but I don't think so. And he'd barely be any better. I'm sure the LP will run someone, but I just don't think they will stand a chance. Beyond that, it would take an outsider, highly charismatic populist that completely shifts the political narrative of the country, much like Duterte did. I'm not confident that will happen, and it's a big risk at any rate.

What is the game plan, I guess? What are people going to do to avert what feels to me like an almost inevitably bad outcome? I'm just wondering what you all have planned at this point. I feel at a loss for ideas.

I'd be happy to help build more discussion.