Inquirer RED: 2016 December

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Nicole CuUnjieng Sets the Agenda

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EDITOR'S NOTE

2016 is a year full of surprises, both pleasant and otherwise. People have been asking questions and searching deep, trying to understand the change that is happening. We can only hope that things will turn out well.

This month, it’s only fitting that we put focus on issues that have alarmed, unsettled, and astonished the majority of us. Writers Clinton Palanca and Doris Dumlao-Abadilla take a stab at analyzing the changing time’s messy political and economic landscape, while, on the cover, we feature a young woman creating a platform for discourse—something that’s lacking these days.

In the middle of all the things going on, we also turn to things that give this season its joyful spirit. Two creative women list gifts that fashion industry icons would adore, and two food journalists relay their holiday food recommendations.

One of the biggest changes I’ve experienced this year is my attitude towards shopping. It seems like I am more aware of sales online. Nonetheless, I still love going to malls and looking at what’s available. I guess instant gratification is still something I prefer.

When this issue is released, I’ll be on the way to LA with the kids, headed to Disneyland. I can’t wait to spend quality time with the family—something I’m afraid I haven’t done in the past few months. In the end, simple things are really the ones that bring much joy, like people simply listening to each other or families spending time together. That is something that will not change.

Happy holidays!

@riarecommends

CONTENTS

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On the cover:

The Latinos sustaining

On Nicole: White top and pants, both Ricardo Preto, Rustan’s Makati; black turtleneck, Eileen Fisher,

New York’s creative spirit

Rustan’s Makati; boots, Chanel.

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Photography Artu Nepomuceno

Philippine society from

Styling Nimu Muallam

a journalist’s standpoint

Makeup Mayesa delos Santos Hair Jayfren Gallego

THINKPIECE 24 Deconstructing the messy

This page: Rendez-Vous Moon Medium in steel,

political landscape of 2016

Jaeger-LeCoultr, Greenbelt 5

Group Publisher Bea Ledesma Editor in Chief Ria Prieto Creative Director Nimu Muallam Copy Editor September Grace Mahino Editorial Assistants Oliver Emocling, Tisha Ramirez Staff Photographer Patrick Segovia External Relations Officer Liza Jison

FOLLOW US ON

Contributing Writers Doris Dumlao-Abadilla, Olivia Estrada, Meg Manzano, Bambina Olivares-Wise, Clinton Palanca Contributing Photographer RG Medestomas, Artu Nepomuceno, Joseph Pascual Contributing Illustrator Lee Caces

Inquirer RED Magazine-OFFICIAL

Board Chairperson Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez SVP and Group Sales Head, Inquirer Group of Companies Pepito Olarte Sales Director Ma. Katrina Mae Garcia-Dalusong Business and Distribution Manager Rina Lareza Sales Inquiries Email: sales@hip.ph Telephone No: +63 (2) 403 8825 local 239

@inquirerRED

@inquirerred

Want to see the other issues of Inquirer RED Magazine? Check out inquirer.net/red

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ART

Mirrors on the Wall

Across the Atlas INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS EMPLOY GLASS AND MAPS TO BUILD AN “ATLAS OF MIRRORS”

Filipino artists reflect on Philippine society at the Singapore Biennale 2016 W ORD S OLI VE R E MOCL IN G P H OT OGRAP H Y N IM U M UAL L AM

“Paracosmos,” Harumi Yukutake ( Japan), glass mirror installation

“Growing,” Hemali Bhuta (India), incense stick installation

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“Endless Hours at Sea” Martha Atienza Martha Atienza’s father was a lighthouse keeper and her family was involved in the maritime industry. “Endless Hours at Sea” is a nostalgic multimedia installation exploring not only her personal voyages but the diaspora of almost half a million Filipino workers, oceans apart from their motherland. Atienza’s work is not just devoid of time but also of a sense of space, perhaps to evoke the idea of nowhere.

“Karagatan (The Breadth of Oceans)” Gregory Halili With the Philippines surrounded by water, Gregory Halili’s “Karagatan” series revolves around the sea and the people who live by and through it. He painted images of his seafaring subjects, most of whom live in destitution, on precious mother-ofpearl, which harks back to their noble profession.

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Looking into these miniature eyes, there’s a sense of melancholy in how they stare back at the viewer.

“The Hunters Enter the Woods” Patty Eustaquio From afar, Patty Eustaquio’s work resembles a Rorschach test. If it were one, it could be interpreted as the intricate tail of a Siamese fighting fish. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see details of endangered species painted on two panels: the Paphiopedilum fowliei on the left side and an orchid hybrid on the right. Eustaquio ponders on man’s obsession with collecting orchids to manipulate their growth outside their natural habitat.

“Noah’s Garden II,” Deng Guoyuan (China), aluminum alloy steel frame, glass mirror, LED lighting, plants, and rocks installation

“One Has to Wander through All the Outer Worlds to Reach the Innermost Shine at the End,” Qui Zhijie (China), ink on paper, glass, and stone

“Tree Spirit,” Tcheu Siong (Laos), cotton applique on cotton fabric

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One of the more outrageous promises repeated by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign season was that he would build a wall to keep Mexicans out of America, claiming they were rapists, murderers, and druggies. While he did single out Mexicans, most Americans of Latino origin felt insulted and targeted by association.

With what could only be termed exquisite timing, a friend of mine in New York, Gabriel Rivera-Barraza, launched just before the elections a handsome

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new book called Nuevo New York, celebrating, quite fittingly, the city’s most influential Latinos in the artistic, fashion, media, and cultural spheres.

It’s a 100 percent Latino collaboration. Rivera-Barraza, who conducted the interviews, is a native of Durango, Mexico, who is now living and working in New York as a dynamic PR extraordinaire, while Hans Neumann, the photographer who shot the portraits, hails from Lima, Peru, but has been based in the Big Apple since 2004.

The people they chose to include in the book are some of the most exciting and enduring creative talents in New York today, from established designers such as Carolina Herrera, Francisco Costa, and Narciso Rodriguez to current darlings Alejandro Ingelmo and Fernando Garcia. There are artists such as Aldo Chaparro, Jose Parla, Teresita Fernandez, and Alexis Zambrano.

And then there are the pillars of New York society like Yaz Hernandez, Emila Fanjul Pfeifler, and Fabiola Beracasa Beckman. There are names that sound more AngloSaxon and Teutonic than Latino, but then anyone who knows a bit of South American history would know about the waves of German and English migration in the continent, particularly after World War II—does the name Gisele Bündchen ring a bell?

In fact, when leafing through the book, there are many “aha!” moments when one realizes that someone assumed to be, well, cornbread white is actually from Brazil! Or Uruguay!

Or El Salvador! Or Colombia! Or Mexico! And yet with that realization, it all makes perfect sense.

“The Latino community is a vibrant culture but it also brings a fun and energetic essence to New Yorkers in every aspect that we can represent, and that makes us strong and unique,” remarks Rivera-Barraza.

“And we are known for our cultural artistic background.”

Not that it’s all that homogeneous. “There are differences between Latin American countries, of course. But in the end, we unite with very similar language, religion, and social customs, particularly in New York where we have become one community.”

And, clearly, a force to reckon with, Trump be damned.

The book also very subtly presents a different narrative about the Latino experience in America. These are not your ordinary cleaning ladies, truck drivers, or restaurant workers who have moved to New York in search of a better life. This is, by and large, a comfortable, educated, privileged, and often glamorous group whose reasons for coming to New York have less to do with escaping a life of economic hardship and more with chasing after creative freedom and personal fulfillment; in finding that, they found themselves.

“I feel that New York helps you find your identity in many ways,” RiveraBarraza says, “such as having you focus and inspiring you to show your best.”

I know exactly what he means. I always feel most “me” when I’m in New York City. I love the energy that swathes the place, where revelry and reclusiveness can be compatible bedfellows, where the excesses of one night at the Boom Boom Room are tempered the next day by meditative contemplation of Rothko at the MoMA, where sleek segues just as seamlessly into seedy, where love and lust thrillingly collide, where the air is intoxicating and possibility is the drug.

It’s an addiction I never want to be cured of. Because New York got me like…

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DEVOURED

Cream of the Crop ANGELO COMSTI

Two food journalists list down elements for the ultimate feast

chef

F&B Report editor

“I love the McGuigan Cabernet Merlot 2013 from Artisan Cellar Door so much that I make sure I have some in stock at home all the time.”

“One of the best restaurants to open this year is Bucky’s in Poblacion. Chef Justin Golangco’s Baked Ziti is just off the charts: slightly tangy tomato sauce, ragú that packs a punch, and cheese that’s baked to a crisp. Just sublime.”

“My appreciation for bread changed ever since I met Richie Manapat and tried his artisanal goods. Lovingly made by hand and for hours, his sourdough pan de sal should be a pantry staple.”

“AWC Fine Wine has an extensive wine selection.”

WINE

PASTA

“Freshly made pasta by Massimo Varonesi of VaBene Pasta Deli is so good to use for cooking.”

“The Italian cheeses of Casa del Formaggio are not only of good quality, they are also made in Negros.”

“Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory’s range of products, particularly the salt and camembert variety. It’s just something I can’t get enough of.”

CAVIAR

“Bacchus has this, as well as anything premium.”

CHEESE

“Terry’s Selection has a thoughtful cheese assortment.

You’ll find stuff here that you won’t find anywhere else.”

CHRISTMAS BISCUITS

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“Some of my favorite croissants and pastries are made by Wildflour.

I’ll also make a case for L’Artizan’s breads.”

BREAD

“The best appetizer-slash-conversation piece for any gathering is the smoked salmon caviar pie by Art of Pie. It gets the party started.”

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JJ YULO

“Bizu has these beautifully crafted Christmas biscuits.”

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Diptyque Ofrésia Ofrésia by Diptyque, with its notes of freesia blossoms, is complemented by peppery and woodsy notes.

Orangerie du Roy Inspired by natural fresh scents, Orangerie du Roy has notes of orange blossom and mint with hints of honeysuckle.

BARED

Tour de Fragrance Natural extracts on the scented trail WORDS TISHA RAMIREZ PHOTOGRAPHY RG MEDESTOMAS

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Annick Goutal Rose Splendide Annick Goutal’s Rose Slpendide is a romantic rose perfume laced with hints of musk, pear, and vanilla.

Maison Francis Kurkdijan Grand Soir Taking inspiration from an evening in Paris, MFK Grand Soir is a sophisticated aroma infused with vanilla and amber.

Acca Kappa Black Pepper and Sandalwood The Acca Kappa Black Pepper and Sandalwood perfume is a spicy combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with black musk.

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1 Neal’s Yard Remedies Bee Lovely From Head To Toe The honey, mandarin, and orange essences in this bath set make it tempting to eat.

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7 L’Occitane Cedrat EDT Made for men, it’s fresh, spicy scent goes well with a comfy sweater and hot chocolate.

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2 T. LeClerc Radiance Sticks A pop of color is necessary for the season, and these sticks give just that.

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8 Deborah Lippmann’s All Night Long Nail Lacquer When reaching for a cocktail, no one has time to worry about chipped nails, and this nail polish understands just that.

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3 Chanel Architectonic From matte blue to mirror gray, this eyeshadow palette will definitely intensify anyone’s look.

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4 Algenist’s Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Concentrate Between late-night partying and waking up early in the morning, pores demand attention, and this microalgae formulation can calm them down.

5 Lift’ Argan 100% Aragn Oil Morrocan argan oil, known for its nourishing and regenerating properties, is the perfect solution for dry skin and can be used for the face, body, hair, and nails.

6 Clarins Shaping Facial Lift Shaping Facial Lift is the first and only V-shape contouring serum that releases fat, drains puffiness, and defines facial contours.

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9 Acca Kappa White Moss Hand Cream A memorable scent that’s not too overpowering, this perfume’s versatility comes from how simple and clean-smelling it is.

10 Sisley L’Integral When an anti-aging secret has stood the test of time, it could be the one item to enhance anyone’s beauty arsenal.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Twelve Treats of Christmas Beauty gifts that keep on giving WORDS OLIVIA ESTRADA PHOTOGRAPHY RG MEDESTOMAS

11 Phyto’s Phytokeratine Extreme Exceptional Cream Who cares if you can barely pronounce its name? This cream restores damaged hair without parabens or sulfates.

12 Nars Sarah Moon 2016 Holiday Collection (Look Closer Eyeshadow Palette) Pretty inside and out, this eye shadow palette is a keepsake for the beautiful Sarah Moon photography featured in its packaging.

Calvin Klein once said, “The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural.” With this, tell your loved ones how much you appreciate their natural selves with gifts that could only enhance the way they look.

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Nicole CuUnjieng on the art of tolerance and distilling noise in an age of misinformation

CLEAR FREQUENCY

ADMIRED

There are a select few who attempt to disentangle the confounding history and politics of the Philippines. Even fewer are those who do so on a public platform such as a newspaper column, where they are at higher risk of receiving vitriol from the occasional troll. For three and a half years, Nicole CuUnjieng, a graduate of New Haven’s Yale University, had been the recipient of trolling, with her now defunct weekly column in Manila Times.

“After a while, ‘weekly’ became much less frequent,” she recalls. There, CuUnjieng wrestled with issues that ranged from the problem of international schools and the notion that the Filipino spirit is “waterproof ” to, more recently, a selfdeclared failure of critiquing the elite.

“That’s what writing really is,” she says.

“It shows me what I think. There’s something about the process.”

To CuUnjieng, the great contemplation of weekly topics had led to a regular exercise of self-discovery, though its fruits, she admits, weren’t the most popular among readers, if the online discourse they generate were any indication. “My boyfriend would read [the comments section] and I would get really upset. The people who leave comments online are either very strongly pro or anti, so there’s not much room for productive debate,” she muses. “I do think the internet can be a good avenue for discourse in its ideal state because it democratizes access and the articulation of one’s thought. It democratizes publishing.”

It’s with this thought that CuUnjieng co-founded Pampubliko with Sam Ramos-Jones. Pampubliko was conceived in the middle of Manila traffic, when Ramos-Jones mentioned how he wanted to one day start a think tank and a public policy magazine, to which an excited CuUnjieng answered, “Wait, that’s my secret dream.”

Amid the echo chambers that are our social media feeds, Pampubliko stands out as an avenue for enlightened discourse. Arguments here are made

WORDS MEG MANZANO PHOTOGRAPHY ARTU NEPOMUCENO

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This page: Top and pants, both Poe, Rustan’s Makati.

Opposite page: Top, Comme des Garcons, One Rockwell; shorts, Ricardo Preto, Rustan’s Makati.

Top, Kolor, Univers, One Rockwell; pants, Cos, www.cosstores.com; shoes, BCBG Max Azria, Greenbelt 5.

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Left: Dress, Poe, Rustan’s Makati; pants, Sacai, Univers, One Rockwell; shoes, Robert Clergerie, Univers, One Rockwell. Above: White top, Ricardo Preto, Rustan’s Makati; black turtleneck, Eileen Fisher, Rustan’s Makati; boots, Chanel.

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HAIR JAYFREN GALLEGO

opinion as a stance to be brought down or corrected, she sees it instead as a possibility, “a different aspect to a topic that I may not have thought of. It gives an added dimension.” The dinner table at home is a frequent setting for “arguments” with her dad regarding certain issues. “I have the role of being the [argumentative one] so it’s just the two of us arguing mostly; my two brothers are much nicer than I am.”

With her work at the office of the chief economist at the Department of Finance, her budding public policy publication, and the pressing need for discourse, CuUnjieng is perfectly at ease swimming in an ocean of information, doing whatever she can to carefully distill concepts and facts and make them easier to understand, in order to create a stage for better dialogue and the creation of much better policies.

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with evidence, context, and historical references that have gone through “background briefings.” Instead of blindly backing personalities to drive traffic, the publication foments policies and ideas that are borne of an understanding of an issue’s nuances and the people who are part of it. CuUnjieng and the Pampubliko team are currently working on their inaugural single issue: a deep, multi-dimensional dive into the topic of sex work in an attempt to craft better policies regarding the protection of sex workers. For this, interviews and discussions are held not with the intention of claiming one side as victorious but with the desire to reach a collective understanding of what’s on the table, regardless of who’s right. With impassioned debates often ending with people “bashing” those who disagree with their ideals and opinions, Pampubliko takes away the mindset that has individuals immediately writing off those with beliefs contrary to theirs; in this sphere, CuUnjieng makes deep empathy, understanding, and respect imperative instead of bargained. “I think having one of my best friends, one of the smartest people I know, have completely opposite views from mine has been a very enriching exercise,” she says. “I couldn’t rest on any assumed understanding or shared beliefs. I had to argue and substantiate all of my different positions.” Instead of viewing a differing

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INQUIRED

Wrapped Up KAI LIM

From one visionary mind to another, gift giving at its finest.

NICOLE WHISENHUNT

I L L U S T R AT I O N S L E E C A C E S

“A collection of 13 Lucky Monkey custom skull rings.

No one does skull rings like 13 Lucky Monkey. The edgygritty aesthetic will surely be Kaiser approved. ”

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“I would send her an Emi Jorge minaudiere, which would complement her tailored, structured look. It’s a statement piece on its own.”

“Joey Samson tailored coat. Joey’s aesthetics match her impeccable style. ” G

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“Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair in camel leather. I’m sure Anna Wintour receives a lot of fashion-related gifts so I’d like to give her the most beautiful chair befitting the most powerful woman in fashion. ”

“An armoire made of stingray with bone inlay from Cebu. Since Ralph Lauren also has a home line, I’d like to show him the craftsmanship of Cebuano manufacturers.”

“I’d like to give myself the same gift I’d give Anna Wintour. The Arne Jacobsen chair in camel leather, which is my ultimate dream chair. ”

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“I would like to gift Karl with a Philippine antique ivory crucifix from the boutique of Frederico de Vera which, I think would be a fit for his 18th century Parisian chateau in Brittany.”

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“It would be an honor to create an intricate embroidered necklace for Anna, using our own local South Sea pearls, piña, and antique 18k rose gold tambourin beads. It’s fit for one of the most iconic women of our time.”

“A Triboa Bay chair handcrafted by the best local artisans.”

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“More space! A new office and studio with a modern Parisian look: high ceiling, beautiful doors, plus lots and lots of hidden cabinets.”

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www.rosaclara.es 2017 COLLECTION

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ATTIRED

Definitive Man Following the fabricated trails of lines and textile P H OT OGRAP H Y PAT R I C K S EG O V I A

Scarf, Paul Smith, Greenbelt 5; sunglasses, Linda Farrow, City of Dreams; keychain, Louis Vuitton, Greenbelt 4.

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Scarf, Hermès, Greenbelt 3; sunglasses, key chain, and card holder, all from Louis Vuitton, Greenbelt 4.

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EMPOWERED

Breaking the News From seeking answers, journalist Jamela Alindogan takes a turn at answering questions IN T E RV IE W OL IV E R E M OCL IN G

“If you want to become a good journalist, study philosophy. Don’t study journalism,” advises Al Jazeera correspondent Jamela Alindogan. She says philosophy teaches critical thinking and empathy, two vital qualities that journalism requires; in college, she herself took up journalism as a pre-law course, with no intention of becoming a journalist.

From a recent interview with the president and surviving a chest-deep flood during Yolanda to covering a crime scene where “a piece of the victim’s brain was left on my sneaker,” Alindogan has done everyhing imaginable.

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P H OT OGRAP H Y JOS E P H PAS CUAL

After a decade of delivering news, the table turns for her as she takes the interviewee’s seat to dissect the landscape of journalism in the Philippines.

How would you describe a typical work day?

I always have two travel bags ready: one for 10 days and one for three days, both equipped for coverage on either a natural disaster or armed conflict. In Manila, I always wake up at 5:30 a.m. I go through the morning news and I just live in my head for a while. I like those mornings. After that, I help

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M AKE UP JOAN T E OT ICO

my son prepare for school. For the rest of the day, I can say that, often, I do not own my time.

Sometimes, I don’t know if I have to get on a chopper or brave the waters or cover a street rally. Anything can happen in a day.

“What we have in the Philippines is usually machismo society, but this is also a country run by women. I don’t go to work thinking that I’m a woman. I am a humanist first. In the field, I don’t expect to be treated differently.”

Journalists are expected to maintain neutrality, but do you think they should take a stand?

Demonizing journalists seems to be the latest trend. Some call us biased; they even coined a new term, ‘presstitutes.’ I believe that all journalists [should be] moralists. Our mandate is to stand for truth and humanity. There has to be objectivity in reporting as a method, but our fidelity is to the truth. Our job is to bear witness, so if we’re in a situation where we see a violation is being committed, our job is to call it for what it is. Staying silent means we are party to those crimes. No situation, though, is black or white; I always say there are so many different shades of gray, and our job is to report on context. [To] always be the voice of the minority. With all the human rights violations around the world, I say there’s never been a better time to be a journalist.

And, there are so many fake news sources on social media now.

There is so much disinformation now, and social media sites are also responsible for that. I believe that there are deliberate, state-funded efforts to discredit journalism, to weaken the Fourth Estate in order [for the heads of state] to pursue their own political agenda. We now live in the post-truth era where debate is now largely framed based on emotions. Truth is not being respected. That is dangerous, and we must all fight against that. When a new hegemon is rising, a war should also rise.

What do you think is happening right now?

What’s happening is the normalization of dictatorship, the normalization of fascism, the normalization of bigotry and sexism. This is not just a job for journalists. This is what civil societies should fight against. History is the best indicator of what could transpire. I may sound like a pessimist, but the future is not looking too rosy.

With all the challenges we’re facing this year, do you still believe in citizen journalism?

To a certain degree, yes. I still believe that they help shape the agenda for a lot of newsrooms because the feedback is instant and direct, but it has also been largely abused. We need to police the information that we have out there: sift through fake information, expose fake stories, and speak strongly against violent rhetoric.

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From a vantage point inside the newsroom, how would you describe 2016 so far?

It was a very, very newsworthy year because of the outcome of elections. Thankfully, there were no major natural disasters like the Yolanda typhoon or the earthquake in Bohol, but the war on drugs has clearly dominated our coverage.

And rightly so. The year is not over yet. We also have a controversial president who seems to rattle everyone every time he opens his mouth.

You’ve been delivering news for many years.

Do you still fear anything?

I have covered so many dangerous assignments that when soldiers see me landing in a town or an island, they ask me ‘Jam, why are you here, is something bad about to happen?’ I have, sadly, become the deliverer of bad news. Like a bad omen, perhaps?

There’s been a long discussion about gender roles. As a woman journalist, what can you say about it?

Cultures evolve differently. Women have different roles in different societies.

I have been to far-flung places, embedded with rebels who were surprised to know that I am married and with child. Some of them tell me they have not met anyone like me before. I think it is not that a lot of them look down on women; they just have different expectations. What we have in the Philippines is a machismo society, but this is also a country run by women. I don’t go to work thinking that I’m a woman. I am a humanist and in the field, I don’t expect to be treated differently.

Duterte has been called out for catcalling female journalists. What can you say about that?

You know, his behavior is very typical of a lot of provincial politicians. He does not shock me because I’ve traveled to many places where they actually speak like that. If they insist on it, I call their bluff, or call out their behavior.

No one is exempt from this, not even the president.

Are there any books that you would recommend for aspiring journalists?

Elements of Style. That’s number one, that’s a bible. I love magical realism so yes, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I love the classics: Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and George Orwell’s 1984. I also read a lot about war. Chris Hedges is my favorite. He’s rough. He’s been a war correspondent for the longest time, and he wrote a book called War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. It’s a journalist’s perception of war. Bao Ninh’s Sorrows of War is also another favorite— achingly beautiful.

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There’s an old Capitalism is game in grade what allows the school in which rich to pay P20,000 we’d ask each for a steak while the other if we’d poor literally eat rather be dropped garbage. This isn’t down a deep well of new. What changed cockroaches or swim is that due to factors across a pool with urine, ranging from a failing carrying a midget on our educational system to the backs. Asking if America is lack of faith in government in better off with Donald Trump the post-Marcos era, the middle than we are with Rodrigo Duterte is class and the promise of social a bit like that game, except perhaps with mobility are shrinking. People with honest a monkey instead of a midget. jobs remain stagnant on the social scale.

Both men rose to power riding on What gets you ahead are going abroad, POLITICS waves of a populist vote, defying pollsters marrying upwards, and breaking the law. and surveys in the same way: not playing Our country’s mixture of Wild West by the rules of politics. What had capitalism, corruption and cronyism, and changed in 2016 that the world suddenly interaction with the global marketplace seemed so intent on self-sabotage? Here, make for a volatile combination.

Away from speeches crammed with cusswords splitting the vote among too many There’s no venue more suited to and the questionable soapbox of social media, contenders allowed an obscure provincial venting this frustration at the “system”— we analyze the factors that fueled the winning votes politician with no visible machinery there’s actually no system, but a status in this year of political self-sabotage to win against two very able but very quo—than the internet, where memes WORDS CL IN T ON PAL AN CA ART N IM U M UAL L AM traditional contenders. In America, it are cheap and anonymity is guaranteed. was the insane electoral college system Trump won because of the internet; and the low voter turnout.

Duterte won because of free Facebook.

There are three main factors involved: globalization, capitalism, and the Its very design has the free flow of information as one of its basic principles, internet. Globalization involves ideas such as free trade, the free movement and that power—like capitalism’s power to change lives for the better—was of people, and a free flow of ideas. Globalization is not, as its critics claim, perverted and abused during the elections. Take the Marcos dictatorship, for inimical to nationalism. But as the US and the UK had discovered, a Polish example. Things that we believed to be fixed as history, are now suddenly up or a Pakistani migrant would be willing to do the same job for half the pay for debate. This is how powerful false information is. and work twice as hard, the same way a less qualified Brit might be hired This leaves us in a quandary. As liberals, people like me continue to to do the same job in a Philippine-based company at thrice the pay and believe that migration and being part of the global economy are better than with expatriate benefits, only because he is perceived to be more competent. isolationism; that capitalism can be brutal and cruel but its alternatives are Opening up the market brings racial and ethnic prejudices and resentments worse; and that the internet should not be subject to censorship. Few would to the surface. argue that democracy is a bad thing, but how many of our democratic At the moment, China is reaping the consequences of its one-child institutions have been turned into instruments of subjugation? The economic policy and heady economic growth: the sweatshop of the world is running progress of China and the prosperity of Singapore have given the world a bad short of cheap labor. Countries like Vietnam are getting the jobs while the idea: that there might be such a thing as “benevolent dictatorship,” or that Philippines, unfortunately, is exporting more fruit. However, our labor is there’s such a thing as “too much” democracy. Democracy has joined other prized for domestic tasks abroad, so it is our low-skilled migrants who are lofty ideals as an idea that needs to be re-examined. The political and economic most in-demand as maids and nannies and cashiers, but to be fair, certain repercussions of 2016 will last for years to come, but its implications for what respected métiers are also our domain: seamen, nurses, and entertainers. we believe in will haunt us on an individual and human level.

The Gray Area

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