Saturday, June 3, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Columns Everyman

Dogs of Atmos

Joel VegabyJoel Vega
July 12, 2019, 12:30 am
in Everyman
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

If there is one distinct characteristic that the Duterte presidency will be remembered for in the years to come, that will be its relentless use of exploiting public resentment, and the dubious feat of building on that base of misdirected bitterness a political eco-system that is feral and opportunistic.

Take it from former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as she succinctly described the ethos of the Duterte administration in her recent speech before a group of lawmakers. It would be a fatal error not to monitor the former president whose statements and moves, although made under the radar of a slumbering local media, merit careful analysis if not thorough interpretation by us lesser mortals.

To quote the reported remarks of the former president—who I sometimes think makes Lady Macbeth look like a hapless Disney princess—“Most of all, I thank you that when you became President, you provided the atmosphere in which the Court had the freedom to acquit me of the trumped up charges of my successor and your predecessor, so that the Court voted 11-4 in my favor, including half of those who were appointed by my successor.”

Those words are gold. It is a statement brimming not only with the ultimate acrimony of a rancorous president, but one that also reflects the sordid environment that allows the Philippine political culture of cynical sycophancy not only to thrive but also undermine respected institutions. GMA’s words confirm that she is, to use social media lingo, the backdoor “influencer,” the Kim Kardashian in an uncouth body politic where a subtle booty move prompts the minions to frenzied action.

Those words triggered the Supreme Court to issue a statement. Not a surprising move, despite the Supreme Court’s penchant for silence, considering La Gloria portrayed the High Tribunal in the harshest light. Her talons were out as she dished out a saber-sharp word that practically accuses the Supreme Court in the years of the Aquino administration as nothing but a bunch of magistrates held under the ransom of political patronage. The court statement although brief was laden with a hint of defensiveness; no matter, La Gloria’s words, not necessarily factual, were intended as banners or political headlines that can cut two ways.

And that double-edge saber-throwing is fodder for political commentary. Not only are her statements illogical it also mocks the checkered evolution of Philippine jurisprudence. But first, if we set that dimension of Philippine jurisprudence aside, and instead focus our sights on the verbal repartee that La Gloria is capable of, we can have a glimpse of the partisan clutter that threatens to drag all of us behind a Smokey Mountain of political retardation.

“Atmosphere” is a key word in La Gloria’s penultimate insult to the high court. Let us dissect her words in literal terms. ‘Atmosphere’ originates from the mid-17th century, from the modern Latin atmosphaera, which in turn was derived from the Greek atmos or ‘vapor’ plus ‘sphaira‘ (which literally translates to ‘ball or globe”).

The word ‘vapor’ is ironically apt when describing the Duterte administration as it is the major force in our country that creates a miasma of fears, anxieties and recriminations. From Day 1 of his presidency, Duterte was deeply engrossed in foisting his vision of the country that is veering off-track, and thus in need of a strongman’s hold at any price, including thrashing our newfound and fragile accomplishments in liberal democracy. La Gloria’s description is also spot-on as this an administration that appeals to and disseminates asinine views on the death penalty, drug rehabilitation and political accountability, among other issues that should be examined with more nuance, depth and clarity. Consider the case of Senator Bato whose “Sh*t happens,” response reflects the depths of dismal tunnel-vision.

This miasma of anxieties could be the consummate act of a leader whose power is commensurate to the paranoia of his subjects. La Gloria’s naked claims is also rife with meanings and we can coin several titles for Duterte based on Gloria’s blunt rhetoric, such as, “atmosphere facilitator,” or “atmosphere provider.” For isn’t this role as “atmosphere facilitator” that Duterte revels in, pulling out the punches to goad mindless applause from the crowd? Consider the misogynistic jokes, the fingering of housemaids, the slut-shaming of Delima, you name it, Duterte pulls the trigger even when the prey is a figment of his own dark imagination.

But atmosphere facilitators cannot operate on their own. They need the company and active engagement of atmosphere ‘enhancers,’ and here come the handy services of Mocha, Teddy Locsin, Salvador Panelo, Bong Go and Bato and a long queue of Tatay Digong defenders whose ideas can be contained in the bony folds and reach of a fist bump. They are the howling dogs in Duterte’s peninsular Atmos.

If La Gloria talks about that atmosphere that is conducive to her exoneration, she is unwittingly confirming the atmosphere of the ring-side, the circus arena, where truth is not elucidated but obfuscated and pummeled to a corner by the blunt force of a bruising fist.

In an ironic twist, La Gloria claims Pyrrhic victory as she holds high the 11-4 scorecard, claiming the weight and value of numbers, in the same way that her Camelot from Davao flaunts the survey and poll numbers as justification for his deadly drug campaign.

But what puts the sting on La Gloria’s punch is the suggestion that the High Tribunal is nothing but an adjunct of the atmosphere facilitator that calls the shots from his riverside throne in Malacañang. The Emperor wears no clothes, we all know that. But so is the Empress, standing butt naked.

That statement is more than a slap on the face of the high tribunal; in La Gloria’s parallel world what she said is an affirmation, a foregone conclusion in the minds of our political handlers. That by itself is a radical move, one that forces even the high court to counter, albeit half-heartedly, her forked tongue of hostility, and break its long-held and cherished vow of courtly omerta.
 

Joel Vega is a Palanca Award-winning poet. He keenly follows Philippine developments from The Netherlands, where he now lives.

Tags: Dogs of AtmosEverymanGloria Macapagal Arroyo
ADVERTISEMENT
Joel Vega

Joel Vega

Related Posts

Perspective, as it were

byBob Gabuna
May 24, 2023, 12:10 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

Most popular of these ascendants was Teresa Magbanua, who earned the moniker ‘Joan of Arc’ of the Visayas Oral history...

Read more

SMC initiatives to stoke up agri growth

byMelandrew Velasco
May 13, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

SMC and the Department of Agriculture in 2020 expanded Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita rolling stores located at Petron stations...

Read more

SC on Fort Bonifacio land dispute: Makati and Taguig should act for the residents

byRichard Orsino
May 10, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

"Now that the legal battle is over, the residents in the middle of the two conflicting LGUs are hoping their...

Read more

A will and way to simplify electric service

byVictor Caballero
May 9, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

"What matters to me and certainly to the burdened NORDECO consumers is the simple bottom line: make the laws truly...

Read more

‘Break the cartel; Fix PH’s sugar import policies’

byRichard Orsino
May 8, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

"The government must now act swiftly and decisively to avert a preventable disaster that can potentially wreak havoc on the...

Read more

A man worth watching

byThor Cuatro
May 6, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

" Marantan’s critics will definitely take delight in seeing him being humiliated and removed from his designation at the equally...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Colombia president’s allies exit over nanny wiretap scandal
  • Djokovic blasts ‘disrespectful’ French Open fans
  • Ecuador’s president says won’t seek reelection in snap vote
  • UN official calls out Security Council for inaction on NKorea
  • Over 200 dead, 850 hurt in India horror rail crash
  • Marcos launches eGov Super App
  • Rainy season begins—PAGASA
  • ‘Suspects in Degamo case offered P8m each to recant testimonies’

Advertisement

Latest News

Marcos launches eGov Super App

byVince Lopez
June 3, 2023, 1:05 am
0
8
Marcos launches eGov Super App

Mobile platform to boost ease of doing business, lessen corruption in gov't MOBILE ONE-STOP-SHOP. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads the...

Read more

Rainy season begins—PAGASA

byRio N. Araja
June 3, 2023, 1:00 am
0
8
LPA to bring rains on storm-hit sites

The state weather bureau on Friday officially declared the start of the rainy season, marked by the rains brought about...

Read more

‘Suspects in Degamo case offered P8m each to recant testimonies’

byRey E. Requejoand1 others
June 3, 2023, 12:55 am
0
8
Southwoods nails Seniors’ Fil golf crown

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said detained suspects were allegedly offered P8 million each to recant their testimonies...

Read more

Gov’t backs Paleng-QR cashless payments

byVince Lopez
June 3, 2023, 12:50 am
0
8
Gov’t backs Paleng-QR cashless payments

The administration is 100 percent behind a program developed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and...

Read more

Marcos, NEDA Board approve TPLEX extension

byVince Lopez
June 3, 2023, 12:45 am
0
8
PBBM to boost morale of SEAG-bound PH athletes

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board on Friday approved the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) Extension Project. This is...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App