We have time to discuss our differences in political perspective, unless we do them with a DDS.
An abbreviation used to describe people who excessively celebrate the Duterte administration, DDS stands for Duterte’s Diehard Supporters. These people label themselves as such and assert that they are in constant conflict with Duterte’s critics they call Dilawans, who are supporters of the Liberal Party. In every political issue, we can see these people debunking critics with toxicity while continuing to glorify the Duterte government, expressing how Filipinos could be so forgiving and toxic at the same time.
But their origins are much simpler than most people think.
Duterte’s candidacy for presidency was a riot. A lot were pushing him due to his excellent performance as Davao City mayor, and many Filipinos were thirsty for a change which led to his punch line, “Change is coming.” The flawless victory he achieved proved how much Filipinos were looking forward to his presidency. It is safe to assume that there is a high probability that most of these supporters supported him during the election. His hallmark campaign to focus on public order was really appeasing to Filipinos after all.
His administration offered the Filipino people a lot of controversies, from which the fanatic supporters came to light. A lot of problems have surfaced since his administration such as violation of human rights, unpreparedness for the pandemic, anti–terror law, and other lapses that the DDS refuse to acknowledge to this day. They support the administration too much that they are willing to let these pass since they believe that their Tatay Digong is doing his best. They refuse to see the whole picture as long as they’re not affected—a false sense of privilege. The way they discuss their political stance is even worse, using fallacies as weapons to debunk criticisms without actually debunking them.
Given that the term DDS has been used derogatively, few will admit that they are one. The funny thing is, some may be unconscious but they actually are one of these people. One thing people must understand is that being a DDS is more about how a person perceives politics rather than the person he/she supports. Although, one can say that DDS culture is just a combination of toxic Filipino culture, the president being supported, and the audacity to engage in socio–political discourse despite the lack of capability to do so intelligently.
In a country where politics is a way to fool people, an intelligent Filipino does not blindly idolize nor criticize political figures. Take time to assess oneself by reflecting on what you think about the current government. Are you satisfied with the Duterte’s administration? After taking a yes or no, take time to check the flow of your reasoning towards the question; you’ll eventually realize if you are a DDS, inclined to be one or not. The toxic culture of glorifying the administration to the point that constructive critics are antagonized must stop being tolerated. As citizens who receive help from the government, it is important to participate in correcting the government’s crooked structure. Be active, participate in the bigger picture, and incline your stance as a Filipino, not as a blind Duterte fanatic.
