Sheila Coronel Discusses Philippines’ Presidential Elections in the New York Times

The Philippines does not need Marcos Jr.'s brand of selective amnesia, CMDS Curriculum Development Lead Sheila Coronel writes in an op-ed for the New York Times.

The article looks at some of the lies and misinformation that helped Ferdinand Marcos Jr. secure election victory at the recent presidential elections in the Philippines, including a fictitious golden age under his father’s rule or his non-existent Oxford degree.

No, truth and accountability will not be hallmarks of Marcos 2.0., and we Filipinos fear what comes next. The world has already seen the consequences of autocrats and their false narratives, she writes.

She does not expect Marcos Jr.’s presidency to be very different from that of his father, which lacked accountability and a commitment to democracy. What is worse, the new presidency is coming at a time when democracy has already been under threat in the country, she points out. For example, one day before the inauguration of the new president, the outgoing Duterte administration ordered the shutdown of opposition news site Rappler. The country is not ready for another president Marcos, she writes.

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