One of the most remarkable developments in the contemporary history of the world is the emergence in two countries, 9,000 miles apart, of two national leaders who are virtually mirror images of one another. The two countries are the US and the Philippines, and the two leaders are Rodrigo Duterte (the presumptive Philippine president-elect) and Donald Trump (the presumptive Republican Party standard-bearer in the 2016 US presidential election).
The similarity between the outgoing mayor of Davao City and the American real-estate tycoon is absolutely uncanny. So great, indeed, is the similarity between Rodrigo Duterte and Donald Trump that at least one witty commentator has been referring to them as Rodrigo Trump and Donald Duterte.
The similarity relates to both the external and the substantive elements of Rodrigo Duterte’s and Donald Trump’s beings. The ‘separated at birth’ characterization of ill-fated twins might as well be applied to them.
On the basis of the things that Duterte and Trump have said on the hustings and of the manner in which they have said them, it can be stated that the two men have identical personalities. Both have displayed impatience, have flashed tempers and have been irreverent, even downright insulting. Trump has been repeatedly unkind towards his opponents and critics; Duterte has displayed rudeness towards Pope Francis and a number of foreign ambassadors.
Both Duterte and Trump have shown themselves to be obstinate and unrepentant in the face of rebuke and reproach. In such situations they have tended to become even more combative. This has prompted some observers of American politics to refer to Duterte as The Rodrigo (Trump likes to be addressed as The Donald).
The substantive element of the similarity between Duterte and Trump is what gives rise to greater discomfort and concern. Both men have displayed a tendency toward recklessness and dangerous insouciance. Many thoughtful observers have expressed the view that both men open their mouths and say things that they have not carefully considered.
Trump has made declarations about immigration, Muslims and American foreign policy – to name a few issues – that have been widely adjudged to be ill-considered and reckless. Duterte, on the other hand, has been saying things about criminal justice, human rights, and use of official force, among other things, that clearly do not pass Constitutional muster.
Certainly no less disturbing, for both Americans and Filipinos, is the apparent inability of Trump and Duterte to grasp the significance of economic concepts and realities. Trump believes – or professes to believe – that international trade agreements and bilateral trade deals take jobs away from American workers and therefore are inimical to US economic security. He would slap stiffer tariffs on countries, like China, that run trade surpluses with the US. For his part, Duterte appears to be clueless about viable approaches to the most critical problems facing the Philippine economy in the 21st century.
Filipinos and Americans doubtless have perceived the similarities between their incoming president (Duterte) or possible oresident (Trump). They can choose between Rodrigo Trump and Donald Duterte. They would get more or less the same person.
E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com