The art of doublespeak

These days I often find myself utterly confused, as I am sure most people are, by what President Duterte says and what he actually means. Trying to comprehend his real meaning just makes my head hurt because one day he’ll speak out on policy only to retract his words the next day. This trigger happy type of rhetoric surely has his spin masters like Palace spokesman Harry Roque working overtime trying to decipher the president’s true meaning.

It’s ironic because the president was touted as a straight shooter during the elections. He was supposed to be someone whose word was his bond free of politicizing and double meaning. Unfortunately that is not true at all and his form of “doublespeak” is probably the most confusing ever leaving everyone wondering as to his true intentions. What is a joke? What is real? These days we never really know. Most of the time when the president says something we end up giving it a few days to see if he actually really meant it.

And we are not the only ones I am sure. Those around the president are just as bewildered and left without a clue as to what our Commander in Chief means and even as to what their true standing is in his administration is. For a long time, there was animosity between the president and Vice President Leni Roberdo with President Duterte making it all but clear that he felt Bongbong Marcos was cheated out of the job. And then, some time passes, and all of a sudden during an event with Leni held recently, the president was quoted saying that he loved seeing his vice president. Sarcastic or perhaps a change of heart? That’s not unprecedented for this particular president.

The opposite is true as well. In the current administration you can be completely important and standing in the sun one day and then the next you are banished and out of the inner circle. Like the Palace’s former spokesperson Ernest Abella who was suddenly transferred to a foreign office under an obscure title. Like a good follower, he went quietly but I am sure he left wondering what he had done wrong.

Now I guess we wait to see who is next on the chopping block. If you ask me Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre is ripe for the picking, especially after he put pork barrel queen Janet Lim Napoles under witness protection to the dismay of the entire country. That move better bear fruit and net even bigger corruption fish or it will just be another person getting away with plundering the nation punishment free.

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In several previous columns I agreed with President Duterte’s decision to “shut down” Boracay to give the island time to rehabilitate and to build the necessary infrastructure in place to handle the massive amounts of sewage and pollution left in the wake of constantly burgeoning tourist numbers. I have always loved the island paradise and don’t want to see it fold under the immense weight of too many people and felt that as harsh as shutting it down seemed, it was the right decision if we wanted to preserve the island’s future.

However, as with most things there is a new twist to the story. While the president’s intentions to help curb pollution in Boracay seem noble they are now under question with the news breaking that despite the Environment and Tourism departments recommendation to temporarily close the island, the government has granted a “provisional license” to a Macau casino company and their Filipino partner to build a 23-hectare casino worth over $500 million on the island.

While it may be completely innocent – as the government claims – the timing certainly does seem suspicious. Several other tourist spots in Boracay are under fire for being irresponsible and adding to the growing tourist numbers and pollution problem of the island and yet it’s okay to build another huge tourist trap? I thought the problem was that Boracay had already bitten off more than it could chew and that the island needed to take a step back? This new development hardly seems like taking a step back.

The government is currently defending the building of the casino by saying it doesn’t interfere with the original proposed rehabilitation plan for Boracay. During the shutdown, key changes will still be made on the island helping reducing pollution as well as sewage treatment all in the hopes of helping the island get back on its feet. According to the government the new casino project will be subject to the same strict infrastructure and sewage treatment guidelines and will have these in place well before it can open its doors to the public.

However, the residents and long time Boracay advocates are asking the government to seriously reconsider saying that the island is not a gambling destination and that opening a casino will radically change the dynamic of the tourist destination as well as impact the type of tourists who frequent the island. They further argue that there are other places for casinos in the country and that both Manila and Macau already have several options with needing to open another in Boracay.

At this point, no one can tell what is going to happen. As I mentioned the president is quite well known for having a certain opinion one day and changing it the next. He could very well change his mind about this new development as well. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.