Deconstructing Duterte

At  first blush the word “deconstruction” may mean having President Rodrigo Duterte turn over a new leaf, change his character, speak socially acceptable language, stop using cuss words. But for what he is, for his cussing, for his promised method of cleansing the nation of evil forces –16 million Filipinos voted him the 18th president of the Philippine Republic.

He is an enigma, all right. One day he tells the world (for the whole world is now listening to what comes out of his mouth) God told  him not to say bad words anymore. No sooner said than done, he says he was only joking.

What is of great interest is that social scientists are convening on November 25 to explain Duterte’s use of language.

Dr. Crispin C. Maslog, senior consultant at the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication, says, “It is this Duterte communication style that has caught the fancy of people in the country and abroad. Because of this, he has become internationally famous (or infamous, his critics could say) in his first 100 days in office.”

Maslog writes that so much column space has been devoted to describing the President’s communication style – “some analytical, slightly satirical and only mildly critical, either out of fright or a desire to be open-minded.”

Out  of a desire to understand the Duterte communication phenomenon,  the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC), an Asian communication group now based in Manila, has decided to organize a major national communication conference on the theme, “Deconstructing Toward Understanding: The Communication Content and Style of President  Rodrigo R. Duterte.”

The one-day conference will bring together about 500 communication professionals: government communicators, PR practitioners, linguists, semioticians, language teachers, political scientists, anthropologists, journalists, communication teachers and students – to dialogue on the communication style of the President.

It was the French philosopher and semiotician Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) who coined the term “deconstruction” in the 1960s. Derrida’s method of textual criticism, writes Maslog,  “involved discovering, recognizing, and understanding the assumptions that form the basis for thought and belief.”

Deconstruction means  that a piece of writing does not have just one meaning. Maslog writes, “It shows how meaning depends on the reader. This method of critical analysis does not mean ‘demolition,’ as it seems on first reading.

“President Duterte’s election has been partly attributed to his messaging which resonates, especially among the Filipino masses. However, since his assumption into office, his statements have led to misunderstandings. In many instances, his profanity-laced off-the-cuff pronouncements had to be explained and rephrased by his communications team.”

The conference planners say that social science scholars and practitioners can play a critical role in providing insights to citizens, including the news media,”on how they can better understand the way the President communicates. At the same time, social scientists may elucidate to the President and his Cabinet on how ‘unfiltered’ language may affect Philippine interests.”

Such is necessary, say the planners, “as the lives of 104 million Filipinos will be greatly affected by President Duterte’s words and deeds in the next six years. When understanding is enhanced the news media can be better equipped to ‘read’ his statements and prepare fair, accurate reports.”

Thus the AMIC 2016 national conference aims to “deconstruct” President Duterte as “medium” and “message.”

Topics and discussants are interesting. Secretary Ernesto Abella, presidential spokesman of the Office of the President, will be the key speaker on “Communication Content and Style of the President.” Rightly so, as he  is  the faithful interpreter of the President’s pronouncements that are misunderstood by the public. Expressing their views will be communicators Carlos “Charlie” Agatep and Ramon “Bong” Osorio. Jose Ma. Carlos will be the panel moderator. 

Ramon R. Tuazon, AMIC director and AIJC president will be the moderator at the panel discussing “Linguistic Nuances of Duterte Language.” Giving their views  will be Prof. Farah Cunanan, chair of the UP Department of Linguistics, and the eminent journalist and fictionist Francisco Sionil Jose.

Prof. Clement  Camposano, University of Asia and the Pacific senior instructor; Nicanor “Nic” Gabunada Jr., social media specialist on the Presidential Communications Team, and journalist Ellen Tordesillas will lead the panel discussion on the topic “Social Media Today: Promoting Discourse or Discard?”   

Dr. Maslog will moderate the session on “(Un)covering the President,” with journalist Marites Vitug, editor-at-large, rappler.com; John Nery, editor-in-chief, Inquirer.net, and Ma. Regina “Ging” Reyes, head of Integrated News and Current Affairs ABS-CBN as discussants.

Maria Mercedes “Chi Chi,” Fr. Robles will present the discussion synthesis.

The conference  is sponsored by the Philippine Press Institute, and the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE). Venue is the Philippine Women’s University, where AMIC headquarters will be inaugurated during the conference. The conference is open to the public, beginning at 8 a.m.

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Retired Supreme Court Justice Josue N. Bellosillo was all smiles at the bash put up by his children on the occasion of  his 83rd birthday at the Alabang Golf and Country Club ballroom. 

The guests included close friends former Sandiganbayan Justice Narciso Nario, former Ombudsman Aniano Desierto and Don and Olivia Perry and Congressman Raul Daza  and his Upsilon batchmates 1952 Saeed A. Daof, Fidel Alfonso and Aniano Bagabaldo.

Entertainment was provided by his brother, cardiologist Adolfo Bellosillo, whose preoccupation is gathering top musical personalities to perform at special occasions. For his brother’s birthday, he asked A-1 musical artists sing arias and Broadway hits: Montet Acoymo, ALIW Awards best classical performer; Jai Sabas-Aracama, UP Concert Chorus conductor, and Dr. Alberto Atilano, a cardiologist. Rendering well-applauded numbers was singing lawyer Dot Gancayco, wife of lawyer and Upsilonian Pablo Gancayco and son of Justice Bellosillo’s good friend, the late Supreme Court Justice Emilio Gancayco.

Justice Bellosillo, who hails from Roxas City, finished the law course at the UP College of Law in 1957 and passed the Bar the same year. He became Court Administrator of the Supreme Court, then Senior Justice of the Highest Tribunal in 1992 until  2003.

In 2001, he received the Grand Achievement Award for Law and Justice, and The Who’s Who in the Philippines Awards of Parangal ng Bayan Foundation.

He is the author of  law books – Effective Pre-Trial Techniques, Leave Us Alone, and a co-author of several law books.

At present, he is the vice chairman and corporate counsel of PHILTRUST Bank; dean of the CEU School of Law and Jurisprudence; chairman of the Supreme Court Committee, Revision of the Rules on Criminal Procedure; and managing Partner, Juris Praesidium Secundum.

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Email: [email protected].