The rise of the ‘shiminet’ tribe

At first, I did not get what the word play was all about. It became instantly popular and went viral in social media last week. It finally dawned on me after watching the brief video clip of Vice President (VP) Sara Duterte, who innocently gave birth to the “shiminet” word play. The short excerpt depicted her scathing retorts on questions raised about the proposed 2025 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

It turns out that “shiminite” was coined from her non-testimony during the Aug. 27 public hearing of the House committee on appropriations. A lawyer by profession, the feisty daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte parried questions on legal grounds.

“She may not like my answer. She may not like how I answer. She may not like the content of my answer. But I am answering,” the VP argued.

As it turned out, the VP’s repeatedly declaring “she may not” became “shiminet.”

She referred in particular to Rep. France Castro of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), who questioned how the OVP used its confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) in 2023. Initially, former president and currently Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, among VP Duterte’s House allies, raised a point of order to their House colleagues. She reminded fellow House members they were supposed to take up the proposed OVP budget for next year. She pointed out the House already removed and realigned the CIF of the OVP under the Congress-approved 2023 budget.

At the outset, VP Duterte conceded her House allies are outnumbered by the ruling majority at the Lower House headed by her known political foe, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Thus, the VP declared at the outset she will not participate in the pro forma question-and-answer at the House budget hearing. But she hastily added that she leaves it up to the discretion of Congress on the scrutiny of the proposed 2025 OVP budget.

Despite the VP’s head-strong stand, Castro and other House members insisted and took turns trying to get answers directly from her. In obvious exasperation, VP Duterte asked that Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo be replaced by the House finance committee chairperson to preside over the OVP budget hearing.

Quimbo is the vice chairperson of the House committee on appropriations. To her credit, the equally feisty Rep. Quimbo kept cool as she stood her ground. Quimbo politely corrected the VP that she cannot make such manifestation, the latter being just a resource person and not a member of the House panel.

But the most glaring mistake of VP Duterte was assuming there is a House committee on finance when there is none.

Perhaps in her mind she was participating in the public hearing of the Senate sub-committee on finance chaired by Sen. Grace Poe a week earlier. With more than half of the 24 senators attending the Senate finance sub-committee hearing, Senate President Francis Escudero noted, the proposed 2025 OVP budget’s approval breezed through the panel.

Of course, the Duterte allies included Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Robinhood Padilla, Francis Tolentino, Alan Peter Cayetano, Imee Marcos, just to name some of them.

The President’s elder sister, Sen. Imee, even gave the VP a chance to explain the Commission of Audit (COA) report on the  low implementation rate of the OVP programs. But it was the other OVP official who answered for her.

Actually, the VP’s stand to just let Congress decide on the OVP budget for 2025 was first enunciated during that Senate budget hearing last Aug. 20. It was the same budget hearing where VP Duterte squared off with Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros. Following the queue of senators who signed up to question the OVP, it was only Sen. Hontiveros who quizzed the VP on how the OVP used its previous year’s budget. The VP was still then the concurrent secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

When Sen. Hontiveros zeroed in on the P10 million of the 2024 OVP budget spent for publication of a children’s book, VP Duterte took her inquisitor down memory lane. Short of collecting a debt of gratitude from someone whom she helped to finally win the Senate election, Sen. Hontiveros gamely joined the VP and said that she indeed twice ran but lost in the past.

Taking his turn, Sen. Alan sought to calm down the heightened situation following the bitter exchange between the two. While echoing the request of Sen. Hontiveros for more “cordial” discussions, Cayetano told his colleagues that VP Duterte “should be given the latitude to answer in the way that you feel it could be properly answered.” His takeaway was understandable, after all, he once served in the Duterte Cabinet during the administration of the VP’s father.

VP Duterte petulantly riposted: “I am very cordial when it comes to international diplomatic relations. Gusto nyo i-discuss natin ang WPS? Hindi kasi ako plastic na tao.”

Another apparent ardent supporter though of VP Duterte, identifying self as Zerbi@Gerbi_23 could not resist rejoicing in sharing on X (formerly called Twitter): “My shiminet agila is my future President 2028.” Along with it is a jingle specially composed for “shiminet” being played in TikTok. Can’t recognize the tune but it’s sure easy to sing along with it. Here it goes:

“In the House where budget is tight

Sara’s got the mic, she’s ready to fight

Questions flying, tension’s high

But she has a catchy phrase that won’t die.

Refrain:

Shiminet not like my answer. Shiminet not like how I answer. Shiminet like the content of my answer. But I am answering. I’m still answering.

Budget talks in disarray

Sara’s words start to sway

Internet’s buzzing, memes take flight

Her responses are the highlights of the night.

(Repeat refrain)

The room in chaos, they’re losing their cool

But Sara’s steady, playing by her rules

Viral sensation, memes born anew

But she just keeps on, nothing left to prove.

(Repeat refrain)

Budget talks or online trend

Sara’s words, they never bend

Shiminet, it’s all the same

She’s just answering the game.”

This may signal the rise soon of the “shiminet” tribe elsewhere in the Philippines.