By Farah G. Decano

 

I didn’t know what SWOH meant until I googled it. It means “Sara With Out H.”   I will treat that as reminder of the spelling of the vice president’s first name.

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I am not surprised that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte wrote a children’s book about friendship. It is a Duterte characteristic to put so much value in friendship and loyalty rather than public approval.  

VP Sara’s father, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, most likely considered the people around him like his good friends. He probably treated them kindly, or indulged them, that many of his former officials still speak well of him despite the passage of more than 2 years since he left Malacanang.  President Duterte demonstrated his fierce loyalty to a friend when he stood by his Health Secretary, Francisco Duque III, despite the Philippine Senate’s clamor for the good doctor to resign.   

Like her father, VP Sara also displayed her deep friendship with former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by resigning from the Lakas CMD Party when the latter was demoted as Deputy Speaker last year. She bolted out from the political party as a sign of her commiseration with the former President Arroyo.

VP Sara is perhaps experiencing for the first time a realm wherein politicking among equals abound.  It is a relationship that is vulnerable to attacks and betrayals because selfish interests  are  primordial. The  age-old value of utang na loob is disregarded.

Before she became the Vice President of the Philippines, VP Sara reigned over Davao City, either as Vice Mayor or Mayor.  Her father, who had etched himself as the most powerful politico in that part of Mindanao, always had her back.  

As the father’s beloved daughter,  VP Sara got used to  sycophant people of lesser power serving whatever she needed.  Her constituents had to be true to their promises, otherwise,  they’d suffer the consequences. National biggies who needed votes from her city also courted and kowtowed to her.  This probably bloated the image of herself.  

Now that she is vice president, VP Sara remains upfront with her statements and does not see the need to play coy.  Whenever she is queried, she feels attacked.   Hence, pleading and justifying her budget before the very people who used to kowtow to her must be very painful for her ego.    VP Sara  did not mince words during the Senate budget hearing when  she digressed from topic and reminded Senator Risa Hontiveros of the time the lady senator requested for votes through the former.  The VP’s conduct though restrained was screaming, “this is politicizing”

It is a different ballgame now. Her father is now aging and wields little power.  She can no longer run to daddy, hide behind his pants, and point to the senators who wronged her. She must not hold public tantrums like a kid who was deprived of a lollipop. She has to grow up fast and develop the elegance of a queen who knows her,  the terrain, and her assets. And yes, her enemies.    

Her father is not classy in his ways but he is damn charming and eloquent.  Unfortunately, VP Sara does not have both.  She comes across as stiff, and expresses herself with difficulty.  Malayo sa tatay.

If she wishes to run for president in 2028, she should be able to brush up on her basic Filipino and English.  She should exhibit humility and accountability and must manifest composure in times of emergency.  No one wants a leader who goes hysterical in every crisis situation. 

Most of all, VP Sara should prove to the world, that she is her own woman.  Otherwise, people would think it is still the strongman father running the show.

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