She may not, but we will: staying focused on the issues

How do you deal with a politician like Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio? Political figures like her and the Duterte Family are known for their unconventional ways and strong political influence.

Members of the House appropriations committee were apparently stumped at the demeanor of the vice president when she faced off with them last August 27 on her office’s proposed budget. She was testy and ready to adopt a confrontational stance, even to the point of being rude or throwing a tantrum.

The next hearing is scheduled for September 10, and let us hope that the people will gain something substantial from it, rather than the drama these politicians are prone to displaying. This is especially important in a nation that is more easily drawn into political gaffes and ploys than into constitutional processes and accountability.

In fact, social media is now full of humorous memes about the ‘Shimenet’ slip made by the vice president. We don't know how it started or who started it, but ‘Shimenet’ quickly gained traction on social media and is now being gullibly spread by people who oppose the vice president. For the uninitiated, ‘Shimenet’ is a play on the words 'She may not,' which Vice President Carpio pronounced during the hearing as ‘Shimenet’ in her Bisaya accent.

Whenever politicians go viral --whether in a negative or positive light-- it works to their advantage. Those ‘Shimenet’ memes going viral may seem innocent, but bear with me if I say that much of what becomes viral online in the Philippines, especially when related to politics, is a product of manipulation by larger geopolitical forces at work.

I have said this before: no homegrown public relations or political marketing firm is solely capable of elevating a politician or political family to the national stage. The rise of politicians from a second-tier city like Davao to national prominence did not occur solely on their own merit.

Behind their rise is a larger, more influential geopolitical foreign force. This force uses sophisticated, data-driven ploys that manipulate another country’s populace to support its vested interests in that country. Guess which country benefited the most from former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration? I need not name it; you already know.

As the think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) explains in a chapter of its 'Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2024' entitled 'Driving Wedges: China's Disinformation Campaigns in the Asia-Pacific' --which focuses on China’s disinformation operations against Taiwan and the Philippines-- covert operations aim to 'anonymously influence the perspectives and actions of targeted audiences.' Furthermore, as societies become more digitized, 'it is now easier for these operations to proliferate and be adapted to reach target audiences online.'

In the case of Vice President Carpio, the ‘Shimenet’ memes could likely serve as bait targeting the Duterte-critical middle class, portraying them as an elitist group opposed to a 'pang-masa' Bisaya vice president who cannot pronounce 'she may not' properly.

Former ACT Partylist representative Antonio L. Tinio was on point when he posted on X (formerly Twitter) on August 29: “‘Shimenet’ may be funny for some and is gaining traction with a certain crowd. However, ridiculing someone based on regional accent and pronunciation is the kind of elitist crap that fuels their populism.”

We should not give politicians a platform to fuel their populism. Whatever Vice President Carpio’s behavior may be in the coming days, we must stick to the issues. Trusting the process and staying focused are key to navigating any unconventional situation.