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As a retired policeman always ready for battle, Senator Ping Lacson has armed himself in his weaponry with different tagline weapons that he will be using for his potentially last and final political war - the race for the presidency in 2022. “We need a leader” is the most memorable tagline he unleashed on his billboards and social media ads. It was a response to his scathing critique of what he calls an “autopilot” mode of the present government.From this, he proceeds to the “aayusin ang gobyerno, aayusin ang buhay mo”, a sacrificial attempt to rekindle the Filipino people’s memory of his ostensive performance in fixing or cleaning the ranks of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during his stint as chief. This is also a clear but different flavor of the law and order narrative that will bring prosperity or peace to the citizenry. As his last pitch, Senator Ping’s “Sino ang pang-gyera mo?” is a final hurrah to set himself apart from other presidential contenders. He paints the country’s current state as a battle or war that should be fought and led by the best warrior possible - the commander-in-chief, a.k.a. The President.

Senator Ping Lacson presents himself as he stated in many presidential debates as “qualified, competent, and experienced.” He tucks in his belt his decades of experience working in the executive department as a career policeman and under the legislative department as a long-serving senator. Indeed, he is the most experienced presidential candidate in the 2022 polls. Senator Lacson, the veteran policymaker, withstood with flying colors the difficult questions posed during debates. He was prepared and strong.Leadership by example is his favorite starter motherhood statement yet is being haunted by his bad example of evading arrest following his controversial moves during the Dacer-Corbito double murder case. As a presidential candidate, he is consistent in highlighting the anti-corruption banner that catapulted him to the Senate. He prides himself with his fearless, merciless, and undaunted character in leading corruption exposes in the NBN-ZTE deal, Villar C5 deal, and Pharmally scandal, among others.

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“Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Mukha…” is the imagined future under Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr. Contradictory as it may appear since the Marcoses and Dutertes are old faces in Philippine politics and that “may prinsipyo, may isang salita” is impossible with a family globally known to have plundered the nation’s coffers. All of these are possible through Marcos Jr.’s campaign trick - vagueness and ambiguity. BBM knows all too well that platforms and political agendas are just too cumbersome to remember. As a response, a play on emotions will be kilometers away from being more effective than using reasoning. Filipinos, after all, are very emotional voters.Authoritarian leaders are embraced in the Philippines by the ever-merciful and loving Filipinos who seem obsessed with a patriarchal setup. The image of being strong, mighty, and influential is, for Filipinos, a comforting umbrella that evokes feelings of stability and security. They mimic the spectacular flexes of epic heroes and myths that replaces a depressing reality full of problems with a fantasy worthy of the dream. Authoritarianism thrives through clear and compelling promises of abstract, out-of-this-world visions that are inflicted upon the constituency through today’s most powerful and lethal weapon - disinformation.

Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr., plain and simple, is his father’s “anointed son.”Like a crown to be inherited from a monarch, he finds no reason why he still has to prove himself. Marcos Jr. posits as if he is entitled to it. He is the “destined president” of the kingdom formerly ruled by his “great father”. A college dropout, an underperforming legislator, and a lazy governor himself, merits are thrown out of the window. This presidential bid is his final comeback - a do-or-die game. His unity platform has a deafening divisive undertone. He comes out as the Filipino people’s hero who will bring back the glory of the golden age of his father-president.His platforms are definitely modern rehashed versions of his father’s projects. They brandish the return of Nutribun, a USAID project to address hunger, as a way to tickle the remembrances of the Marcos days. An out-of-this-world promise of Php 20.00 per kilogram of rice is a dominant takeaway of the Filipino masses. Through pro-Marcos vloggers, they paint a picture of vengeance against the oligarchs and the doing of the Aquinos by taking back electricity and water concessionaires. With disinformation, one can truly promise heaven and hell.

Disinformation and propaganda networks are at the forefront of the nation’s meaningful conversations. Authoritarian leaders lie. The propagation of these lies and fabricated punches inveigle Filipinos of their support by directly piercing through their daily and long-standing struggles as demonstrated in the viral myths of the “Tallano gold” (poverty), “golden age” (hunger), and “infrastructure marvels” (proper settlement). Authoritarianism normalizes massive corruption, daunting violence, and gross incompetence through silencing dissent.Unity is BBM’s go-to word in his speeches and advertisements. By amplifying his storyline through his YouTube and Tiktok mercenaries, he was able to dominate the space by erecting narrative control. Filipinos like hearing about peace and tranquility. Leveraging on this, in a polarized political atmosphere during the election season, he preaches togetherness. Despite the truth of the controversies and crimes that haunt his family, he labeled them as mere black propaganda. BBM says no to negative campaigning because his trolls can do it for him. He evades debates saying that these are just avenues where hate and animosity thrive.

With 31 million votes, his message and machinations of the authoritarian nostalgia worked across all demographic sectors and age groups. This is thanks to the long game their family has played to regain Malacañang by hook or by crook. The “Solid North” and “Solid South” merged by virtue of the political marriage he had with presidential daughter Mayor Inday Sara Duterte as brokered by the omnipresent kingmaker, Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

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Thereafter, it pinpoints specific societal problems Filipinos are experiencing which are “walang trabaho” (unemployment), “gutom” (hunger), and “korapsyon” (corruption) by using the symbolism of thorns. The logos persuasion mode is powerful in this instance. It appears like it is a no-brainer for a Filipino to reject the notion that unemployment, hunger, and corruption are among the most severe and pervasive ills of Philippine society.A teaser is provided where it alluded that there is only one leader who can heal the Filipinos’ wounds due to the “thorns” aforementioned. It can be inferred that a solution is possible, attainable, and at hand. The dark characterization of the scenes shifted to a bright and pink theme with Vice President Robredo’s photo in different distress events.

The photos and videos portrayed served as proof that in the past crises and problems - she is indeed capable through the different programs she led. It establishes her authority to claim the previously mentioned characteristics that a leader must possess in order to “heal the ills of society.”Finally, Vice President Leni Robredo appears with a child thanking, handing a flower, and hugging her. She then delivered her final remarks “sabay-sabay po nating tuparin ang ating mga pangarap para maging kulay rosas ang bukas” (let us reach our dreams together to make the future “pink”). Similar to the deliberative speech context applied earlier in the visions from an upright leader, she rallies everyone to be as one in reaching a “pink” future that is full of hope.

The voice-over narration indicated a one-size-fits-all assumption. It is that when there is an upright leader (tapat na pinuno), there will be no corruption and no oppression. It further added that there will be a fair opportunity for all (patas ang laban) and adequate livelihood (sapat na kabuhayan). The deliberative speech context is utilized through the use of visions that can be concretized in the future. These are dreams anchored on an assumption of the power an upright leader can wield.During the delivery of these assumptions, background photos and video clips are featured. These include the Marawi siege crisis response, disaster relief programs, and the COVID-19 interventions such as the Bayanihan E-Konsulta (free telemedicine) with care kit and Swab Cab (free antigen testing) executed by Robredo’s Office of the Vice President (OVP). Specifically, the forensic speech context is readily apparent. It is likewise an instrumentalization of the ethos mode of persuasion.

The Hanapbuhay Para sa Lahat Plan of presidential candidate and Vice President Robredo is an amalgamation of actionable insights that targets a response to unemployment in varying levels and fields. Among these plans include (1) reviving the National Competitiveness Council under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), (2) active implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Act and the mandates of the Anti-Red Tape Authority, (3) catalyzing digital transition of businesses, (4) developing the maritime industry through the modernization and integration of other sectors such as agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and shipping/logistics, (5) constructing green and resilient infrastructure, (6) strengthening the tech industry, (7) reviving the manufacturing resurgence program through the crafting of an industry roadmap, (8) ending discrimination in employment, (9) mandating the prioritization of small businesses and farmers in government procurement, (10) linking MSMEs to local industries in the value chain, (11) placing a top caliber retraining and skills matching program, (12) creating a public employment program, and (13) putting in place an Unemployment Insurance Program.

VP Leni’s campaign was volunteer-driven. She campaigned on a radical love platform. Showing a motherly approach to the presidency, she asked her Kakampinks to embrace those who are not sharing the same political beliefs as theirs. The volunteerism that carried her campaign was unprecedented hence being monickered as “The People’s Campaign.” Ordinary citizens, from all walks of life, contribute in their different ways to help spread the message of VP Leni. She has managed to deliver never-seen-before behemoth rallies in her sorties in the different parts of the country. Faced with financial constraints and the daunting lead of the presidential frontrunner, Kakampinks launched national house-to-house campaigning efforts to match the machinery of the Marcos-Duterte tandem.