SARA DUTERTE’S MOST HARDWORKING CAMPAIGNERS: HER ATTACKERS

*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

In my book, How Not to Win an Election, I discuss how attacking an opponent can backfire. You intend to destroy someone’s credibility, yet end up providing publicity, generating sympathy, and strengthening supporters’ loyalty. Gusto mong pabagsakin, pero ikaw pala ang naglalagay ng hagdan. Ang masakit, ikaw pa ang hingal na hingal sa pagbubuhat.

This is the political danger I see in the relentless attacks against Vice President Sara Duterte. Her critics question her competence and accomplishments. But whenever scrutiny turns into a personal confrontation, attention can shift from what she has delivered to how she is being treated. Instead of explaining her performance, she gets another opportunity to explain why powerful people want her defeated.

Parang may sarili siyang advertising agency. Walang kontrata, walang talent fee, pero araw araw may bagong publicity. Ang pangalan? “Mga Kalaban Advertising Unlimited.”

Political psychology helps explain how this can happen. Taber and Lodge’s (2006) research on motivated skepticism found that people scrutinized arguments challenging their beliefs more critically while more readily accepting supportive arguments. Van Bavel and Pereira’s (2018) identity-based model explains how political belonging can shape the evaluation of information. Together, these perspectives suggest that committed supporters may experience criticism of a leader as a challenge to a group they personally identify with. Ang naririnig nila ay hindi lamang “may dapat siyang sagutin,” kundi “inaatake na naman ang atin.” 

Tormala and Petty (2002) also found that successfully resisting a persuasive challenge perceived as strong could increase confidence in an existing attitude. Meanwhile, Lau, Sigelman, and Rovner’s (2007) meta-analysis found that negative campaigning did not reliably produce electoral gains, even though negative messages tended to be memorable. These findings support a possible mechanism: attacks may harden existing loyalties without winning over the wider public. They do not establish that attacks caused Sara’s popularity or guarantee her victory. Baka ang inaakalang demolition job ay nagiging loyalty exercise, at ang kalaban pa ang masipag na facilitator. 

“Pero Doc, bakit si dating Vice President Jejomar Binay ay bumagsak matapos siyang banatan?”

Because political circumstances differ. Corruption controversies seriously damaged Binay’s presidential bid, alongside other campaign developments. His experience shows that allegations can hurt a candidate. It does not establish a formula that works against every politician. 

Binay had a substantial support base. Sara, however, carries a different political inheritance through her father, Rodrigo Duterte. My interpretation is that some supporters defend her partly because they identify with that legacy. This does not mean all Duterte supporters think alike, nor that Mindanao speaks with one voice. It means political attachment can extend beyond an individual official’s accomplishments.

We should also avoid confusing resilience with continuously rising popularity. SWS reported that Sara’s national net satisfaction rating declined between June and September 2026, while remaining particularly strong in Mindanao. The picture is more complicated than “the more she is attacked, the more popular she becomes.” 

The concern is that relentless confrontation may keep her supporters emotionally mobilized while leaving her record insufficiently examined. Sara remains the elected Vice President. Her spending, conduct, and accomplishments deserve scrutiny. Voters need a clear assessment of what she has delivered.

Instead, public discussion too often resembles basketball with endless technical fouls. Ang daming sumisipol, pero ang taumbayan, naghihintay pa rin kung kailan may maisu shoot na serbisyo.

Accountability must continue. Legitimate allegations require evidence, fair proceedings, and credible decisions. Popularity cannot establish innocence. Political hostility cannot establish guilt. Those standards should apply to everyone.

Meanwhile, the government has a country to serve.

Habang nagtitirahan ang mga kampo, may isang tatay sa palengke na paulit ulit binibilang ang barya. May isang nanay na nagsasabing busog na siya para sapat ang ulam sa mga anak. May estudyanteng nagsisikap matuto habang iniisip kung may pamasahe pa bukas.

For these families, a meaningful victory is being able to face tomorrow with a little less fear. Their needs deserve more government attention than the latest statement of a political rival.

This is where the Sustainable Development Goals must become practical commitments: quality education, food security, decent work, accessible health care, and institutions people can trust.

Hindi kailangang kabisado ng magulang ang bawat SDG. Ang kailangan niyang maramdaman ay natututo ang anak, may disenteng kabuhayan, may gamot kapag may sakit, at ligtas ang tahanan kapag umuulan.

Ayuda matters during hardship and emergencies. Families also deserve opportunities that make their security less dependent on the next distribution schedule. Assistance should connect them to sustainable livelihoods and essential services, while protecting those who continue to need support.

Public spending must produce concrete results. Flood control projects should protect communities. School budgets should improve learning. Hospital allocations should deliver treatment. Budget changes should have clear purposes, transparent records, and benefits citizens can verify.

Ang pondong bayan ay hindi dapat magic show. Nakita ang budget, narinig ang announcement, tapos ang proyekto ang biglang nawala.

Government earns credibility through completed work, honest spending, and fair enforcement, including consequences for wrongdoing within its own ranks. Hindi sapat na maipakitang mahina ang kalaban. Kailangang maramdaman ng mamamayan na mahusay ang pamahalaan.

Good governance cannot guarantee an election result. But it gives voters something substantial against which to judge political claims: their own experience of whether life is improving.

So let VP Sara do her thing. Let her speak, criticize, and explain her record. Whatever the impeachment outcome, its lawful consequences must take their course. Government must continue serving the people throughout that process.

My political assessment is that her attackers risk helping create the image of an inevitable winner in 2028, even while questions about concrete accomplishments remain unresolved. That image is no guarantee of victory. Yet unnecessary personal attacks can give her more attention and another opportunity to rally loyal supporters.

Baka pagdating ng kampanya, hindi na niya kailangang magpakilala. Ang mga kalaban na niya ang ilang taong nag roll call ng pangalan niya.

Let the evidence speak. Let institutions do their work. Give people accomplishments they can see in their schools, hospitals, workplaces, and homes.

Habang abala ang mga politiko sa pagbubuhat o pagpapabagsak ng pangalan ni Sara Duterte, ang taumbayan ay naghihintay pa rin na sila naman ang maiangat.

_________________________________________________________

Dear Reader,

I invite you to explore my complete collection of published books now available on Amazon. Whether you are seeking in-depth analysis, strategic insights, or engaging narratives, my catalog covers a range of essential topics designed to inform, inspire, and provoke thoughtful discussion.

You can browse all my current titles, read excerpts, and order your copies directly through my official Amazon Author Page: 

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Thank you for your continued support and interest in my work. If you enjoy any of the titles, leaving a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated as it helps bring these ideas to a broader audience.

Warm regards,

Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

*About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

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ROSENDO BALINAS JR., ASIA’S SECOND GRANDMASTER: THE CHAMPION A NATION MUST REMEMBER

*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

Before the rise of today’s Indian and Chinese chess powerhouses, the Philippines delivered a historic one-two punch: Eugenio “Eugene” Torre became Asia’s first grandmaster in 1974, and Rosendo “Bali” Balinas Jr. followed as its second in 1976. Two Filipinos opened an extraordinary chapter in Asian chess. Their achievements gave our country something precious to believe in: our players could sit across from the world’s strongest and belong.

I was eight years old when I started playing chess and became a Torre fan. For a boy discovering the possibilities hidden within sixty-four squares, he gave the game a Filipino face and a dream worth pursuing.

Years later, I remember hearing about an international grandmaster tournament in which Torre drew with another Filipino, Rosendo Balinas Jr. I no longer recall the tournament details, but I remember my curiosity. Who was Balinas?

There was no Google then. During the 1980s, finding answers meant visiting libraries, searching newspapers, and hoping a book or magazine carried his story. Information was difficult to find. Every game I discovered felt like meeting someone I wished the country had introduced to me much earlier.

I studied his moves with fascination. To my developing chess mind, his play seemed methodical, sometimes unorthodox, and always worth another look. I would return to a position and wonder what he had seen that I had missed. Through those printed moves, I came to admire the man behind them.

A recent encounter brought those memories back. I spoke with Alcindor Yap, a student chess player and the son of movie actress Katrina Paula. He spoke enthusiastically about great players from abroad, mentioning Mikhail Tal and Garry Kasparov. When our conversation turned to Philippine chess, he mentioned Eugene Torre. Then I asked him about Rosendo Balinas.

“Who is he?” he replied.

I felt a quiet sadness. I could hardly blame Alcindor. He had learned about the players whose stories had reached him. Here was a Filipino chess enthusiast who knew foreign legends and had yet to discover his own country’s second grandmaster. One conversation cannot represent an entire generation, but his question stayed with me. It became another reason to write this article.

Balinas was a lawyer, chess writer, national champion, and Olympiad medalist. At the 1966 Havana Chess Olympiad, he scored 15½ points from 20 games and earned the individual silver medal on board three, behind former world champion Mikhail Tal. In the 1967 Meralco simultaneous exhibition against Bobby Fischer, he was the only one of ten participating Filipino players to secure a draw.

At the 1968 Meralco Open, he shared the highest score with Yugoslav grandmaster Svetozar Gligorić, both finishing with 12 points from 15 games. His career also included victories over Bent Larsen, Lev Polugaevsky, and Lubomir Kavalek. These were achievements worthy of a lasting place in Philippine sporting history.

Then came Odessa in 1976.

Held in what was then Soviet Ukraine, the tournament brought together fifteen players, including formidable Soviet competitors and accomplished foreign masters. Balinas entered with a listed rating of 2365, below many leading participants. He finished outright first with 10 points from 14 games, one full point ahead of Vladimir Savon and Lev Alburt.

His record comprised seven wins, six draws, and one loss. Although Jan Plachetka defeated him, Balinas remained unbeaten against his Soviet opponents.

His crucial victory over Savon, the 1971 Soviet champion, came in round thirteen. Playing White, Balinas won a sharp Benoni encounter after 38.Qxh6. Draws against David Bronstein and Georgi Tringov completed his championship run. Odessa brought him the grandmaster title and secured his place beside Torre in Asian chess history.

A Filipino had entered a strong international tournament on Soviet soil and finished alone at the top. Somewhere in that result is a story every young Filipino player deserves to know: ability, preparation, and courage can carry someone far beyond what a rating or reputation might suggest.

Yet I wonder whether Philippine sports has given Balinas a place in its memory equal to his accomplishments, and how much further he might have gone with stronger, more dependable support.

Some people I have spoken with recalled occasions when Balinas had to raise funds to compete in strong international tournaments. Others suggested that personal differences and internal politics affected his opportunities. These are personal accounts I cannot independently verify, and I cannot establish anyone’s motives.

Still, they leave a painful question. How much of a gifted player’s strength is spent finding a way to reach the tournament before he can even sit down and play?

We cannot know how many more championships Balinas might have won with greater assistance. Consistent support, however, could have given him more opportunities to prepare and compete. His documented achievements alone justify our recognition, whatever uncertainties remain about the circumstances surrounding his career.

Wesley So’s later experience offers a sobering reminder. His transfer to the United States federation was approved in 2014. In public accounts, he described concerns about dependable support and disputes over recognition of his achievements. His decision involved several circumstances, but his testimony shows how institutional conflict can weigh on a player’s future.

Philippine chess must learn from these experiences. Personal rivalries should never determine who receives an opportunity. Federations, clubs, and sports institutions should work together on training, competition, and player development. Selection and financial assistance should follow transparent standards. Players should be able to seek opportunities without being drawn into factions or made to carry the consequences of disagreements among officials.

The board already provides enough battles. Our players deserve unity and support around it.

For Balinas, that responsibility includes meaningful national recognition.

As of November 2026, the published Philippine Sports Hall of Fame roster does not list him. Although tournament records have described him as a Philippine Chess Hall of Fame inductee, that is separate from the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame administered by the Philippine Sports Commission.

I believe Rosendo Balinas Jr. deserves a place in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame. His record warrants a thoroughly documented nomination and fair consideration under its rules. The chess community, sports historians, and his supporters can work together to assemble his tournament results, games, writings, and contributions to younger players.

That effort should also reach beyond an award. His games belong in lessons for young players. His story belongs in accounts of Philippine sports. A child should be able to ask who Balinas was and find an answer that conveys both the achievement and the person.

For his family, such remembrance would carry a meaning no tournament score can measure. The country would be remembering someone they knew as more than a grandmaster: a loved one whose absence they have carried through the years.

Balinas died on September 24, 1998, at fifty-seven. He can no longer hear his name announced or feel a grateful handshake. Whatever recognition we give him now will arrive too late for him to receive it. But it need not arrive too late for the country to remember.

I think again of that young boy searching library shelves, and of Alcindor asking me, “Who is he?” Between those two memories lies the reason this story matters. One child struggled to find Balinas; another had yet to discover him.

His family and devoted supporters have kept his memory alive through memorial tournaments and continuing tributes. They should not have to carry that responsibility alone.

For too long, it has felt as though Balinas has been left at the edge of our sporting memory, his name growing quieter as the years pass. Let us give his name a lasting place in our national memory, in our books, and in the dreams of young players.

He gave the Philippines a reason to hold its head high. After all these years, may his country finally look back and say: “We remember you, Bali. We should have said your name more often.”

_________________________________________________________

Dear Reader,

I invite you to explore my complete collection of published books now available on Amazon. Whether you are seeking in-depth analysis, strategic insights, or engaging narratives, my catalog covers a range of essential topics designed to inform, inspire, and provoke thoughtful discussion.

You can browse all my current titles, read excerpts, and order your copies directly through my official Amazon Author Page: 

Click this Image to View:

Thank you for your continued support and interest in my work. If you enjoy any of the titles, leaving a review on Amazon would be greatly appreciated as it helps bring these ideas to a broader audience.

Warm regards,

Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

*About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

VIEWS: 669K