Philippines rodrigo duterte takes aim at the oligarchs

A fascinating topic!

Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th President of the Philippines, has indeed taken aim at the country's oligarchs, a term used to describe a small group of wealthy and influential families who have dominated the country's economy and politics for decades.

Duterte's anti-oligarch rhetoric has been a central theme of his presidency, which began in 2016. He has repeatedly criticized the oligarchs for their alleged corruption, cronyism, and monopolistic practices, which he claims have hindered the country's economic development and perpetuated poverty.

Some of the specific targets of Duterte's ire include:

  1. The Lopez family, who own ABS-CBN, the country's largest television network, and have been accused of using their media influence to shape public opinion and protect their business interests.
  2. The Aboitiz family, who own a conglomerate with interests in power generation, banking, and other sectors, and have been accused of using their wealth and influence to manipulate the political process.
  3. The Sy family, who own SM Investments, one of the country's largest conglomerates, and have been accused of using their wealth and influence to dominate the retail and real estate sectors.
  4. The Cojuangco family, who own San Miguel Corporation, one of the country's largest conglomerates, and have been accused of using their wealth and influence to dominate the food and beverage industry.

Duterte has also taken aim at the country's traditional political elite, including the families of former presidents and senators, whom he accuses of being part of the oligarchic system.

Some of the measures Duterte has taken to address the issue of oligarchy include:

  1. Implementing a tax reform package aimed at reducing the country's reliance on a few large corporations and increasing the tax burden on the wealthy.
  2. Introducing a bill to increase the minimum wage and reduce the income gap between the rich and the poor.
  3. Launching an anti-corruption campaign aimed at rooting out corruption and cronyism in government and business.
  4. Strengthening the country's competition laws and regulations to prevent monopolistic practices and promote fair competition.

While Duterte's anti-oligarch rhetoric has been popular among many Filipinos who feel that the country's economic and political systems are rigged against them, his critics argue that his approach is too simplistic and may actually exacerbate the problem of corruption and cronyism.

Overall, the issue of oligarchy in the Philippines is complex and multifaceted, and will likely require a sustained and nuanced effort to address.