[OPINION] The rise of anti-politics: ‘Unity’ in curbing dissent in the Philippines

The ascent of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to the presidency under a banner of “unity” enjoys the weight of nearly 32 million voters. Questionable or not, these results merit analysis beyond mere accusations of fraud, or this lingering emphasis on the role of trolls and disinformation. 

The first thing to note is that Bongbong Marcos deploys a rhetoric of unity, reconciliation, and nostalgia in harnessing public resentment against the EDSA regime. This is in stark contrast to former...