Duterte’s political rhetoric and the masses

RHETORIC, in its general sense, is at the very heart of politics. It is, in the context of political affairs, more than persuasion and the basic fallacies in logic. Further, rhetoric applied in politics, or what is known as political rhetoric, is a subtle political strategy, whether manipulative or not, that can underpin the attainment, maintenance and expansion of political power through public legitimization. Figuratively, skillful rhetorical maneuvering can twist arms by twisting tongues.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), amid a pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte has again brought his populist scheme to the fore. If we take a closer look at his speech in terms of its structural form, the essence of political rhetoric as to capture and consolidate power is at play right from the start until the peroration.