Lesson from and for Duterte

The first lesson from President Duterte is the charisma seen worldwide in a David who stands up to an overbearing Goliath like US President Barack Obama or an arrogant world organization like the United Nations. It does not matter what the issue is, who is right or wrong, or that Mr. Duterte has a “bad mouth.” No Third World leader has defied a Goliath since the days of Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad and India’s Mahatma Gandhi.

Today, the eyes of the whole world is on Mr. Duterte for being himself, brave and shooting from the hip. World leaders are easily shocked by him and do not know what to say or think. Many admire him because unlike him, they cannot speak out due to fear.

Global media is a propaganda and political tool. When Al Jazeera grilled Mr. Duterte to pin him down, they failed miserably because he was just himself, not thrown off by aggressive questions. He was sharp enough to see instantly through digressions and insinuations. He stood his ground well.

The first lesson for Mr. Duterte is extreme caution. Be wily as a serpent because, for decades, the United States and its leaders have sought regime change through assassination, funneling funds for political rivals. Goliath plays dirty. Mr. Duterte says he is not afraid to die, but he must know the repercussions of his death on the country he loves. Martyrdom must be balanced with a messianic mission.

The second lesson from Mr. Duterte is the way he dealt with the Dragon—meaning, China. The Dragon is sometimes as much as a predator as the Eagle. The Dragon is wily and mixes gentleness with viciousness to get what it wants. But Mr. Duterte entered the Dragon’s lair with utter humility, surprising the Dragon, drawing a gentle response and its admiration. The Dragon welcomed the Swallow, alright. All of a sudden the air of conflict became the air of cooperation. Doors were opened wide.

Westerners do not seem to understand this Eastern posture of humility, because they have a bad habit of the arrogant Tiger that invites conflict. But they admire the Swallow for charming the Dragon.

The second lesson for Mr. Duterte is, again, extreme caution. The game is not over. Temporary victories may evolve into big defeats. In poker, a player can bluff or may have a good hand. Will the Dragon lead the Swallow into a trap when agreements are being negotiated? We don’t get to know until the cards are laid down.

Meticulous, detailed measurements of gains and losses must be set during the negotiations. The non-negotiables must be clear, and the President must be firm on standing his ground. He needs help.

In the end, you measure the cost benefit for the Filipino people, the quid pro quo in real, nonpolitical terms.

BERNIE V. LOPEZ, eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com