Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic?
This paper delves into the Philippines’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the enforcement of a rigorous lockdown and the paradoxical rise in President Rodrigo Duterte's approval despite the virus's unmitigated spread. While conventional analyses lean on securitisation to expla...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034241280648 |
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| author | Kenki Adachi |
| author_facet | Kenki Adachi |
| author_sort | Kenki Adachi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper delves into the Philippines’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the enforcement of a rigorous lockdown and the paradoxical rise in President Rodrigo Duterte's approval despite the virus's unmitigated spread. While conventional analyses lean on securitisation to explain military involvement in pandemic control, this paper argues that COVID-19 was not securitised in the Philippines. Instead, the government targeted the “pasaway” (undisciplined) as a supposed threat to national security, employing identity politics. By presenting the undisciplined as adversaries, the government garnered support from perceived “good citizens.” Despite human rights concerns and a lack of evidence linking the undisciplined to virus transmission, the narrative of cracking down on them garnered widespread approval. This challenges traditional securitisation explanations, suggesting that the emphasis on a “scapegoated enemy” and identity politics played a pivotal role in shaping public perception and elevating presidential approval ratings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-58e0dfc811744f9bbe54cf533decd963 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1868-1034 1868-4882 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs |
| spelling | doaj-art-58e0dfc811744f9bbe54cf533decd9632025-08-20T02:51:31ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs1868-10341868-48822025-04-014410.1177/18681034241280648Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic?Kenki AdachiThis paper delves into the Philippines’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the enforcement of a rigorous lockdown and the paradoxical rise in President Rodrigo Duterte's approval despite the virus's unmitigated spread. While conventional analyses lean on securitisation to explain military involvement in pandemic control, this paper argues that COVID-19 was not securitised in the Philippines. Instead, the government targeted the “pasaway” (undisciplined) as a supposed threat to national security, employing identity politics. By presenting the undisciplined as adversaries, the government garnered support from perceived “good citizens.” Despite human rights concerns and a lack of evidence linking the undisciplined to virus transmission, the narrative of cracking down on them garnered widespread approval. This challenges traditional securitisation explanations, suggesting that the emphasis on a “scapegoated enemy” and identity politics played a pivotal role in shaping public perception and elevating presidential approval ratings.https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034241280648 |
| spellingShingle | Kenki Adachi Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic? Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs |
| title | Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic? |
| title_full | Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic? |
| title_fullStr | Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic? |
| title_short | Securitisation, Scapegoat, Identity Politics: Why Did President Duterte Mark Record-High Approval Ratings Despite His Failure to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic? |
| title_sort | securitisation scapegoat identity politics why did president duterte mark record high approval ratings despite his failure to combat the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034241280648 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kenkiadachi securitisationscapegoatidentitypoliticswhydidpresidentdutertemarkrecordhighapprovalratingsdespitehisfailuretocombatthecovid19pandemic |