The Populist Brand is Crisis: Durable Dutertismo amidst Mismanaged COVID-19 Response

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a most complex and challenging crisis all over the world, but even more so for the national administration in the Philippines. But rather than being a curse for the populist Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, the pandemic turned out to be a gift. Despite leading one of the worst-managed responses in the region to the outbreak, the crisis gave Duterte an opportunity to renew the public mandate for his illiberal agenda. The populist Duterte seized the moment to further weaken Philippine democracy. Capitalizing on the populist brand of crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic in Duterte's Philippines resulted in the hardening of the current illiberal order. Dutertismo was given renewed legitimacy and public support - it is, despite crises and controversies, here to stay.