President Rodrigo Duterte and Biopolitics in the Philippines

Abstract

A term that originated from Michel Foucault, “biopower” refers to the idea in which the state controls the physical bodies of the population by employing strict rules, laws, and protocols enforced in name of public health. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has imposed lockdowns and restrictions at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The type of Biopolitics practiced in the country has been described by some critics as a form of medical and penal populism. However, such an assessment lacks a thorough recognition of the reality of power-relations in Philippine society. To understand the strategy of the President to the pandemic, it is important to consider the structural injustices in the country and the hegemonic order in global politics, both of which are factors that have influenced particular outcomes during the coronavirus crisis.

Keywords

• Biopower
• Biopolitics
• Covid-19 Pandemic

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