Why do Ilocanos remain deeply loyal to the Marcos family — even decades after Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship? Why do people love Rodrigo Duterte even after all the human rights abuses?
In this episode of Open Talk with Caloy Conde, sociologist Ash Presto explains her important fieldwork on political polarization, loyalist mentality, and emotional politics in the Philippines.
Ash, currently pursuing her PhD in Australia, discusses her study on the youth of the so-called Solid North in the Ilocos region, exploring how Marcos nostalgia, public discourse, and creative engagement shape how Ilocanos — especially Gen Z — understand and express political loyalty.
🎧 Topics include:
-- How Filipinos normalize corruption and political misconduct
-- Why “loyalist mentality” goes beyond fake news and regionalism
-- The emotional and cultural roots of Marcos devotion
-- How Gen Z Ilocanos use social media and creative activism to navigate polarization
-- Comparing Marcos and Duterte loyalist behavior
