There is no place where US President Donald Trump is more popular than the Philippines. AFP
There is no place where US President Donald Trump is more popular than the Philippines. AFP
There is no place where US President Donald Trump is more popular than the Philippines. AFP
There is no place where US President Donald Trump is more popular than the Philippines. AFP

Across Asia there are crowds who can't get enough of Donald Trump


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The tree doesn’t fall far from the fruit. That’s what, more or less, came to my mind as soon as the map of Florida bled in bright red on the giant Fox News screen in the middle of Times Square in New York. Only hours earlier, I playfully told friends that we should celebrate Hillary Clinton’s impending victory in the US presidential election in nearby Trump Tower along Fifth Avenue.

Perhaps I will be equally surprised after next week's presidential election. But that night in 2016, with dazed eyes and horrified faces latched onto a mostly red map of America – depicting the Republican Party's unexpected victory – a tinge of deja vu washed over me. I swiftly realised that the same populist wave that took over my country just months earlier had now conquered the world’s greatest democracy. All of a sudden, America's politics seemed to be mimicking that of its former colony, the Philippines.

Donald Trump’s victory was greeted with widespread optimism in the Philippines and elsewhere – a rich contrast to many poor New Yorkers who broke into tears on that fateful election night. Millions of Filipinos saw in the new US President a powerful vindication of their own controversial choice at home, which unsurprisingly invited an avalanche of sneer and derision among the chattering classes.

Countless Filipino-Americans, including a few relatives, were ecstatic, having proudly voted for the former reality show star and self-proclaimed billionaire. Unsurprisingly, as America’s credibility cratered throughout the world, Mr Trump still managed to remain immensely popular in the Philippines as well as India and Vietnam. But what exactly explains this phenomenon?

Why are so many denizens of these faraway post-colonial nations so enamoured with the most divisive and unpopular American President in recent memory? The answer lies at intersections of history, democracy fatigue and geopolitics.

Bromance of the Century

Throughout 2016, a year that changed history, global media branded the Philippines’ populist President Rodrigo Duterte the “Trump of the East”. But for me, especially as a Filipino, it was Mr Trump who was, at least chronologically speaking, the “Duterte of the West”.

For the next four years, the two mavericks would unleash a torrent of disinformation and chaos at home, upending once vibrant democracies with unfathomable determination. They also shook up the global geopolitical landscape with thunderous rhetoric and notoriously disruptive policies.

Mr Duterte quickly became the Philippines’ first openly pro-China leader, even (falsely) claiming to be of Chinese descent, while swearing at the outgoing American president Barack Obama and threatening to end the two nations' century-old alliance.

Equally dramatic, albeit on a far larger scale, Mr Trump deployed his own fire and fury by lashing out at allies, threatening neighbours and becoming America’s most openly anti-China President in recent history. Almost single-handedly, the populist in the White House triggered a "new Cold War" by targeting not only Chinese exports, but even sanctioning the latter’s national champions and most high-profile global companies.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, right, has attempted to get closer to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. AP Photo
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, right, has attempted to get closer to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. AP Photo

While Mr Trump pressed his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again” – an astute rebranding of a long-established “America First” tradition – Mr Duterte promised to make the Philippines truly “independent” by exploring alternative partners in the East.

And yet, as I predicted just days after Mr Trump’s election, the two populists, one a self-proclaimed “socialist” and the other a New Cold Warrior, would build an unusual rapport. On a personal level, this made perfect sense.

Psychoanalytically speaking, here were two "macho" leaders and alpha males, who mirrored each other in a narcissistic embrace. Ideologically, both men successfully ran on an anti-establishment and proudly illiberal agenda against what they saw as a snobbish and deracinated "globalist" elite.

Touting law and order, Mr Trump would oversee draconian anti-immigration policies, while Mr Duterte would obsess over his scorched-earth drug war. In a personalised cult of action, they found a shared catharsis for national salvation.

Together, they formed the core of a right-wing "populist internationale" stretching from Budapest to Brasilia.

Interestingly, their bromance is shared by their core supporters. From Guam to mainland America, numerous Republicans, as soon as they realised my nationality, openly shared their admiration for Mr Duterte as a “strong leader”, especially his tough rhetoric on crime.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo beat the establishment when he first came to power. Courtesy Lulu Group
Indonesian President Joko Widodo beat the establishment when he first came to power. Courtesy Lulu Group

The Opium of Populism

In the Philippines, where there are no real ideological divides or genuine political parties, praise for Mr Trump is far more democratic, including from those who despise Mr Duterte. There are three key reasons for this seemingly strange phenomenon.

First, what we are witnessing across the world is what I have described as a “strongman syndrome”, namely the enduring yet naive belief that a single-minded and decisive leader can solve complex 21st-century challenges with sheer political will.

A century earlier, German sociologist Max Weber foresaw such “charismatic” leaders, who, in the eyes of their devout supporters, “[are] endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities".

In a world of rapid change and deep uncertainty, existential anxiety is driving millions of people into the embrace of strongmen and father figures, who promise stability and safety in times of rapid transformation.

Collective faith in democratic institutions and economic globalisation has virtually collapsed across the world. The upshot is a Freudian "regression", namely the infantilisation of masses in the shadow of charismatic leadership.

According to a 2017 Pew survey, a majority of respondents in places such as the Philippines, India and Indonesia are open to an authoritarian leader, who can provide swift and decisive solutions. In the Philippines, Asia’s oldest democracy, only 15 per cent categorically supported representative democracy.

Narendra Modi continues to appeal to the Indian masses more than six years after being elected Prime Minister. Reuters
Narendra Modi continues to appeal to the Indian masses more than six years after being elected Prime Minister. Reuters

The number was even lower in Indonesia (12 per cent) and India (8 per cent), both under populist leaders, as well as in Vietnam (8 per cent), where the communist regime remains popular. As in his populist counterparts from Mr Duterte of the Philippines to Narendra Modi of India, Mr Trump is a masterful self-promoter who enjoys wide global appeal among those who yearn for the clarity of one-man rule.

The second factor is the enduring social conservatism in places such as the Philippines, extending even to the Filipino-American diaspora. After three centuries of Spanish "friarocracy" and a century of American domination, many Filipinos tend to be socially conservative and economically libertarian, namely sceptical of both big government and progressive reforms.

No wonder then, Mr Trump’s right-wing republicanism remains deeply appealing to many Filipinos both in the US and across the Pacific Ocean. In fact, it’s in the Philippines, where the American populist enjoys the highest approval ratings in the world (69 per cent), while Filipinos are his biggest supporters among Asian-Americans.

  • Indian Army personnel carry the body of Col Santosh Babu through Suryapet, a town near the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, on Thursday. Col Babu was among the 20 Indian troops killed in Monday's clash with Chinese soldiers in the Himalayan district of Ladakh. AFP
    Indian Army personnel carry the body of Col Santosh Babu through Suryapet, a town near the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, on Thursday. Col Babu was among the 20 Indian troops killed in Monday's clash with Chinese soldiers in the Himalayan district of Ladakh. AFP
  • Indian Army personnel, family members and relatives salute next to the body of Col Santosh Babu before his funeral at Suryapet. AFP
    Indian Army personnel, family members and relatives salute next to the body of Col Santosh Babu before his funeral at Suryapet. AFP
  • B Upender performs the final rites of his son Col Santosh Babu in Suryapet. AP Photo
    B Upender performs the final rites of his son Col Santosh Babu in Suryapet. AP Photo
  • Santoshi mourns after receiving her husband Col Santosh Babu's uniform and the National flag during the last rites ceremony in Suryapet. AP Photo
    Santoshi mourns after receiving her husband Col Santosh Babu's uniform and the National flag during the last rites ceremony in Suryapet. AP Photo
  • Santoshi performs rituals during the last rites in Suryapet. AP Photo
    Santoshi performs rituals during the last rites in Suryapet. AP Photo
  • Santoshi and her son salute during the last rites of her husband in Suryapet. AP Photo
    Santoshi and her son salute during the last rites of her husband in Suryapet. AP Photo
  • Activists hold photos of Chinese President Xi Jinping and shout slogans against China during a protest in the southern Indian city of Bangalore. EPA
    Activists hold photos of Chinese President Xi Jinping and shout slogans against China during a protest in the southern Indian city of Bangalore. EPA
  • Activists hold photos of Chinese President Xi Jinping and shouts slogans against China in Bangalore. EPA
    Activists hold photos of Chinese President Xi Jinping and shouts slogans against China in Bangalore. EPA
  • Children take part in an anti-China demonstration in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata. AFP
    Children take part in an anti-China demonstration in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata. AFP
  • Men shout slogans and call for boycott of Chinese products during a demonstration in the north-eastern Indian city of Guwahati. AP Photo
    Men shout slogans and call for boycott of Chinese products during a demonstration in the north-eastern Indian city of Guwahati. AP Photo
  • Activists throughout India hold candles as a tribute to Indian soldiers killed in clash with Chinese troops in the Himalayan district of Ladakh. EPA
    Activists throughout India hold candles as a tribute to Indian soldiers killed in clash with Chinese troops in the Himalayan district of Ladakh. EPA
  • Activists belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party shout slogans while holding posters as they sit in a police van during an anti-China protest in the eastern Indian city of Siliguri. AFP
    Activists belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party shout slogans while holding posters as they sit in a police van during an anti-China protest in the eastern Indian city of Siliguri. AFP

The final key factor is China. In the past decade, Beijing has expanded its military footprint across its borders, from the Himalayas to the South China Sea, fuelling growing anti-China sentiments from New Delhi to Hanoi and Manila.

Mr Trump’s tough talk, trade war and growing military deployments across China’s adjacent waters seem to resonate with a vast majority of people in frontline states such as the Philippines, Vietnam and India. What I found most fascinating are the pro-Trump sentiments even among liberal friends and social media followers, who are fans of neither Mr Duterte nor Mr Modi but see China as an existential threat to global freedom.

In Mr Trump, even Asian liberals seem to have found their "knight in shining armour" against the new communist colossus. And thus, while increasingly unpopular at home, Mr Trump remains a premier brand among Asia’s oldest democracies, the Philippines and India, and China’s communist brethren, Vietnam.

Richard Javad Heydarian is a Manila-based academic, having taught political science at Ateneo De Manila University and De La Salle University, Philippines

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
Rating: 2/5
match info

Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')

Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.

Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.

"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.

UAE squad

Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan

Sheer grandeur

The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.

A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.

World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:

2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Teaching your child to save

Pre-school (three - five years)

You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.

Early childhood (six - eight years)

Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.

Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)

Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.

Young teens (12 - 14 years)

Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.

Teenage (15 - 18 years)

Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.

Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)

Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.

* JP Morgan Private Bank 

Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
  • The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

UAE SQUAD

UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards

Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Review: Tomb Raider
Dir: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
​​​​​​​two stars

All the Money in the World

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer

Four stars