Strengthened stronghold in Bisaya territory: Exploring Cebu's transformation into a Duterte stronghold
In the 2016 Philippine elections, a significant shift was observed in the support for former President Rodrigo Duterte, particularly in the region of Cebu. The 'Bisaya Na Pud' movement, led by Anthony Gerard 'Jonji' Gonzales, a former Duterte appointee, emerged as a powerful force on social media, capitalising on regional pride and the sheer number of Bisaya families in Luzon.
The movement, which means 'I am a Bisaya', leveraged over 20 Cebuano Facebook pages managed by young volunteers, reaching millions of followers. One of the key elements that propelled the movement was a viral clip of Duterte speaking in Cebuano, which garnered over 900,000 views, 1,200 comments, and 46,000 shares.
The 'Bisaya Na Pud' movement framed Duterte's campaign as a Bisaya-led crusade to unite Cebuanos and Mindanaoans behind Duterte. This narrative resonated with many, as Duterte's Bisaya roots were seen as a long-awaited break from the dominance of leaders who did not speak the language. Indeed, no Cebuano-speaking leader had become president since 1944.
Duterte's victory in Cebu was a significant reversal from the dominance of Mar Roxas in 2010. The support for Duterte was also amplified by the Philippines' 'architects of disinformation', who are capable of swaying upcoming polls through fake news, as warned by political scientist Cleo Anne Calimbahin.
A pro-Duterte vlogger named Jun Abines posted a poem titled 'I Am Digong' on Facebook in 2025, which gained over 8,500 reactions, 506 comments, and 4,900 shares. The emotionally charged poem, written in Duterte's voice, has fuelled sympathy among Duterte loyalists. The comment with the most reactions suggests that the commenter cried while reading it and felt anger over Duterte's situation.
The poem was reshared in groups like Kitty Duterte Updates and Barug Sugbo Updates, part of a broader wave of content aiming to rehabilitate Duterte's image. The 'skin and bones' image mentioned by the top commenter has been fact-checked as AI-generated, but continues to circulate widely.
Marjuice Destinado, a senior political science student at Cebu Normal University and the feature editor of Ang Suga, CNU's official student publication, has been at the forefront of reporting on this digital crusade. Destinado is also an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of a website mentioned in this article for 2025.
Today, there are more than 50 Facebook groups in Cebu that support former President Duterte, a testament to the enduring influence of the 'Bisaya Na Pud' movement. The movement's impact serves as a reminder of the power of social media in shaping political narratives and mobilising support.
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