One thing I proved during the presidential campaign of then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is that authenticity really is the best strategy. It was his brash talk, macho humor, and kitschy fashion that incited feelings of discomfort in some – but ended up endearing him to the majority of voters. It was very easy to frame this as his strength. He didn’t mince words, and he was unabashedly himself at all times. In short, he was always his authentic self. This brand of authenticity was what the Duterte Communications Team capitalized on, and which helped led to the first Mindanaoan President in our history. He was far from the cookie-cutter politico that everyone was used to, and instead of hiding all his flaws, we