Twin Plagues

A gripping account of how authoritarian leadership and a global pandemic devastated one nation's economy—told by an economist who lived through the crisis.

What happens when a deadly virus meets a deadly strongman?

Twin Plagues tells the story of the Philippines under Rodrigo Duterte and Covid-19—two forces that ravaged the country in tandem. Economist and columnist JC Punongbayan likens Duterte himself to a virus that hijacked the state and eroded its democracy's immune system. His rule hollowed out institutions, deepened inequality, and killed thousands even before the pandemic hit.

So when Covid-19 arrived, the impact was predictably catastrophic. The Philippines endured one of the world's longest lockdowns, its worst recession since the 1980s, and ASEAN's sharpest pandemic slump—pushing the economy on a permanently lower path.

Blending data with personal insight, Twin Plagues exposes the real and lasting costs of Duterte's misgovernance from 2016 to 2022, while dismantling the myths and misconceptions that sanitize his legacy and paint him as the 'best president ever'. Above all, the book offers a stern warning: Despots don't just kill—they derail nations, set them back decades, and condemn future generations to live with the wreckage.