For centuries—reformists, revolutionaries, heroes—have sacrificed their lives in hopes for a better Philippines. Yet, with all that sacrifice and undying hope for a sunrise they will never see, the country has yet to witness the change it has been fighting for ever since.
When will the sacrifices be worth it?
Figures such as Jose "Dimasalang" Rizal, Edgar "Edjop" Jopson, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., and many more people whose names are etched on gravestones have exhausted their hope just to wage on change to the system.
However, change has yet to be settled in the system, ideologies have not been dismantled, and power is still in the wrong hands. With this long-running disease poisoning the country, the hope of the Filipino people is slowly dimming.
When will we know when to stop?
As the fire—hope—continues to weaken, so is the noise. The noise that continues to voice, preach, and call out the sickness from within. Once the noise is silenced, this will only amplify the sickness within.
Many Filipinos have chosen to stay out of the fight, to stay in-between—to keep neutral. But neutrality becomes our weakness, neutrality is already giving up the chance of change.
When will it be enough?
With the prominence of neutrality, when will the country open its eyes to see that without the noise, we are just letting the disease thrive. That picking the easier way out would do anything when it only prolongs the real solutions and blinds us from the realities.
More often than not, voters opt to choose the names already familiar to them, those who have deemed themselves the "saviors" of the lands, and those who—long before the elections, have already built their place on the ballot.
Who are we fighting for?
As a democratic country rooted in its culture and values, politicians exploit these. Citing the "utang na loob" mentality, showing up after the disaster, and becoming the only choice we can afford. This leaves us with nothing left but them, creating a cycle that forces us into the said neutrality.
The question remains—as we continue staying neutral, choosing the easier choices, and letting the disease grow—who are we doing this for?
Who are we loyal to, the politicians or the country?
In moments where the monster grows stronger than ever, we are given the chance to ponder. Are we choosing the betterment of our country or are we simply feeding the monsters themselves?
Once we stop staying neutral, it opens a door to the choices we have been searching for. It switches the spotlight from the politicians towards the Filipino people. We can finally see the needs of our country, we can finally make a choice.
Who is the country for?
The moment the clouds part and gives us a clear view of what's real, we are reminded of the reasons why we fought in the first place.
This fight is not only for us but for the people who will come after us and the generations that will outlive us. Moreover, the efforts of the past will not be in vain once we begin to remember them and swear that the system will never repeat, never again.
Once we stop questioning, once we stop doubting and start believing in the cause, that is the only time where change will find its spark back.
"The voice of a million starts with one."
Noise does not start with hundreds at once, it begins with one. It starts when someone chooses their country, someone who speaks, and someone who has had enough.
"If not now, when? If not me, who?"
There is no criteria to determine who gets the first nor the last say. It can start with anyone, no matter the social class, gender, or standing. Change does not get to choose, we do.
"Oppression is the mask of fear."
Once the conundrum finds its footing again, the ones in power will be the one cowering in fear. There is nothing more powerful than the force of the masses. In a democratic country, the voices of the people is power.
"Hope is the fuel of change."
And as we finally begin hoping again, we can finally begin sparking change. A wildfire grows because of a spark. A spark does not burn without fuel. And that fuel is in our hands.
Let our fuel be the efforts of the past, the fight that began centuries ago, and the determination to cure this sickness that has been thriving ever since.
As we continue to see our people, to hope for the future generation, and to change our mindsets, we can burn brighter than ever. The spark has always been with us—we just have to ignite it.
For centuries—reformists, revolutionaries, heroes—have sacrificed their lives in hopes for a better Philippines. Yet, with all that sacrifice and undying hope for a sunrise they will never see, the country has yet to witness the change it has been fighting for ever since.
When will the sacrifices be worth it?
Figures such as Jose "Dimasalang" Rizal, Edgar "Edjop" Jopson, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., and many more people whose names are etched on gravestones have exhausted their hope just to wage on change to the system.
However, change has yet to be settled in the system, ideologies have not been dismantled, and power is still in the wrong hands. With this long-running disease poisoning the country, the hope of the Filipino people is slowly dimming.
When will we know when to stop?
As the fire—hope—continues to weaken, so is the noise. The noise that continues to voice, preach, and call out the sickness from within. Once the noise is silenced, this will only amplify the sickness within.
Many Filipinos have chosen to stay out of the fight, to stay in-between—to keep neutral. But neutrality becomes our weakness, neutrality is already giving up the chance of change.
When will it be enough?
With the prominence of neutrality, when will the country open its eyes to see that without the noise, we are just letting the disease thrive. That picking the easier way out would do anything when it only prolongs the real solutions and blinds us from the realities.
More often than not, voters opt to choose the names already familiar to them, those who have deemed themselves the "saviors" of the lands, and those who—long before the elections, have already built their place on the ballot.
Who are we fighting for?
As a democratic country rooted in its culture and values, politicians exploit these. Citing the "utang na loob" mentality, showing up after the disaster, and becoming the only choice we can afford. This leaves us with nothing left but them, creating a cycle that forces us into the said neutrality.
The question remains—as we continue staying neutral, choosing the easier choices, and letting the disease grow—who are we doing this for?
Who are we loyal to, the politicians or the country?
In moments where the monster grows stronger than ever, we are given the chance to ponder. Are we choosing the betterment of our country or are we simply feeding the monsters themselves?
Once we stop staying neutral, it opens a door to the choices we have been searching for. It switches the spotlight from the politicians towards the Filipino people. We can finally see the needs of our country, we can finally make a choice.
Who is the country for?
The moment the clouds part and gives us a clear view of what's real, we are reminded of the reasons why we fought in the first place.
This fight is not only for us but for the people who will come after us and the generations that will outlive us. Moreover, the efforts of the past will not be in vain once we begin to remember them and swear that the system will never repeat, never again.
Once we stop questioning, once we stop doubting and start believing in the cause, that is the only time where change will find its spark back.
"The voice of a million starts with one."
Noise does not start with hundreds at once, it begins with one. It starts when someone chooses their country, someone who speaks, and someone who has had enough.
"If not now, when? If not me, who?"
There is no criteria to determine who gets the first nor the last say. It can start with anyone, no matter the social class, gender, or standing. Change does not get to choose, we do.
"Oppression is the mask of fear."
Once the conundrum finds its footing again, the ones in power will be the one cowering in fear. There is nothing more powerful than the force of the masses. In a democratic country, the voices of the people is power.
"Hope is the fuel of change."
And as we finally begin hoping again, we can finally begin sparking change. A wildfire grows because of a spark. A spark does not burn without fuel. And that fuel is in our hands.
Let our fuel be the efforts of the past, the fight that began centuries ago, and the determination to cure this sickness that has been thriving ever since.
As we continue to see our people, to hope for the future generation, and to change our mindsets, we can burn brighter than ever. The spark has always been with us—we just have to ignite it.
