Araw ng Paglaya

"We cannot free ourselves unless we move forward united in a single desire." - Emilio Aguinaldo




We all have our own complaints against government and the people in it. We all have our own issues of politics and governance which are close to our heart. And while many of us opt not to put any political color on our thoughts and opinions regarding our quality of life, politics and governance are inherently shaping the way we live our lives and seek to improve it.

The employee who toils under the scorching sun while waiting to board the MRT knows that there is a huge problem in our transport system. It stares her on the face everyday when she goes to work.

The solo parent who stretches a meager salary to cover food, utilities, education and other basic expenses knows that there is a problem in our economy, in the way people do business in this country, regardless of all the surveys and measures bragging economic growth.

The taxi driver who is on the streets, sometimes for 24 hours straight, knows our public infrastructure woes by heart. He cannot help but shake his head at every pothole, every road closure and every dark street he passes which would have been pitch black if not for his headlights.

Even the student who enjoys a few privileges from the government knows that this is but a fraction of whatever her parents give up as taxes every month. Her young mind cannot fully understand why a universal human right such as education comes at such high a price.

Because of these "individual concerns and issues", we as citizens march to the beat of our own drums, isolated from each other by our own mindset that "this my life, this is my problem". Nagkakanya-kanya tayo dahil ang akala natin, kanya-kanya ang mga problema natin. Ang akala natin, mag-isa nating dinadala ang mga suliraning akala natin ay atin lang.

What we do not realize is that we are not alone in this. Millions brave the summer heat just to take the train to work everyday. Mas marami pang iba ang pilit na pinagkakasya ang sahod nila sa mga pang-araw-araw nilang pangangailangan. At higit pang nakararami ang hindi man lang sumasahod at nakaasa lamang sa pamamalimos at kung anu-ano pang klase ng paghingi ng tulong. Even more millions are affected by the poor roads or the complete absence thereof, which hinder their travel, limit their earnings and in the end, shorten their horizons.

What makes things worse is many of us suffer in silence. Hundreds of years of cultural suppression have muted our people into submission. As a people, we think it is of no use to make our complaints heard because nothing will come of it.

Ilang beses na nga naman bang nangyaring wala namang naparusahan sa pagkakamaling ginawa sa mga Pilipino. Our history is replete with accounts of people getting away with wrongs against citizens. Worse, the possibility of going unpunished is directly proportional to the amount of wealth one possesses. We have come to believe that justice is only for the rich; and punishment, for the poor. Mahihirap lang ang nakukulong sa bayang ito.

Years of suppression, of the absence of accountability, of compelled ignorance have blinded us to the real power that we have in our own hands. We have been left unaware of the strength that we have as citizens. Binobo tayo at pinahina ng kasaysayan ng paulit-ulit na pagnanakaw at pang-aabuso.

Panahon na para magising ang higanteng natutulog sa puso ng bawat Pilipino. Panahon na para maningil sa mga nagkasala.

Ngunit marami ang nananatiling kimi dahil hindi sila naniniwalang karahasan ang sagot sa mga suliranin ng ating lipunan. Hindi naman kailangang manaig ang karahasan para lamang makapaningil tayo. Kailanma'y hindi naging matagumpay na sagot ang karahasan upang isaayos ang isang sistemang nabubulok dahil sa mga bulok ding bahagi nito.

What we need to do is to demand more from the people we put in office to govern us. To not make them forget that they are there because of the people they serve, that they are not gods that we serve and worship. To make them realize that we can easily take away the privilege we have given them to be our public servants.

Kailangang ipadama natin sa kanilang sa atin nanggagaling ang kapangyarihang bumubuhay sa gobyerno.

Tama na ang paghahari-harian at pagpapasasa sa kaban ng bayan. Napapanahong baguhin natin ang kasaysayan ng bayang ito. Huwag na tayong papayag na tayo ang sunud-sunuran sa mga kapritso nila.

The Filipino people need closure. We need a justice system that metes out punishment to those who wrong us, so that no more employee, solo parent, taxi driver or student will be left wondering why they have to suffer from these abuses all their lives.

And we need not suffer in silence. We need only to speak up collectively, united in a single desire to remind them that they are not the people in power. We are.

Lumabas ka. Baguhin mo ang kuwento mo. Ngayon ay araw ng ating paglaya.



(Photo by Michelle Estor, Mall of Asia Arena Annex LED)