As the conflict among our country’s political leaders escalates and reaches a melodramatic turn, who is left doing the actual work of making our lives better? Who is solving our real and urgent problems? Who is thinking of innovative ways to get us out of the mess we are in?
Before we get carried away and plot another “people power,” let us carefully think and analyze what this conflict is all about. Is this about us and our country? Or is it just about them?
We have to remember that those personalities feuding now used to call themselves “uniteam” and were all chummy-chummy when their interests were aligned.
When we were scratching our heads at the unlikely tandem of a Marcos and a Duterte, these politicians assured us that they were setting the example for unity. That division among Filipinos is not good for development and for our country to have an “umagang kay ganda,” we need to unite.
And because they seemed “cute” together — the union of the north and the south — we ignored the warning signs of two “nepo” babies, both offsprings of “strongmen,” who grew up privileged but with childhood trauma running our country post-pandemic.
We were caught up in the fairy tale of two kingdoms uniting and saving the world that we did not bother looking for a detailed plan of action how they will jointly lead us to the Bagong Pilipinas.
And now our “Uniteam” parents are going through a bitter separation a la “War of the Roses” (the 1989 Michael Douglas-KathleenTurner movie) and we are collateral damage. Who gets what in the divorce? Who will have full custody of the children? Or are they dividing us and making us choose?
This separation is not even about us, it is just about them. It is not because of any fundamental differences in policy or principle (because the basis for unity in the first place was just to win an election).
They just stopped being friends and are now accusing each other of corruption and incompetence. It is a contest of who spent the most money without following the rules. It is a showdown of who is more “astig” and who is more clever in using the existing system to their advantage and how much they can get away with pushing the boundaries.
When two factions of elites are in conflict, they often use their influence to rally support for their side, framing the struggle as a matter of ideological or existential importance.
The nation is divided because the elites have the power to shape public opinion, whether through media influence, political leverage, or financial resources. These divisions are exacerbated by social media, news outlets, and public discourse, where narratives become more extreme and polarized.
If we pay attention to the messages from the fighting camps, they revolve around “Protect the President” or “Protect the Vice-President.” The people are being asked to take sides to protect the two leaders. Prayer vigils. Wear black. Light candles. Follow the chain of command and the rule of law. Etcetera. If the people are protecting our leaders, who is protecting the people?
This madness needs to stop now.
The people did not ask them to form a uniteam. They decided that because they all wanted to win and be in power. They did not set the framework of their partnership and how the people will benefit from their joint leadership because that was not the point of their “unity.” They did not even think of us when they were allocating the resources, the opportunities, and the power among themselves and their allies.
And now that they realize they had nothing in common and they hate each other’s guts, they expect us to take sides now and worse, protect them? From what? From themselves?
If we are indeed in a democracy, then it is supposed to be the government of the people, for the people, and by the people. Then why did it just become all about the President, the First Lady, the Vice-President, and the Speaker of the House? The gang of four. Ang apat na sikat.
They are making a spectacle of themselves and have no shame whatsoever to fight in front of all of us and the rest of the world. They act like this is their show and we are mere spectators, not the people they are supposed to serve.
When are we getting the attention we deserve? When will our stories be told? When will our voices be heard? When will these privileged politicians shut up about their own problems and start focusing on solving ours?
This is not our conflict. This is not our issue. We should start reclaiming our space and asserting our power and show these warring elites who is the real boss in this country. That is the real people power. Organizing ourselves and relying on our own strength to transform our country together. Not to install another perceived messiah. Because nobody will be good enough for a very bad system.
If our structures and institutions remain the same, we will have the same problems regardless of who gets elected as leaders. Even if we pray everyday and offer masses and become good citizens, our rotten system will still take us all to hell if we do not change it.
If we continue to think that change depends on whoever is President (or Vice-President or Speaker or Governor or Mayor) then we will always be vulnerable to “budol.” The better marketer (or bullshitter) will always win.
They are putting on this ridiculous show to keep us entertained and distracted from learning how to analyze and think critically. So we will not think that we have the real power. Once we get our act together as empowered citizens, they can all go to hell without dragging us with them. ###
