Democracy on the line
Freedom is no easy matter.
Freedom, Liberty, and Democracy are never freely given – these are seized, won, and molded from the countless struggles by the Filipino people. Thus, these require constant vigilance to ensure it does not stray from the hands of the public.
The power of the people, as espoused by democracy, is enshrined in the constitution. But when the very institutions tasked to protect its sanctity have tipped its fragile balance, the onus is on us to protect and sustain this legacy.
Today, as we celebrate the International Day of Democracy, Filipinos must question who truly holds authority in the nation. We must face the bitter truth that while the nation is democratic by name, it may not always be in practice.
Thousands have been mercilessly killed in the name of a doomed campaign. Their children and families left with nothing to fend for themselves. Journalists are harassed and threatened, while voices of dissent are erased under the pretense of law.
These acts of political persecution, undue process, and ceaseless human rights violations mar our democracy. These chip away at the legacy of the thousands who have died fighting for the rights we enjoy now – the very rights that are being robbed from us.
These, however, do not make our country and its future any less worth fighting for.
A flawed democracy is a democracy, still. It is only up to the citizens to demand what is rightfully theirs. As the Philippines continues to craft its image of governance, its countrymen must not tire of serving as the checks and balances for its institutions.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government” and Filipinos are not known for their silence.
Ours is an unyielding voice, a fervent fight. When democracy hangs on the line, first we speak, and then we struggle. #
#InternationalDayofDemocracy2018 #DemocracyDay #IDD #ResistTyranny #StandUpForHumanRights