Let me just get this out of my chest: Protest isn’t a trend but more of a tool. And if you’re too cool to care, maybe it’s time to rethink what cool really means. After the September 21 rally across Metro Manila, I’ve been seeing a familiar line repeatedly posted online: “These rallies are pointless. Just wait for the next election.” As if democracy only happens every six years!? As if accountability has an expiration date!?
Well, spoiler alert: It doesn’t!
September 21 isn’t just any day. It’s National Protest Day and a date etched into our collective memory (or more of our parents’ memory) as the day Martial Law was declared in the Philippines. It’s a reminder of what happens when we stay silent, when we wait too long, when we let power go unchecked. So no, waiting for the next election isn’t an option for many.
We’re not just protesting for the sake of it. We’re demanding answers, action, and justice. Because while millions of Filipinos are working overtime, juggling side hustles, and stretching every peso, nepo babies and corrupt officials are living lavishly off our taxes. It’s both unfair and infuriating, especially when those funds could’ve been used for healthcare or even at least better modes of transportation. And if you think we should just “wait it out,” imagine telling someone to wait until a thief escapes before reporting or calling them out. That’s how absurd it sounds.
This rally wasn’t performative, too. It was personal. It was people showing up because they’re tired of being gaslit into thinking that their outrage is misplaced. It was millennials, Gen Z, and even boomers saying that we see what’s happening. We’re not okay with it and we want the government to do something about it.
This march and vocal posts online happened because there are people who care. Because we know that silence is complicity. Because we refuse to let history repeat itself. And it wasn’t just those on the streets! This movement echoed online, in tweets, reels, and threads. Even in virtual spaces like Roblox game rooms, people showed up, proving that protest now lives in every platform we occupy. Whether you held a placard, posted a story, or joined a digital rally, your voice mattered. We believe that real change doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from showing up, speaking out, and holding power accountable NOW.
So the next time someone says, “Just wait for the next election,” ask them: How many more stolen funds, shady deals, and lavish parties do you need to endure before it’s finally okay to speak up? Because if we don’t act now, we’re not just waiting, we’re enabling a doomed future. And for the love of God, there’s nothing wrong with protesting. There are protests because something is wrong. If you’re living a good life with or without accountability from the government, then good for you?? But for the rest of us out here who are trying to make ends meet on the daily, it’s a different story. Your silence may be comfortable, but it’s never courageous. And right now, courage is exactly what this country needs.
And before anyone twists my words, let me be clear: I do not condone violence nor do I support defacing of public property. Our collective rage is valid but it must be directed toward the systems, institutions, and individuals responsible for the injustices we’re calling out. Not toward the police doing their jobs, and definitely not toward the metal barricades lining the roads. Anger without direction is chaos. Anger with a purpose is how movements are born.
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