We can never attain absolute freedom if we're still a slave through the colonial mentality and feeling inferior to other races. The same thing is that we can't be free when our government is terrorizing and putting down its people.
That may be our very own story today. The state of our current societal freedom. A prisoner of faith and hope.
That's not what our valiant heroes have fought for, just to free us from hundreds of years of foreign invasion and rule. The pain and struggle may have left an imprint on our being as passed on the blood flowing from our veins by our Forefathers.
Today, Philippine society may have evolved through the years. The new generations of young Filipinos may have been detached from history but attached to the modern living of comfort and convenience.
Today's society, however, is still struggling with defending our freedom to be free in our speech. That's the freedom of expression being threatened to be taken away.
We can be the most law-abiding citizen, but that doesn't mean we will remain to be silent and blind to what's happening in the government; how it's being run affects the way we live. We follow the rules and regulations, but that doesn't mean we will also track and have a higher tolerance for wrongdoings, abuse of power, and rampant human rights violations.
The Philippine society today is at threat of losing its voice. The voice of the masses -- the powerless and the most vulnerable.
People critical of the government are being silenced through harassment and false accusations; the worst is detention. If this can happen to political personalities and mass media, it can happen to almost anyone with the most vital voice of dissent or opposition.
I believe we have a good democracy, but what happens when the government has massive power for manipulation, tripping, intimidation, and control. Slowly, public dissent is being killed. No more voice to speak up, or you may be served a sentence without due process of law.
Democracy is what this country survived and thrived for over a century; otherwise, we may still be a colony and in control of a mighty nation. But, with our excellent resistance to put an end to foreign rule, we became a winner -- we regained our independence and freedom.
People can now discern right and wrong, what is real or just manipulation. People can express their thoughts with higher judgment and discrimination.
If the government shuts us down, let us hold the line. We know our limits. The government must know its limits too. The power vested in our leaders comes from the people, and we can take it away from them. Eventually, management has to come to an end. It's always temporary.
It's when we know how to hold the line that we can protect ourselves and uphold our freedom. The freedom that we Filipinos deserve.
© 2020 Del Cusay
