What are my prospects and limits of my power as a citizen?

It’s a ‘WE’ problem, not a ‘YOU’ problem

Citizens of a democratic country have the privilege of “freedom of speech and expression” than
countries who are not practicing democracy. However, when a democratic country is led by an
authoritarian, do we still have the power to exercise our right to express our frustrations and
dissents against the government?

I have often seen and heard people, mostly older people, condemn people protesting in the
streets as they are just creating noise and obstructing public places. What these people do not
realize is that these protesters, mostly young people, are using their power as citizens to voice
out their opinions and call out the overnment’s lack of accountabilty, or even on matters worse
than that. We, Filipinos, have this duty and responsibility to speak for those who cannot speak
and stand for themselves. These acts are not merely for their self-interests but for the welfare of
the people. Because despite the freedoms that we have, we cannot control how the government
works because of the deeply-rooted problems in our system. The things we can do to improve
society are limited as the politicians are the ones who control most of our fate. Regardless of
being a victim of a corrupt system, it should not discourage us from trying our best to change
the status quo. We might be led by an authoritarian leader who abuses the rule of law by using it
against us, but we cannot deny the fact that citizens, or people in general, still hold significant
power that can turn tables. The least we can do is to exercise our obligations and fight for our
rights and for the betterment of the people.

So remember, everytime you see a group of people rallying in the streets, marching and
chanting in unison, remember that THEY are fighting for OUR problems.

This serves as a reminder to register to vote and to cast your votes on the nearing 2022
elections. What might seem impossible might become possible if we do it collectively.