State of Emergency

As the President of the Republiuc of the Philippines declares a “State of Emergency”, and life goes on. The events of today ask Filipinos the question, do we deserve the freedom what we currently enjoy? If the events of today will be the basis then the answer would be no.

Filipinos have too much freedom.

Today we have just demonstrated the lack of respect the citizens have for the law, and I don’t mean the president.

While we as citizens of the republic are entitled to civil liberties and one of them is the freedom of speech and thought. Those who went to the streets today also have to respect the lives of many whom they have disrupted today. I, as a citizen of the republic also have the right to say no to what they have done and to what they have asked. They obstructed traffic and hampered the operations of numerous businesses and lives. That is time that can never be turned back or returned. All because they think they own the street. If they have no respect for those they aim to “liberate”. What
respect can they give the presidency.

As a President of a nation, she cannot just abandon or resign her elected post every time a group of people ask her to step down based on heresay and baseless allegations. It would mean that no one who would hold that position would get any work done. By stepping down, she would have failed the people who elected her and she would have failed the nation as well as the presidency.

Democracy is not just freedom. It also means respect. And that is something that Filipinos still have to work on. I just hope it doesn’t take another twenty years.