People power in South Korea

We Filipinos love South Korea for its K-drama, BTS, K-beauty and fashion trends and Korean food.

K-drama’s popularity in the Philippines, in fact, baffled two government officials. Senator Jinggoy Estrada floated the idea of banning these shows in the country, which he later withdrew, after it met fiery criticisms from the K-drama fandom. On the other hand, Senator Robin Padilla said he was dumbfounded why Filipinos are smitten with K-drama actors, remarking in jest that his nose has not gone through plastic surgery, a dig to South Korea, which has been dubbed as the cosmetic surgery capital of the world.

I would personally add another item to the growing list of things to admire in South Korea. This is: South Korea’s vibrant democracy.

On Dec. 3, 2024, at 10:23 p.m., embattled South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law for the first time in 44 years. This declaration came amid his party and the opposition party’s discussion over the country’s budget. Sounds eerily familiar?!

President Yoon defended his action, citing the threat of “shameless, pro-North Korean anti-state forces,” without offering any evidence to back up his claim.

The National Assembly, meanwhile, revoked the martial law, which lasted about six hours, forcing President Yoon to lift his earlier declaration.

On Dec. 14, President Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly and had been suspended from his duties.

A Constitutional Court, composed of six justices, has been given 180 days to decide whether the President will be removed from office or restored to his position.

Prior to his short-lived martial law, protests against Yoon’s administration have been growing because of his handling of the economy, rising prices, among others. Adding to his unpopularity are allegations surrounding his wife, First Lady Kim Keon Hee.

In the Philippines, the budget debacle in the last month of 2024 gave rise to massive public uproar, including loud ire from the normally silent Dilawans. For the first time, we have seen a common issue – a common ground – that galvanized the Diehard Duterte Supporters and the Dilawans.

As of now, there is still no end to the public uproar generated by the bastardized budget. Our people are not fools to see the unchecked greed of our lawmakers, which was casually dismissed by a clueless and out-of-touch PBBM as simply noise.

Vice President Sara has apprised our people of the rottenness of our budget system, and so the public is aware that PBBM failed to moderate the greed of his first cousin and childhood best friend, Speaker Martin Romualdez, and the latter’s loyal factotum, Bicol Party-list Representative Elizaldy Co. This is Bagong Pilipinas in its darkest times.

I am often asked: can the people follow the South Korean example and fire a badly performing president? The answer is a definite Yes. As a matter of fact, the 1987 Philippine Constitution is the fruit of the People Power Revolution of 1986.

The Philippines is ripe for leadership change. The present status quo, to use the word of Vice President Inday Sara Duterte, is “hopeless,” a state and sentiment echoed by the Filipino people, when Social Weather Stations reported that Filipinos have entered 2025 with the lowest level of New Year hopefulness recorded in 15 years.

Ultimately, the success of any people power movement lies with the people. We have recently witnessed this in the streets of Seoul, where hundreds of people, under freezing winter temperatures, gathered in protest at the South Korean National Assembly calling for the resignation or impeachment of President Yoon, whose popularity ratings have plummeted after only two years in office. This gives me a sense of envy: if the South Koreans can do it, there is no doubt the Filipinos can do it. After all, the Philippines is the birth place of the modern people power movement in the world.

The question remains: when will the Filipinos reach their tipping point and put a stop to the greatest political budol of the 21st century? When do we march to the streets and say enough is enough of this high addiction to power?

Thus, those planning to impose martial law, consider yourselves warned. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin called me a malicious person when I said that the ouster of Vice President Sara in the National Security Council (NSC) is a prelude to martial law. He reasoned out that what is in the mind of PBBM is the economic prosperity of the country. Economic prosperity, my foot, the list of lies and broken promises keeps on growing. Self-rated poverty is at its highest in 21 years.

I maintain my stance that the removal of VP Sara in the NSC is part of the sinister Marcos Forever plan through martial law. Marcos Jr. simply wanted to be surrounded by Yes, Sir members of the council.

VP Sara is not a national security threat. The real national security threat is the abuse of power by the Marcos-Araneta-Romualdez triumvirate.

Having said this, now is the time to act and take back what is rightfully ours – a comfortable and safe life for all, day and night. Let us give credit to Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) for leading the way towards our path of a proud, prosperous and peaceful Philippines.

By calling for peace, the INC has, indeed, assumed the role of the genuine voice of the Filipino people who are muted in silence, watching in shock the robbery of our government institutions.

Destiny, as the cliché goes, favors the brave. We are the brave descendants of Lapu-Lapu, Gabriela Silang, Tandang Sora, Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal. Let us not miss our Jan. 13 rendezvous with destiny. See you on Monday at the National Rally for Peace.