As of this writing, there are several rallies scheduled for tomorrow. An important group is the education sector which has issued a unity statement against poverty, corruption and impunity. Here is their manifesto:
“The current political crisis in the country has only exposed the dire situation the nation finds itself in. And educators, whether as professors, teachers, school administrators or education support personnel, are not immune to the worsening socio-economic situation in the country. As the chasm between the camps of the Marcoses and the Dutertes deepen, the challenge for ordinary Filipinos is not to choose either side but to hold both of these groups accountable.
“We therefore call on our fellow Filipinos to join us and forge a unity against poverty, corruption and impunity. We encourage that more public fora and informal discussions of socio-political issues be held, whether in schools or in communities.
“We ask all freedom-loving citizens to be with us at Liwasang Bonifacio on 31 January 2025 as we all take a stand in demanding accountability from our government. We are also inviting fellow professors, teachers, administrators, students, researchers and school-based staff and employees to sign this online petition and share it with their colleagues in the education sector.”
There is a long list of signatories attached to this manifesto. Among the lead signatories are Br. Bernard Oca FSC, president, De La Salle University; Assistant professor Emerito Gonzalez, president, UST Faculty Union; Professor Early Sol Gadong, faculty regent, UP System; Engr. Ramir Cruz, faculty regent, president, PUP Federation of Faculty Associations Inc.; and Bryan Lim Corpuz, president, St. Scholastica’s College HS Faculty Association.
The cause is definitely worthwhile as the nation has become overburdened by corruption in all levels of government. There is also the potential influence, if properly organized, to become a national movement. The challenge is also to motivate the student sector to become an active participant in this crusade.
It should be emphasized that this group is presenting an alternative to those who are disillusioned with the two major political groups that are actually family dynasties – the Marcoses and the Dutertes.
This is a call that is worth answering.
There is another group called “Clergy and Citizens for Good Governance” that will have a People’s Rally and Concert on Jan. 31, 2-8 p.m. at the EDSA Shrine. Its manifesto says that the group rejects corruption in all forms and “demands accountability from the Marcoses, the Dutertes and our Congress.” This group has also added a call for impeaching Sara Duterte and for the government to cooperate with the ICC in the investigation and prosecution of “former president Duterte and his ilk.”
I hope that the different groups organizing protests against corruption and demanding accountability should find a way to unite their efforts into a single movement.
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Last week, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Maria Ressa addressed the participants in the Jubilee of the World of Communications at the Vatican. Her address carried a momentous message, especially for the media and all communicators. It was also a warning about the dangers of social media and what she calls Big Tech.
Maria Ressa has some warnings in her speech. “The Jubilee comes at a time when the world is upside down; when what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right… In 2018, an MIT study showed that lies spread six times faster on social media and that was before Elon Musk bought Twitter. You tell a lie a million times, it becomes a fact. If you make people believe lies are facts, then you can control them.”
Ressa offers four suggestions:
1. Collaborate – build and strengthen trust now to close the fractured lines of society that information operation will try to pound open, pitting us against each other.
2. Speak truth with moral clarity – silence in the face of injustice is complicity…demand transparency and accountability from those who control our public information ecosystems – from governments to Big Tech to media.
3. Protect the most vulnerable – support journalists, human rights defenders and activists who risk their lives… Our collective vigilance can prevent the normalization of hate.
4. Recognize your power – building peace is not reserved for heroes; it’s the collective work of people who refuse to accept and live lies.
“Pilgrims of Hope” is the theme for the 2025 Jubilee Year of the Catholic Church. It is a time to renew faith, to embark on pilgrimages, to repent and forgive others and to renew focus on the spiritual life. It traditionally takes place every 25 years and this time, began on Dec. 24, 2024 to Jan. 6, 2026.
Pope Francis says on the theme, “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.”
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Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com