This very famous line, often mistakenly attributed to Thomas Jefferson (but actually a paraphrase of John Philpot Curran), is very timely these days, given the storms and stresses bedeviling our Republic.
We, the sovereign Filipino citizenry, have expressed our disgust both online and in the parliament of the streets, but our outrage should not, and must not, stop there. Anger and rage must be channeled towards more productive action.
What action, exactly? A lot are asking. It’s a fair question — after all, active citizenship and civic engagement are not really taught. Luckily, this is something I’ve learned this past decade. I am a proud member of GoodGovPH, a youth and youth-serving civic organization, which expressed it best: “Mula SK hanggang Malacañang, wakasan ang katiwalian!” (End corruption, starting with Sangguniang Kabataan and all the way to Malacañang!)
So what exactly can the youth do to fight corruption? We can start hyperlocal.
Barangays are inherently powerful, so, for starters, go to your barangay, and find out where your share in the national taxes (formerly called IRA or Internal Revenue Allotment, now called NTA or National Tax Allocation) went. You have a right, duty, and obligation to do this for the mere fact that it is our money.
Remember what the Constitution says in Article XI, Section 1 (Accountability of Public Officers): “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”
They, whether elected or appointed, work for us. If you need more legal basis, Section 395(e)(5) of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code, mandates that it is part of the barangay treasurer’s duties to “render a written accounting report of all barangay funds and property under his custody at the end of each calendar year, and ensure that such report shall be made available to the members of the barangay assembly and other government agencies concerned.”
Who are the members of the barangay assembly? All of us — whether you like it or not, if you’ve been living in your barangay for at least six months, and are 15 years of age or older. You do not need to be a registered voter!
More relevantly, DILG Memorandum Circular 2025-065, issued July 3, 2025, exhorts ALL local government units “to serve as frontrunners in promoting open government and ensure that open government values are embedded in government policies and programs.”
Proclamation 599, series of 2018, of the President of the Philippines declared the Saturdays and Sundays of March and October as Barangay Assembly Days.
What is the Barangay Assembly? I’ve written about it here, and here. It’s a mini-House of Representatives in all our barangays, where we are all mini-congresspersons. We can:
If you are part of the youth, you are automatically a member of your Katipunan ng Kabataan, the youth assembly in your barangay. Section 5b of Republic Act 10742, the SK Reform Act of 2015, mandates the Katipunan ng Kabataan to “[serve] as the highest policy-making body to decide on matters affecting the youth in the barangay. As such, the Sangguniang Kabataan shall consult and secure the concurrence of the Katipunan ng Kabataan in the formulation of all its, programs, plans and activities.”
One of the greatest maladies affecting the Filipino people is learned helplessness: Sino ba naman ako, mag-isa lang naman ako, ano naman ang magagawa ko? (I am nothing, and I’m just one person — what difference can I make?)
Let’s stop there for many reasons, among them: Diego and Gabriela Silang, Gomez, Burgos, Zamora, Rizal, Bonifacio, Jacinto, Teresa Magbanua, Melchora Aquino, and many other ordinary Filipinos who did heroic acts for the the country. They made an impact simply because they chose to act, never mind the odds stacked against them.
Let’s go back to the Constitution. Its preamble reads:
We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.
That’s the mission statement right there, as well as the vision. Note that it begins with, “We, the sovereign Filipino people”. Tayo ‘yan. Lahat tayong Pilipino ang dapat nasusunod.
Article II, Declaration of Principles and State Policies, Section 1 of the Constitution, says:
The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.
The point here is that you do not need to be elected or appointed to any public office; we, inherently, whether we like it or not, already possess and exercise the office of citizen — and THAT is all the power and authority we need.
These are just some of the things we can do now, today, if we are truly serious and committed towards doing our part in eradicating corruption and taking our country back. It starts in our respective communities. It ultimately starts with us, with you — if onlu you would choose to lead in your own little way.
So, what’s it going to be? Hanggang protesta na lang ba tayo? (Is protesting the only thing we are willing to do?) I’d say, #DontWaitParticipate. – Rappler.com
