People Power drives delivery of urgent reforms

 

By Manila Bulletin

Published Sep 23, 2025 12:05 am

The twin protest rallies held at Luneta and the People Power Monument this past weekend  — and similar mass actions in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro and other urban centers — evoked a compelling reminder. The spirit of People Power lives on;  citizens are seizing the initiative to demand accountability from those who betray the public trust.

Tens of thousands gathered at the Luneta, at the People Power Monument in Quezon City, and other major urban centers, not because of partisan calls, but because of a common sense of outrage. Billions of pesos have been lost to ghost flood control projects, and funds have been siphoned off into private pockets while communities remain defenseless against devastating floods.

These gatherings were not mere displays of anger. At their heart was a demand for swift justice and retribution against those who plundered public funds. In coming together, Filipinos demonstrated that People Power is not confined to a single moment in history but is a continuing tradition of vigilance and resistance against abuse.

The scandal that triggered the protests is a bitter irony. At a time when climate change is intensifying typhoons and rising waters, infrastructure meant to protect lives and livelihoods has been turned into a lucrative racket. ‘Ghost’ or poorly executed projects translate into flooded homes, ruined harvests, displaced families, and even lost lives.

The message from Luneta and EDSA could not be clearer. The wheels of justice must turn, and they must turn fast. Investigations cannot be allowed to languish in congressional hearings, or be mired in bureaucratic technicalities. Every delay in prosecution is a denial of justice.

The rallies also underscore the broader challenge of regaining public trust. Citizens who marched were not only demanding punishment for plunderers but also systemic reform. Transparent procurement processes, digital tracking of public works, and stronger community oversight are no longer optional. These are essential reforms that must be put into place right away. The independent commission on infrastructure created through executive order — or a stronger version legislated with real powers of audit, oversight, and prosecution — should fast-track prosecution to deliver long-delayed justice and appease the public wrath.

The lesson from our Asian neighbors is sobering. In Nepal and Indonesia, public outrage over corruption and failed infrastructure boiled over into violent upheavals. The Philippines need not tread that path. By institutionalizing accountability and marshalling vigilance over public funds, anger may be channeled into reform, not unrest; renewal, not revolt.

The creation of an independent commission on infrastructure — or a stronger version legislated with real powers of audit, oversight, and prosecution — is an imperative social reform. Such a body, insulated from partisan politics and backed by citizen participation, could ensure the integrity of public works and restore faith in the government’s capacity to serve the common good.

The lesson from our neighbors is sobering. In Nepal and Indonesia, public outrage over corruption and failed infrastructure boiled over into violent upheavals. The Philippines need not tread that path. People Power is not only about toppling regimes. It is about establishing systems that make betrayal of trust harder, swifter to detect, and surer to punish. That is how the government is held accountable and how democracy endures.