I Am a Hero: A Manifesto for Moral Transformation

OPINION | Letter to the Editor Posted on 2025-09-10 19:13:50

Introduction – My Journey

Almost four decades ago, I became an activist in college. Like many of my generation, I searched for truth and meaning in a nation struggling to define its soul. I was a youthful dreamer, waving the banner of freedom and questioning the narratives forced upon us.

I believed in the greatness of the Philippines not only because of its natural wealth, but because of its people, culture, and heritage. I believed in the courage of our ancestors, who resisted conquerors that sought to enslave our people and exploit our land. Yet I also saw how we were taught to be subservient to foreign powers and their knowledge, as if we could only rise by standing under them.

This tension between our heritage and our reality shaped me. It forged my voice as an activist, and later, my conviction as a nationalist.

The History We Lived

In those years, history was already being distorted. We were told we had democracy, yet we remained in the shadow of conquerors and oligarchs. The system was controlled by a few, politicians became pawns, and the people were trapped in a government matrix designed to keep power in the hands of elites.

I watched fellow activists rise to prominence. Some became legislators, even senators. Many began with a cry for truth and justice, but too often, they were slowly consumed by the very system they once opposed. I remember stories from comrades in the field fighters enduring salt and water for survival, while commander on top of anarchy lived in luxury. Ideology turned into disillusionment, and many who sacrificed their youth found themselves abandoned, forgotten, or corrupted.

Decades passed, and the same cycle repeated. Some comrades became bodyguards for political crooks, some disappeared, others died with only broken promises left behind.

I thank God I chose a different way.

Lessons from Activism

I realized that true change is not sustained in the streets or in the jungle. Real change must happen where communities live and breathe. For years, I stumbled, fell, and got back up again. Failure became my greatest teacher, resilience my sharpest weapon.

I learned that every battle in life must be fought with strategy. Every hardship is not just suffering but a curve on the path of learning. And every loss, if understood, becomes the foundation of true strength.

The Reality Today

Now, I look at the Philippines and see how corruption has evolved into a norm. Syndicates within government agencies, political crooks in collusion with private interests, and the systematic plundering of public funds have become daily realities.

It is no longer just about broken governance it is about the erosion of morality. Some of our leaders no longer hide their greed; they flaunt it. Our people no longer rage against corruption; many accept it. And when corruption becomes “normal,” a nation is already dying.

I once thought of leaving the Philippines. Many times, I tried. But something always held me back: love of country. My prayer has always been for God to guide me—to show me where I belong and how I may still serve.

The Digital Matrix & the Youth

Today, our youth live not in the real world, but in a digital matrix. Technology, though powerful, has enslaved rather than liberated.

Ask ten college students about the state of government, and most cannot tell you more than fragments. They live in their cellphones, not in the struggles of the nation. They consume information without reflection, opinions without truth. Fake news and propaganda blend seamlessly with entertainment.

Worse, they no longer exercise the mind. Instead of thinking, they search. Instead of solving, they rely on algorithms. Instead of reflecting, they scroll endlessly. Their neurons are silent while their phones dictate their worldview.

We are raising a generation brilliant in virtual skills but blind to reality. A generation that does not care, because caring requires effort beyond the screen.

The Fight for Moral Transformation

And yet, I believe there is still hope. Hope begins not in Malacañang, nor in Congress, but in our homes. Parents must awaken. Families must teach that corruption is never normal. We must rebuild moral values before we rebuild governments.

We must stop glorifying criminals who wear suits, barongs, or gowns. We must stop electing leaders because of fame, glamour, or lineage. True leadership is not in speeches, nor in appearances, but in service and sacrifice.

There must be a movement not just political, but moral. A movement that declares:

• Corruption is not normal.
• Truth is not negotiable.
• Good governance is not optional it is survival.

Mayors for Good Government, and every citizen who still believes in dignity, must stand not as symbols, but as warriors in this last great battle for the soul of the Filipino.

Call to Action, I Am a Hero

This is my final stand: I believe every Filipino has the power to live a better life, if only we reclaim our values. Let us guide our children to fight for their future, not as captives of a digital matrix, but as thinking, caring, and responsible citizens.

Change will not come from others. It begins in us. In our families. In our choices. In our refusal to accept corruption as normal.

I am no longer waiting for another hero.
I choose to be one.

I am a Hero. And so can you.

NPO News Team I Sent by a Hero

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