11/05/2025
๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ ๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐งโ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ง๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ
As the sun rises on May 12, 2025, so too does the power of the Filipino people. A power not in the hands of those on the stage waving their arms in grand rallies. Not in the hands of those who line the streets with smiling faces and empty promises. No, the true power rests quietlyโbut forcefullyโin your hands. In mine. In ours.
This year's national and local elections are not merely another chapter in the long, weathered history of the Philippines. They are crossroads. A time when weโthe peopleโare called upon to rise, to think, and to choose. And not merely with our ballots, but with our conscience.
As an Augustinian-Marian Catholic institution, we are taught that the truth shall set us free, that service is love in action, and that faith should be grounded in justice. We carry the weight of these teachings not only in school, but into the streets, the barangays, and even the very polls that decide the fate of our country.
We say, โGod save the Philippines,โ like a prayer, a plea, and a surrender. But should we really surrender to fate what clearly lies in our responsibility? We cry for good governance but fail to remember: ๐๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ญ๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐จ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ถ๐ด ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด. ๐๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ช๐ค๐ฆ. While we trust in Godโs guidance, He calls us to act with wisdom, integrity, and courageโbecause faith without action is empty.
Let us not romanticize poverty or desperation when votes are bought with brown envelopes, and futures are exchanged for short-term relief. No man or woman running for office deserves our loyalty simply for existing on a ballot. We do ๐ป๐ผ๐ owe them our vote and our utang na loob. They owe ๐๐ their plains, their transparency, and their integrity.
It is time to reject the politics of patronage. It is time to stop allowing ourselves to be influenced by music, money, entertainment, and meaningless slogans. This election, let us no longer be a nation hypnotized by charisma and charm. Let us be awakened people, guided by principles, values, and a true understanding of what it means to serve.
Let us remember: Leadership is not a privilege; it is a burden of service. And if those who seek our votes are not ready to carry that burden with humility and honesty, then they are not worthyโnot now, not ever.
As students of truth and resilience and as children of the Church and of this Republic, we must take the higher ground. We must teach our families, our peers, and our communities: ๐ฉ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. Vote not with your stomach, but with your soul.
Because this May 12, we do not just cast a ballot. We cast a vision.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ถ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด. ๐๐ฆ๐ต ๐ถ๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ธ๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ฆ ๐ช๐ต.
๐๐ผ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐? ๐ก๐ผ. ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐.
With wisdom, with courage, and with resilience.
--
Editorial Cartoon by Thomas Jullian P. Lomeda
