“When we allow rhetoric to replace reality, we risk misleading the very public we claim to defend”
THESE days, it is easy to feel the weight of frustration. Every time a Filipino visits the market or pulls up to a gas pump, the pressure is palpable.
Prices are rising, fuel is expensive, and the struggle to make ends meet is a reality for millions. I hear that frustration, and I believe it deserves to be heard.
However, we must be careful. Frustration is a powerful emotion, but it should never lead us to accept simple answers for incredibly complex problems.
Recently, columnist Jarius Bondoc claimed the government has “stolen everything.” It is a searing, emotional statement—the kind that resonates deeply when people are hurting.
But as someone who has spent years studying governance and national security, I must insist that such claims be grounded in facts.
When we allow rhetoric to replace reality, we risk misleading the very public we claim to defend.
As I often tell my colleagues: When people are under pressure, it becomes easier to accept extreme conclusions. But governance must still be judged on facts, not feelings.
A Global Crisis, Not a Local Failure
We must acknowledge a hard truth: the rising cost of living is not a unique Philippine failure.
From Europe to Southeast Asia, nations are grappling with the same economic headwinds.
These are driven by global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions—forces that no single president or parliament can flip a switch to stop.
We cannot control the global market, but we can control our response. That is where leadership is truly tested.
Relief Measures: Acknowledging the Effort
It is intellectually dishonest to suggest that nothing has been done. Fuel subsidies have been deployed to help our transport sector; support has been funneled to farmers and fisherfolk; and social safety nets continue to catch those most at risk.
Is it enough? That is a fair and necessary question for debate. But to claim there has been “no action” creates a false narrative that erodes public trust. We can question adequacy, but we should not deny what already exists.
The Danger of One-Line Explanations
Corruption is a scourge that must be addressed with every tool at our disposal. However, using it as a “catch-all” explanation for every economic woe oversimplifies a messy reality.
Inflation is a multifaceted beast; it cannot be reduced to a single headline-grabbing cause. When we reduce every issue to one cause, we stop understanding the real problem—and if we don’t understand the problem, we will never find the solution.
Criticism Should Offer Direction
Criticism is the lifeblood of a healthy democracy, but it should offer direction, not just blame. It is easy to point at a house and say it is leaning; it is much harder to provide the architectural plans to straighten it.
What I find missing in today’s loudest outcries is a clear alternative. What should be done differently? What are the trade-offs? It is easy to say everything is wrong; it is far more courageous to propose what should be done next.
Leadership Under Pressure
No government is operating under ideal conditions today. Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the administration has opted for a steady, practical approach—balancing targeted support with the fiscal discipline required to keep our economy stable in the long run.
This isn’t inaction; it is measured governance.
Leadership is not about avoiding a crisis—that is often impossible. It is about responding with discipline and responsibility when the storm hits.
Choosing Clarity Over Noise
At this crossroads, the Philippines needs clear thinking more than it needs outrage. Statements like “everything has been stolen” may win clicks and applause, but they do not put food on the table or lower the price of rice.
A country moves forward not when it shouts the loudest, but when it understands the clearest.
We have faced challenges before, and we have always overcome them through resilience and unity. We must continue to demand better from our leaders, but we must remain fair and focused on solutions.
In the end, nation-building is not a shouting match. It is the work of people who think clearly, stand together, and move forward.
That has always been the true strength of the Filipino.
(The writer, Chairman Emeritus of ABKD, PADER, LIPI, and the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement , holds a Juris Doctor and a PhD, along with advanced degrees in National Security Administration, Public Administration , and Business).
