As the Philippines closes another chapter in its anticlimactic journey, the year emerges as sheer contradictions that have tested our national resilience. From the historic Olympic triumph of Carlos Yulo to the alarming political crisis between our highest officials, 2024 has exposed both the heights of Filipino excellence and the depths of our institutional failures in governance.
These occurrences, along with significant court rulings and contentious budget distributions, pave the way for an important juncture as we near the 2025 midterm elections. As the year draws to a close, we review the successes and obstacles that have influenced the nation.
An Olympic glory triumph
Carlos Yulo made history in the country's sports arena in the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics when he won two gold medals in men's vault and floor exercise. This also made him the first Southeast Asian to secure consecutive golds in the Olympics-proving that Filipino athletes can make it big globally if only support and training are given to them.
The 24-year-old champion's journey wasn't just about personal triumph; it represented the resilience of the Filipino spirit. Despite facing setbacks and challenges, including a coaching change and relocation from his training base in Japan, Yulo's determination never wavered. In an exclusive interview with Olympics Media, his response to fame speaks volumes about his character
"I prefer a quiet life, honestly, but I can't avoid people recognizing me because of the honor I was able to bring to our country,” he emphasizes.
While we celebrate Yulo's achievement, we must acknowledge that such individual wins, though inspiring, cannot mask the deeper institutional problems plaguing our nation. His success should prompt us to question why we can't replicate such excellence in governance and public service.
Political crisis in the so-called unity
As the country basked in Olympic success, the political landscape hit a new low when Vice President Sara Duterte made an unprecedented threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a shocking display of political brinkmanship, Duterte openly declared she had arranged an assassin should anything happen to her. This disturbing episode forced security agencies to implement heightened protection measures for the president.
Even more troubling was Duterte's subsequent defiance, stating she had "no regrets" about her death threats. Her refusal to attend investigations and dismissal of legal consequences reveals a dangerous pattern of impunity among our highest officials.
This behavior demonstrates how far we've strayed from the principles of democratic governance and civil discourse. The entire episode exposed the fragility of the much-touted unity between the Marcos and Duterte feud, revealing it as nothing more than a marriage of political convenience that's rapidly unraveling.
As we oppose the acceptance of such perilous language promoting a fake sense of unity, the chance to vote for next year offers a moment to emphasize national priorities and democratic principles instead of individual aspirations and family conflicts.
A win on false accusations
In a rare win for civil rights, the Supreme Court issued a ruling on May 8, labeling 'red-tagging' as a danger to individuals' life, freedom, and safety. This decision represents an important step in tackling the government's enduring habit of identifying people and organizations as communist supporters to rationalize harassment and intimidation.
The Court's decision recognizes the genuine risks encountered by individuals who are victims of red-tagging. As mentioned in the ruling,
"Red-tagging, defamation, labeling, and guilt by association endanger an individual's right to life, liberty, or safety, potentially warranting the granting of a writ of amparo."
The decision acknowledges the pain endured by many student leaders, activists, journalists, and critics who have persistently encountered harassment and threats masked as anti-insurgency efforts. It serves as an essential safeguard against government authority and reinforces that security issues cannot excuse the violation of human rights.
Nonetheless, the true challenge is in execution. Although a legal framework has been established to guard citizens against red-tagging, we must stay watchful to guarantee that this decision leads to real protection for those who challenge authority with the truth.
Let us work towards dismantling the culture of impunity that has allowed red-tagging to flourish, exemplified by Lorraine Badoy-Partosa, who recently lost a civil lawsuit against journalist Atom Araullo and was ordered to pay ₱2 million in damages.
Misplaced priorities in the national budget
Perhaps nothing better illustrates our misplaced priorities than the 2025 national budget controversy. The postponement of its signing revealed deep-seated problems in our fiscal planning.
The proposed budget features alarming cuts to essential services: ₱86 billion from social welfare, ₱74.5 billion from PhilHealth, and ₱12 billion from education. Most egregious is the violation of our Constitution's mandate to give education the highest budgetary priority.
Most troubling is the unprecedented ₱1.1 trillion allocation to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), surpassing education funding for the first time. This shift in priorities, coupled with massive cuts to social services and healthcare, reflects a concerning deviation from constitutional mandates prioritizing education.
This blatant disregard for constitutional requirements reflects a government more interested in infrastructure projects than investing in our people's future.
The removal of PhilHealth subsidies particularly threatens our most vulnerable citizens, potentially undermining the Universal Health Care program at a time when healthcare access remains critical
Electoral wisdom is what we pray
The 2025 midterm elections emerge as a critical moment of reckoning for Philippine democracy, reflecting the tumultuous landscape of 2024. From Yulo's Olympic triumph to the political fractures between the Marcos and Duterte camps, these elections represent more than just a routine democratic exercise–they are a potential turning point for national transformation.
The midterm elections are set to face a very challenging environment. Political dynasties remain to dominate the political arena, with COMELEC reporting 183 senatorial candidates and 190 partylist groups. However, beneath the democratic participation lies a sad reality that only 21.8 percent of the candidates are female, and political clans still have an iron grip on the electoral process.
More concerning is how the partylist system, originally designed to represent marginalized sectors, has been co-opted by political clans and corporate interests. The events of 2024 – from the budget controversy prioritizing infrastructure over education, to the political tensions between the country's highest officials, to the landmark Supreme Court ruling against red-tagging—all point to a critical juncture in our democracy.
The break-up of the once-formidable "unity team" exposes the superficial nature of political alliances.
As we approach the 2025 elections, we must recognize that true unity cannot be achieved through political convenience but through genuine reform and commitment to public service.
The path forward requires more than just electoral participation—it demands a fundamental shift in how we view governance. The frustration of ordinary citizens against corruption and incompetence is growing, and this must translate into concrete electoral action.
The power to reshape our political landscape lies not in empty promises of UNITY, but in our collective will to demand and create genuine CHANGE.
