Tag: politics

Luneta and EDSA Roar: People Power Rises Again

History stirs when silence breaks—today’s crowds prove power still lives in the streets.

Sunday, 21 September 2025

Today, the streets spoke. At Luneta (Rizal Park), the protest called “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon na Laban sa Korapsyon” flooded the park with people. Police said 49,000, organizers claimed 80,000—either way, it was a sea of students, retirees, church leaders, and civic groups refusing to stay quiet.

At the EDSA People Power Monument, the “Trillion Peso March” gathered about 3,500 in white, demanding answers on flood control funds gone missing. Some voices went further, calling for the President himself to step down.

Most of the day stayed peaceful, though 17 were arrested near Malacañang after clashes with police. Airspace over Luneta and EDSA was locked down. By afternoon, Luneta groups were already moving toward Mendiola, carrying the anger closer to power.

Luneta and EDSA weren’t random choices—they’re symbols, ghosts of history reminding us that people power doesn’t die, it waits.

What Might Come Next

• Investigations will go deeper—Senate hearings, Ombudsman probes, audits that could expose more dirt.

• Government may react with promises of reform, new oversight, or just tighter control.

• Officials under fire could be forced to answer, resign, or face trial.

• Budgets may be frozen or redirected while flood control projects fall under heavy scrutiny.

• Momentum could spill into more protests, louder online movements, and wider calls for change.

What Might Go Wrong

• The investigations might stall and end up as another cycle of hearings without results.

• Promised reforms could stay as words on paper with no real change on the ground.

• Corrupt officials might escape accountability, dragging the issue until the public moves on.

• The energy of today’s protest could fade without follow-through, turning a historic show of strength into just memory.

• The moment may be co-opted by politics, where noise replaces genuine reform.

What happened at Luneta and EDSA today is more than just a protest. It’s a reminder that corruption will always spark resistance, and that the spirit of people power is never truly silent.

The challenge now is whether this energy can be turned into lasting change—or if it will fade into another moment lost to history.

ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ

Politics and Religion: Should They Mix?

In Chrysostom’s time, faith clashed with power. Remembering him today, we still ask: should politics and religion mix?

The Time of Saint John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom lived in the late 4th century, when the Roman Empire had already accepted Christianity. By then, religion and politics weren’t just neighbors—they were housemates. The Church was closely tied to the State, and bishops often found themselves dealing with emperors, empresses, and royal advisers.

Chrysostom—“Golden-Mouthed” in Greek, not John’s last name but a title given for his strong speaking— became Archbishop of Constantinople (the empire’s capital city). His sermons weren’t just about the afterlife; they cut into the sins of the present—greed, pride, and corruption in high places. He spoke against wealth in the court while the poor suffered outside its gates. He called out bad behavior, even when it meant offending powerful people like Empress Eudoxia (wife of Emperor Arcadius, ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire).

And here’s the point: corruption existed then just as it does now. Riches, power, and comfort tempted leaders to forget fairness. Archbishop Chrysostom couldn’t keep faith away from public life, because silence in the face of wrong would have been a betrayal of the Gospel. His role as shepherd of souls pushed him into the public spotlight, whether he wanted it or not.

In the end, he paid the price—sent away, mistreated, and left alone. But his courage left a legacy: a reminder that faith has a voice in society, not for power’s sake, but for truth.

As we remember Saint John Chrysostom on his memorial day, September 13, we see that the fight remains the same. The world is still marked by corruption. And maybe this is the answer: when religion is used for control, it should never mix with politics. But when it speaks against injustice and defends the poor, it cannot stay out. The question he faced is the same we ask today: should politics and religion mix?

𝚃𝚢𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚎 • 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗆.𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗂𝖼.𝖻𝗅𝗈𝗀