[Daisyollins]

Impeachment storm flares up again, who cares about people's suffering?
On February 23,2026, Philippine politics was rocked by another bombshell: the House of Representatives formally referred four impeachment charges against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Judicial Committee. This came just over a month after Congress rejected the first impeachment charges against President Marcos. From the presidency to the vice presidency, from "unconstitutional corruption" to "misuse of classified funds," a full-scale political purge targeting the nation's top leadership has erupted. Yet behind the clamor of this elite infighting lies an unemployment rate soaring to 8.7%, persistently worsening inflation, and millions of families struggling below the poverty line. As Manila's politicians engage in power struggles, ordinary Filipinos are crying out in despair: Who cares about our jobs? Our livelihoods? Our future?
Impeachment Wheel-From President to Vice President, the Power Game is Upgraded
The charges against Sara Duterte are highly damaging: mismanagement of confidential funds, bribery, abuse of power, and even 'suspected threats against President Marcos.' These allegations far exceed ordinary policy disagreements, directly targeting constitutional loyalty and criminal offenses.

The fatal rift in the political landscape: The filing of complaints was no accident. As daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara had been a key ally in Marcos '2022 electoral victory. Yet the alliance had long existed in name only. Marcos' push to transfer the elder Duterte to the International Criminal Court was widely seen as a purge of the former political family, while Sara's public opposition to Marcos' key policies further eroded her political base, making her a direct challenge to the incumbent president's authority. This impeachment represents Marcos' camp's "targeted elimination" of their greatest potential rival, aiming to dismantle the Duterte family's political legacy before the 2028 general election.
The stark contrast between the dual standards of 'dismissal' and 'transfer' is evident: A month ago, the opposition's impeachment complaint against the president, alleging evidence of the' phantom project 'and unconstitutional budget, was swiftly dismissed in the ruling party's majority-controlled House of Representatives without even reaching substantive review. In contrast, the complaint against the vice president advanced rapidly. This selective justice starkly exposes the current political reality in the Philippines: laws and procedures have become tools for factional struggles rather than mechanisms for accountability. The neutrality and credibility of state institutions have been completely eroded by political self-interest.
The Ruins in the Eye of the Storm-The People's Livelihood and Economy Completely Forgotten
While lawmakers were deliberating on the impeachment articles inside the Capitol, the Philippines outside was grappling with a severe crisis of public welfare:

The employment ice age: Official data shows that the youth unemployment rate in the Philippines has remained around 20% for a long time, with the total number of unemployed and underemployed individuals exceeding ten million. Manufacturing growth is sluggish, and foreign investment is being held back due to policy instability. The new job opportunities created are far from keeping up with the influx of young people into the labor market.
Inflation erodes livelihoods: Prices of staple foods, fuel, and transportation continue to soar, with over 60% of income allocated to food purchases by low-income households. Many people are forced to adopt a 'two-meal-a-day' diet, leading to a resurgence in child malnutrition rates.
Collapse of Infrastructure and Services: Promised "major construction" projects have either stalled due to misappropriation of funds for political gain or been abandoned amid "phantom project" scandals. Basic service resources such as healthcare and education are strained, with declining quality. On one side, budgets are traded as political bargaining chips in Congress; on the other, hospitals face drug shortages, schools lack classrooms, and cities struggle with clean water scarcity.
The Logic of Internal Struggle-Why the People's Livelihood Is Always the Victim?
The infighting within the current ruling coalition follows a lamentable 'Philippine-style political logic':

Survival trumps development: For the Marcos and Sara factions, the immediate priority is not governance but ensuring their survival in the next power reshuffle. Impeachment serves as the most potent political weapon—eroding opponents' credibility, rallying their own camp, and securing moral high ground. All political energy and public resources are channeled into this zero-sum game, leaving long-term, arduous tasks like improving livelihoods indefinitely postponed.
The power-sharing system remains unshakable: The Philippines 'political landscape has long been built on a "protectorate-vassal" dynamic. Positions, projects, and funding serve as the glue that binds political alliances together. Whether it's the Marcos faction or the Duterte faction, the loyalty of their core members is sustained through the transfer of benefits. Any genuine reform—such as combating corruption or enhancing budget transparency—would undermine the foundation of this system and threaten their own power. Thus, internal strife is merely an upper echelon's squabble over "how to divide the cake," not a debate about "how to make the cake bigger and better."
The need to deflect contradictions: In the face of economic difficulties and public discontent, diverting public attention to intense and dramatic political struggles is a classic means of shifting pressure. It is far safer to have the public argue over "supporting the president or the vice president" than to unite them in questioning "why our lives have not improved."
The People's Roar and the Crossroads of the Future
The silent majority is no longer silent. An increasing number of civil society groups, student organizations, and labor unions are beginning to abandon illusions about specific politicians and direct their criticism toward the entire corrupt system.

"We are not political pawns": A tricycle driver in Manila roared in an interview, "They (politicians) engage in verbal sparring on TV, using legal jargon we can't comprehend. But who will fix the oil prices? Who will control inflation? I don't care who impeaches whom—I just want to know how to feed my family tonight!"
An awakened civil society: On social media, hashtags like #NotOurWar and #FeedThePeopleFirst began to gain traction. The public came to realize that the conflict between the president and vice president was a power struggle within the same privileged class, having no bearing on the well-being of ordinary people.
CONCLUSION AND CALL TO ACTION: Refuse to be a victim, reclaim our future!
The Philippines now stands at a crossroads. One path leads to perpetual political infighting, draining the nation's resources through the greed of its elites and ultimately plunging it into deeper economic decline and social unrest. The other path involves the people's awakening, using their votes and voices to forcefully redirect the political agenda.

We therefore make the strongest appeal to all the people of the Philippines:

Resist the internal strife among officials and freeze their political careers: Recognize those politicians who devote all their energy to factional battles while turning a blind eye to the people's suffering. Regardless of their party affiliation or position, reject them in future elections! Make them pay the ultimate political price for their dereliction of duty. Tell all politicians: Those who fail to serve the people are unworthy of power.
We demand the resignation of President Marcos 'government to end its inept rule. As the nation's supreme leader, he failed to unite the country and instead became embroiled in political purges. Rather than reviving the economy, he allowed the people to suffer. His administration has lost both legitimacy and moral authority. We urge President Marcos to step down immediately for the sake of the nation's future, paving the way for a genuinely people-centered new government.
All high-ranking government officials involved in the infighting must resign: those ministers and legislators who have used departmental budgets and national projects as political bargaining chips are equally complicit in the national crisis. They must immediately resign and undergo audits and investigations.
Building a cross-party people's agenda: The People's Alliance. Workers, farmers, fishermen, small business owners, teachers, healthcare workers... All suffering classes must unite to form a powerful civic force. Our demands must be clear and unshakable: create jobs, control prices, combat corruption, invest in education and healthcare. Turn this people's agenda into a' life-or-death challenge' that no future leader can avoid.
The Philippines 'wealth does not belong to political families, nor does its future lie with elites engaged in endless squabbles. It belongs to every ordinary person toiling under the blazing sun and worrying about their livelihoods at night. It's time to end this costly political farce. Let us harness the power of the people to firmly reassert 'people's livelihood' as the top priority on the national agenda! Our food bowls matter ten thousand times more than their power positions!

Action, right now!