Whether you view the events of 53 years ago positively or negatively, this weekend remains historic. The Sept. 21 in Luneta and EDSA are set to add more meaning to the date, perhaps becoming the biggest expressions of public anger over corruption in recent memory.

Fears among political leaders that public fury may soon reach a boiling point has led to remarkable developments: the President taking action, both houses of Congress starting investigations, the toppling of the Senate President and House Speaker, and the formation of an independent commission, among others.

The public has largely welcomed the Luneta and EDSA People Power Monument rallies, and many in the provinces have responded positively to a call for a “national day of action against corruption.” No mayor has dared to openly deny so-called “rally permits” and risk being viewed wittingly or unwittingly as in cahoots or involved in any of the scandals that the rallies wish to denounce.

One beautiful thing about discussions about the rally is the level of self-awareness among organizers of both Luneta and EDSA rallies. Whether it is the students and people’s organizations leading at Luneta, or the bishops and people of faith spearheading at EDSA, I’ve heard them talk about “learning the lessons” from the past struggles against dictatorship and corruption.

It is beautiful because such introspection goes beyond the constricting limits of cheap traditional political narratives. Luneta is firm about “lahat ng sangkot, managot (all those involved must be held accountable).” The “non-partisan” view of bishops of EDSA does not exempt or favor anyone. Both agree on the demand for accountability.

But what really matters on Sept. 21 is not how Luneta and EDSA would fit the cold calculations of traditional politicians. It is whether the rallies express what people hope to be expressed. It would be foolish for either Luneta or EDSA to prioritize choosing between the competing traditional politicians, rather than breaking through those self-serving narratives and to fight for accountability without fear or favor. It is a safe guess that most people want the latter.

It can be said that the issue of corruption is both simple and complicated. It is simple because any Filipino knows how the system is rigged from start to finish. There’s plenty of first-hand experience in barangay halls, city halls, capitols and national government agencies, that we could perhaps have an encyclopedia or sets of it out of the stories. And then there are revelations at the highest levels of politics. It is a heartbreaking daily reality that we have a term for it: “bulok na sistema (rotten system).” One does not need a lot of convincing to take a stand against corruption.

But it is also complicated. We are told that we have a most sophisticated system of safeguards against graft and corruption: from procedures such as impeachment and recall, to bodies such as the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit, and of course the so-called system of checks and balance among the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government. Many of these procedures, bodies and rules are managed by highly-educated and powerful persons, many of them with a political pedigree. But whenever any of these sophisticated matters fail as many have failed on the matter of flood control funds, we are told it is a character issue, the voter’s fault, a cultural defect.

As things stand, there are attempts to reduce everything to a mere choice between competing politicians. Some also want to focus public fury only at contractors and district engineers. Lawmakers are wishing that we be satisfied with the replacement of top congressional leaders, and forget everything else connected with them like budget insertions, their relationship with contractors and the lawmakers’ past lives as contractors.

Going into the weekend, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism published a report on campaign contributions allegedly made by contractors to top candidates in elections from 2016 to 2025, and about the exponential rise in luck and fortune of said contractors ever since. This is something we should all look into.

The stand we take would help determine the ultimate outcome of this raging issue. The Luneta and EDSA rallies of Sept.21 are opportunities for expression, and also a litmus test for everyone where we stand, what we stand for, what lessons we have learned, and what direction we wish to take.

Looking at the unfolding controversy, let us say: We are better than this. We deserve better than this.