HOTSPOT
If you’re chronically online, I cannot blame you for feeling overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless.
Many again saw this week the latest installments of multi-thread storylines and performances by some senators, by a rookie lawyer of the fugitive senator (“fugitive” according to the solicitor-general and the justice secretary), by the acting sergeant-at-arms who could really be acting in more ways than one, and by various traditional political and dynasties. These came live via digital and terrestrial television, live streaming, and the usual social media channels. Live, daily, unrelenting, merciless assault.
The task of trying to make sense of the developments, and questioning the protagonists and antagonists again fell on the shoulders of journalists, be they on the beats or on live TV. We thank them for their outstanding service.
This is unlike the long-winded, grueling, nightly, late-night briefings by a president during the pandemic. Sometimes it jumped from one topic to another. The nation had to watch or listen because the president’s word is law. We also had to rely on a patient journalist for his nightly/daily summary just to make sense. I’m sure the nation is grateful that that era had long ended.
The difference now is the protagonists and especially the antagonists can do the same all at the same time, armed with their livestream-capable phones, to spread whatever narrative or installment of a narrative prepared for the day.
The missing element is the public’s counterpoint and response. It is an element that could silence, strike fear, and grab the attention away from the attention-hungry politicians.
The explosion of creative, clever and devastating memes and videos, along with the apparent intellectual edge of the pro-impeachment and pro-International Criminal Court lawyers, legal eagles, commentariat, and organizations, is waiting to be transformed into powerful mass actions in the streets and especially around the Senate.
When anger over the flood control scams engulfed the nation, the entire government was put on notice by hundreds of thousands that went to Baha sa Luneta and the Trillion Peso March starting on Sept. 21, 2025. As the public anger rose and prepared for the protests, the president had to form a commission, the Senate blue ribbon committee was emboldened to summon contractors, and the speaker was ousted. The erstwhile House appropriations committee fled the country.
This element of massive public protests to powerfully demand the accountability of the Vice President, a fair trial by the impeachment court, and the arrest and surrender of Senator Bato Dela Rosa to the ICC is missing. We can only hope that the different and diverse political centers would soon announce big protest actions at the Senate. If they cannot come together, maybe they can alternate or hold parallel mass actions outside the Senate.
The Baha sa Luneta and Trillion Peso March rallies were politically successful and attracted huge numbers of people partly because the mass actions were held on Sundays. This could be done again at Luneta and EDSA on a Sunday, before slowly transitioning to a weekday at the Senate.
This would require high political awareness and commitment on the part of the public. Would hundreds of thousands of people leave work or school early to go to the Senate and major cities and urban centers nationwide? Would people brave the heat? I believe this could be done, or perhaps is already in the works among the many political forces cooperating on the issues of the impeachment of the vice president and the arrest of the fugitive senator.
Of course, the vice president and her allied senator can also call for such mobilizations. They have been trying to start a snowball, but the results are not that good. MindaNews reports that a Davao City rally fizzled out last Sunday.
We could only encourage Bayan, Tindig Pilipinas, Partido Lakas ng Masa, the Catholic and Protestant bishops, leaders of other faiths, the artists, the local governments, the House and its impeachment prosecutors, the minority senators, and the alphabet soup of organizations and schools that have so far expressed their stand, to co-organize parallel, coordinated, or joint mass actions. Perhaps bigger than Baha sa Luneta and the Trillion Peso March combined.
Plus, the chronically online can rest their minds and join minimum-wage workers, the farmers, the entrepreneurs, students and youth, the professionals and other sectors in the Parliament of the Streets where the people are the “bida.” No drama, no crocodile tears, no falling off the fire exit stairs. Better, more creative barong designs are welcome.