Reality Unfiltered: What Are We Really Celebrating?

Yesterday was June 12—Philippine Independence Day. A day meant to commemorate our freedom, our sovereignty, our identity as a nation. But I didn’t celebrate.

Not because I don’t love my country.

I didn’t celebrate because I do.

How can we, in good conscience, wave the flag and sing the anthem, when the very institutions meant to uphold democracy are being twisted into shields for the powerful? Just this week, the Senate remanded the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. And if you’ve been paying attention, you’d know this doesn’t feel like justice—it feels like protectionism. Many of our lawmakers are acting less like impartial judges and more like defense attorneys for a political ally.

This isn’t democracy. This is dysfunction wearing democracy’s mask.

Are We Truly Free?

As Catholics, we often speak of freedom. But the faith teaches us that freedom isn’t the absence of restraint—it’s the ability to choose what is right. The Catechism reminds us that moral freedom must be exercised in truth and justice (CCC 1733). So what are we really celebrating if truth is bent by power and justice hijacked by convenience?

What kind of independence is this, if our leaders can so easily disregard accountability, and the public claps along?

What Are We Really Here For?

As Christians, we’re not called to protect personal comfort. We’re not here to defend affiliations or silence our conscience for the sake of political tribe. We’re called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16), to be a voice for the voiceless, and to stand up for what is right even when it’s hard.

Micah 6:8 reminds us:

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

We must ask ourselves:

Are we defending justice, or protecting our comfort?

Are we living out our Christian calling, or hiding behind religious labels?

Because silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality—it’s complicity.

Where Is Our Integrity?

We cannot call ourselves faithful and ignore corruption in plain sight.

We cannot profess Christ on Sundays and support dishonesty the rest of the week.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:17), and so is a nation that lets go of its moral compass.

Christianity that does not shape our civic life is not Christianity at all—it’s convenience in disguise. If our faith doesn’t move us to speak out, defend truth, and demand justice, what are we doing with it?

A Love That Fights

I love my country. And I believe we can show that love best by fighting for it—not with violence or division, but with courage, integrity, and truth.

Let’s stop treating love of country as blind loyalty.

True love confronts. True love corrects. True love heals.

So no, I didn’t celebrate yesterday. But I’m not giving up.

Let the real celebration come when justice prevails.

Let the healing begin with us.

Let’s live our faith, love our nation, and fight—not for personalities, but for principles. Because we were never called to be fans of the powerful.

We were called to be followers of Christ.