Every time I eat in a fast food chain, I kept on looking unconsciously for the vat in my receipt. I have a very small allowance- about P540 a week and I spent most of my allowance on food. Seeing 12% tax included in every item I buy is a big burden for me. If I will buy a meal which costs P86, if vat is not included, I can purchase this meal for about P75.68 which means that I saved P10.32 for my transportation. I know that VAT is very important since this is where our government gets its funds to implement projects in developing our country. If millions of people purchased an item like mine, the government would have collected about ten million of pesos. Multiplied it by how many times a person buy this item seemed a very big amount. What more are the workers who just seen their pay slip and you will see their unhappy faces because something have been deducted from their salaries. I think everybody has the same sentiments with me and I believe that it all really started here.
People from different walks of life gathered together on the iconic Rizal Park to voice out their anger against the misused billions of pesos in tax payers’ money and to try catalyzing change for their future and for the future of their families.
Priests, nuns, professionals, workers, students and middle-class families and even ordinary citizens joined hands to fight corruption and to call the attention of the government to search for their lost “wealth” which was spent by some politicians- and for this instance- a businessman for their luxurious lifestyle, extra home and lavish parties. It is a sad wakeup call and this march proved that people are now tired of just sitting and doing nothing with the news they usually hear from radio, seen from televisions and read on a newspaper about the endless corruption in the government. People are now can’t be fooled by their leaders anymore. People are now determined that they must have to do something before it’s too late. Corruption has existed for so many years and finally, today is the time for a change.
It started from a random post from a music producer Ito Rapadas in which he suggested the concept of a million people march. This post was shared by various concerned netizens and eventually goes viral in these social networking sites. Peachy Bretaña, a friend of Ito suggested that this mass action should be held at Rizal Park where our National Hero have died for the country and on August 26, National Heroes’ Day for she believes that every taxpayer is a hero.
Every taxpayer who have spent their blood, sweat and thirst by working for about eight hours a day to earn money even if it is small enough to feed their families are the Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio of our time. And these taxpayers from different walks of life voiced their anger peacefully and exercised their rights in abolishing PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) or the sugar-coated name for pork barrel. For a democratic country which longing for clean and just governance, these people made a legacy in the world. Some of them who joined the rally had different gimmicks while some just joined the crowd. But the highlight of this event was the one million signatures of the people which signify the millions of people who are in support in abolishing pork barrel.
Nuns and priests, along the brothers and sisters, from different places, congregations and churches sang liturgical songs and prayed in support with the people. There was also a mass intended for the success of this event, and for the success in ending this corruption. People are just holding on to the rosaries they hold and the images of the saints they brought. This proved that our country is really a church-bound nation and by the church we can have a peaceful yet meaningful demonstration.
Students from different universities took a break from their school related activities to support the people who called for this march. With their tarpaulins, banners, band and strong convictions, they join the march that will change their future lives. Students are now active in participating this kind of rally and as one of people who are into and heavy users of social media, students are now aware what are the issues in our country and now they know how they can act and respond to it. It is really indeed that, “Kabataan ang pag-asa ng ating bayan.” Students believe that this call is for the sake of their future since they were the future workers and taxpayers of the country. And if they will let this system continue, it will be the burden for them and this burden will be pass on the next generations.
Even professionals ranging from lawyers, teachers, nurses, artists, photographers and others supported and joined the march for change. A lawyer, who looked like not one, seated on one portion of the park while he was holding and playing a guitar. He was also surrounded by boiled bananas and egg which looks like a male genitalia. He sang a patriotic song “Bayan Ko” and a song of the legend, Freddie Aguilar (if I’m not mistaken) “Tumawa Ka”. Teachers also joined the crowd since they were the people who give so much of their lives in education and yet they don’t receive what’s really for them. A teacher was also interviewed by a reporter and she can’t help but to cry while she was saying her sentiments. The photographers and reporters who seemed like the eye of the event saw each and every emotion of the people in the crowd. There were also cyclists and motorists who roved around places near to Rizal Park in support with the people who marched from Liwasang Bonifacio. Artists also portrayed their creativity in the event by their artworks and also through music. There were group of people who just played their drums and sing songs that are attacking the government. It seemed that even this time; Filipinos are still very creative in portraying their anger and seeking for justice.
Families, instead of relaxing and going to parks for leisure this day, spent their time to protest against the issue. There were also rallyists and parents who brought their children in the park to show that this fight is for them. This march broke the borderline that only adults are allowed to show their protests. Indeed in this march, age didn’t matter.
Disability also didn’t hinder justice. The blind, the deaf even the handicapped joined in the protests. I believe that this event showed the capability of the disabled and they proved that equality is really in midst of this event.
There were also people who joined the rally yet they still care for the environment. I observed that this is the very first time that after an event held in Luneta Park, the place was left with zero trashes. Filipinos are very serious in telling and proving to the world what they have promised- they will have a peaceful rally and they will leave the place clean.
Though size and unity is very important in giving weight to a movement, what really matters most here is the character, the power, and the leadership that makes it worth. This movement is just the beginning of the fight of people for a just and transparent system and government. Even talks and debates continue to argue how many really went there and others are claiming that it is unsuccessful since they haven’t reached the goal of gathering million people, it is proven truth that it still the majority of Filipino people wanted to junk this decayed system.
It is also impossible to count the heads of the people who went in the event since people just come and go. This is not the measure not to consider the abolition of pork barrel.
It is not the number that counts. It is the people and what they are fighting for.
