As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his State of the Nation Address, Malaya Canada joins Filipinos across the globe in condemning the worsening state of governance, justice, and democracy in the Philippines.
Three years into the Marcos-Duterte regime, the Filipino people are still shackled by the very same conditions that this administration promised to change: widespread corruption, impunity, poverty, political repression, and the erosion of democratic rights.
We strongly call for the accountability of the Marcos Jr. government for:
- The continuing extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and human rights violations perpetrated with impunity, particularly targeting the poor, activists, and critics of the regime;
- The entrenchment of political dynasties and the normalization of patronage politics, which undermine true democratic representation and prevent genuine leadership from emerging;
- Rampant corruption in government agencies that drains public resources and further deepens inequality;
- Persistent poverty and hunger, worsened by a neglectful and elite-serving economic agenda that fails to address the basic needs of farmers, workers, and the urban poor;
- The exploitation and abandonment of Filipino migrants, whose rights and welfare are too often disregarded even as their remittances sustain the country’s economy;
- The collapse of the justice system, where the rule of law is subverted by political interests, delay, and impunity;
- The lack of meaningful electoral reform, allowing vote-buying, intimidation, and disinformation to define our democratic exercises;
- And the gradual but deliberate dismantling of democratic institutions, leaving a hollow shell of governance where power is concentrated in the hands of the few.
President Marcos Jr. may speak of progress and stability, but his administration has only deepened the crisis in the Philippines. Behind the hollow rhetoric lies a government deaf to the cries of the people, blind to injustice, and loyal only to foreign and elite interests.
We in Malaya Canada, together with freedom-loving Filipinos worldwide, renew our commitment to the struggle for genuine freedom, sovereignty, and democracy.
We will not be silenced or deceived by false narratives. We will resist tyranny, expose corruption, and stand in solidarity with the Filipino people in building a nation that truly serves its citizens.
The people deserve better. The struggle continues.
Makibaka! Huwag Matakot!