Changing the President Will Not Save the Philippines — We Must Change the System, and Ourselves

 *Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

 

It is a cycle we’ve seen before — and sadly, we may be watching it unfold again. Today, voices call for the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as though removing the man at the top will finally solve the nation’s problems. But will it? Will replacing him change anything, when the problem is no longer just the presidency? The hard truth is this: the problem is not the person — the problem is the system. And worse, the problem is also us, the people.

 

The Illusion of Change Through Personality

 

Again and again, we have ousted leaders thinking we are turning a new page, only to write the same story with different names.

 

When we ousted Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in 1986, we thought democracy had triumphed. Cory Aquino took over, but the same poverty, the same dynasties, and the same broken system remained.

When we ousted Erap Estrada, we thought things would get better. But the one who replaced him — Gloria Macapagal Arroyo — gave us the “Hello Garci” scandal.

Then we turned to Noynoy Aquino, lifted by the memory of his mother’s legacy. But even that hope was tainted by the PDAF and Napoles scam.

So we turned to a strongman — Rodrigo Duterte — because people were afraid of crime and drugs. And yes, there was a war on drugs, but what now? Investigations. Allegations. And now, his name is dragged into international cases, and he is detained at The Hague.

 

And today, we want to oust another president, thinking it will fix everything.

 

But who replaces him? The Vice President? The Speaker? The Senate President? All of them come with their own controversies, alliances, and baggage. What have we solved? Nothing — we only renamed the problem.

 

Why the System Is Broken

 

The 1987 Constitution was written in the shadow of Martial Law, born from fear of dictatorship. But what it created is a democracy that is too slow, too vague, too weak to address corruption and development, and too vulnerable to manipulation.

• It enabled dynasties to flourish.
• It weakened political parties.
• It made accountability complicated and unclear.
• And it created a political culture where popularity trumps capacity.

 

Our Constitution is outdated, our system is manipulated, and our laws are easily bent — not because they’re bad laws per se, but because the system has no real firewall against dynasties, corruption, and disinformation.

 

Why the People Are Also at Fault

 

Let’s be brutally honest. We cannot blame everything on leaders — because we keep electing them.

 

We vote for the corrupt.

We glorify dynasties.

We allow entertainers to become lawmakers without demanding competence.

We complain of corruption, and then sell our votes for five hundred pesos.

We elect immoral leaders, and then gather in the streets to oust them when they disappoint us — as if we had no hand in putting them there.

 

It is a cycle of self-inflicted wounds.

And the worst part? We don’t learn.

 

A Nation Lost in the War of Narratives

 

Now, in the age of social media, the battle is no longer in the streets — it is in the timeline, in the comment section, in the fake posts, and in paid narratives.

 

It’s hard to know what’s true anymore.

What’s trending is not always what’s right.

What’s viral is not always what’s virtuous.

 

This is no longer just a political war — this is a war of narratives, a war of disinformation, and the Filipino people are the casualties.

 

All the while, corruption continues in silence.

While we argue online about which politician to defend, trillions are lost in scandals — like the Flood Control scam.

While we are distracted by personalities, the system eats up our hopes.

 

The Real Problem: A Country Crowded by Broken Dreams

 

Everywhere you go — the streets are crowded, the schools are full, the roads are choked.

But what’s truly choking us is not just overpopulation — it’s over-concentration of power.

Positions in government are no longer public service — they are inherited, bought, protected.

If you’re not born into the right name or family, your dream of serving this nation is almost impossible.

 

This is why people say: “Mag-abroad ka na lang. Maging OFW. Umalis ka sa Pilipinas.”

Because for many, leaving feels like the only hope left.

 

But I Still Believe in the Filipino

 

I say this not out of bitterness — but out of love for country and pain from truth.

Despite everything — I still believe the Filipino has hope.

But hope will not come from removing a president.

It will come from:

• Changing the Constitution.
• Changing the system.
• Educating our people.
• Ending the reign of dynasties.
• Punishing corruption without political color.

 

Let us build a nation where the capable, not just the connected, can lead.

Where a child from a poor family, with integrity and brilliance, can become president — not just someone’s son or daughter.

 

Final Word: We Deserve a Better Country — But We Must Be Better People

 

This is not a fight of yellow versus red, of DDS versus Kakampink, or Pro-Marcos versus Anti-Marcos.

 

This is a fight between a broken society and the dream of a better one.

 

So before we oust another president, let us oust our apathy.

Before we demand change from leaders, let us demand it from ourselves.

 

And before we rewrite history again —

Let us finally rewrite our Constitution.

 

Not for politicians.

But for the Filipino people.

For a future that no longer repeats the past.

 _______________________________

Translated to Filipino

________________________________

Ang Pagpapatalsik kay Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ay Hindi Solusyon — Kailangang Baguhin ang Sistema at ang Mamamayan

 

ni Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

 

Simula: Hindi Tao ang Problema, Kundi ang Kabuuang Sistema

 

Paulit-ulit na lamang. Kapag nadismaya tayo sa isang pangulo, gusto agad natin siyang palitan, parang magic na maaayos ang lahat. Ngayon, may mga panawagan na naman na patalsikin si Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Ngunit tanungin natin: ito ba talaga ang solusyon?

 

Pag pinalitan siya — sino ang papalit? Pangalawang Pangulo? Speaker ng House? Pangulo ng Senado? Lahat may sariling isyu, sariling alyansa, sariling kontrobersiya. Kaya ang tanong: bakit paulit-ulit tayong umaasa sa pagpapalit ng tao, kung hindi naman nagbabago ang sistema?

 

Ang Kasaysayang Paulit-Ulit: Iba Lang ang Pangalan

 

1986 — Pinatalsik si Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Nagsaya ang bayan. Pumasok si Cory Aquino. Pero hindi rin nagtagal, nakita natin na pareho pa rin ang mga problema — kahirapan, trapo, at pang-aabuso.

 

Sumunod si Erap Estrada, napalayas. Akala natin may pag-asa, pero dumating si Gloria Arroyo — may Hello Garci.

Dahil sa pagkamatay ni Cory, nanalo si Noynoy Aquino. Inasahan ng marami ang disenteng gobyerno. Pero may PDAF scam, si Janet Napoles, at mga senador na nasangkot.

Naging desperado ang tao. Ibinoto si Duterte, sa paniniwalang tatapusin niya ang krimen. Nagkaroon ng giyera kontra droga, pero ngayon? May mga imbestigasyon, kaso, at kahit siya’y hindi ligtas sa batikos.

 

Ngayon, si Bongbong Marcos ang gusto nilang palitan.

Pero tanong: kapag napalitan siya, may mababago ba?

O panibagong porma lang ng lumang problema?

 

Ang Sirang Konstitusyon, Ang Sirang Sistema

 

Ang 1987 Konstitusyon ay isinulat matapos ang Martial Law — puno ng takot sa diktadurya. Pero ang resulta: isang sistemang magulo, mabagal, at madaling manipulahin.

• Pinayagan nitong manatili ang mga dinastiya.
• Hinayaang mamatay ang tunay na mga partidong pulitikal.
• Ginawang malabo ang pananagutan.
• At inuna ang popularidad kaysa kakayahan.

 

Hanggang ngayon, paikot-ikot tayo sa parehong sistema.

Walang tunay na pagbabago dahil bulok na ang balangkas na pinapatakbo nito.

 

Ang Mamamayan Mismo ang Karamdaman

 

At wag natin lahat isisi sa mga lider. Tayo rin ang bumoboto sa kanila.

Tayo rin ang tumatanggap ng limang daan.

Tayo rin ang nagpapaloko sa ads, memes, at artista.

• Tayo ang bumoboto sa trapo.
• Tayo ang bumoboto sa mga walang alam.
• At tayo rin ang nagagalit pagkatapos — na para bang wala tayong kasalanan.

 

Paulit-ulit.

Hindi natututo.

At ang masakit — ayaw matuto.

 

Panahon ng Pekeng Balita, Pekeng Bayani

 

Ngayon, sa panahon ng social media — wala nang tiyak na totoo.

Kaliwa’t kanan ang fake news, bayad na influencer, troll farms, at disinformation campaigns.

Digmaan na ng impormasyon. Digmaan ng narrative.

 

Habang nagsasagutan tayo sa Facebook kung sinong masama o sino ang “tunay na bayani” — tuloy-tuloy ang kurapsyon.

 

Sa gitna ng lahat ng ito, naisantabi ang taong bayan.

Wala nang makain, taas-presyo, walang trabaho.

At habang may mga isyung tulad ng Flood Control Scam kung saan trilyon ang nawawala — ang mga tao’y naiiwang naguguluhan.

 

Ang Kinabukasan ng mga Pinoy: Masikip, Magulo, Walang Pag-asa?

 

Saan ka man tumingin:

Trapik sa lansangan.

Siksikan sa paaralan.

Lahat puno, lahat gipit.

 

Pero hindi lang tao ang dumadami — kundi ang makasariling ambisyon ng mga politiko.

Gobyerno na ang hanapbuhay.

Puwesto na ang negosyo.

 

Paano na ang batang mahirap na matalino?

May pag-asa pa ba siyang makapasok sa gobyerno kung wala siyang apelyidong makapangyarihan?

Wala na.

 

Ngayon, ang “pangarap” ay maging OFW.

O lumipat ng bansa.

O tumakas na lang.

Kasi sa sariling bayan, parang wala nang lugar para sa mga pangarap.

 

Ngunit May Pag-asa Pa — Sa Pagbabago ng Sistema at Isip ng Bayan

 

Hindi ito panawagan ng pagkamuhi — kundi panawagan ng paggising.

 

May pag-asa pa ang Pilipino.

Pero hindi ito manggagaling sa bagong pangulo.

Hindi sa bagong spokesperson.

Hindi sa bagong drama sa Senado.

 

Manggagaling ito sa:

• Pagbabago ng Konstitusyon.
• Pagwawasak sa sistemang trapo at dinastiya.
• Pagpapalalim ng edukasyong pulitikal sa mamamayan.
• Pagpapanagot sa mga corrupt — kahit sinong kulay nila.

 

Gusto natin ng tunay na pagbabago?

Mag-umpisa tayo sa pagbabago ng ating sarili.

 

Wakas: Hindi Pangulo ang Palitan — Kundi ang Pag-iisip ng Bansa

 

Ang laban na ito hindi Marcos vs Aquino,

Hindi DDS vs Kakampink,

Hindi pula laban sa dilaw.

 

Ito ay laban ng sirang lipunan laban sa pag-asang bumangon.

 

Bago tayo magpatalsik ng pangulo, patalsikin muna natin ang ating pagiging bulag.

Bago tayo mangarap ng bagong Pilipinas, gumising muna tayo sa ating pagkakakulong sa nakaraan.

At bago tayo muling magkamali, baguhin na natin ang Konstitusyon — hindi para sa mga politiko, kundi para sa sambayanang Pilipino.

 ____

 *About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

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