tagpuan series #3
Kairos Zack Romero is the kind of man who always keeps his feet on the ground. Tahimik, responsable, at sanay sa bigat ng expectations, mula sa pamilya, sa paaralan, at sa sarili. As a Political Science student, every move he make...
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Kairos
It's another class on Political Theory, and while most of my classmates are scribbling down notes, I sit back, absorbing everything without much effort. It's not that I don't care—I do. But after years of hearing my father's political rhetoric at home and spending late nights reading political discourse, most of this feels like a repetition.
Our professor paces in front of the class, gesturing as he speaks. "Given the current state of Philippine democracy, what do you think is the biggest challenge to our political system today?"
The room falls into silence, the weight of the question settling in. Some of my classmates glance at each other, hesitating. It's a broad question, but I know exactly what I want to say.
I lean forward slightly and speak, not bothering to raise my hand. "The biggest challenge isn't just corruption or political dynasties. Those have always existed. The real problem is political disillusionment—the way people have stopped believing that the system can work for them."
A few heads turn in my direction. The professor raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Disillusionment? Expand on that, Mr. Romero."
I nod. "Look at voter turnout, look at how people talk about elections. Many Filipinos don't vote because they feel like it doesn't matter—because no matter who wins, the same problems remain. It's not just about corrupt politicians. It's about how deeply embedded these issues are in our institutions. Even policies that are meant to protect democracy—like the Anti-Terror Law or the party-list system—can be twisted into tools for control rather than representation."
The professor crosses his arms, considering my words. "So you're saying the problem isn't just the leaders, but the structure itself?"
"Exactly," I replied. "When institutions are weak, people lose faith in them. And when people lose faith, they disengage. They stop voting, they stop holding leaders accountable, and that just lets the cycle continue. It's why we keep seeing political dynasties win, why laws that should benefit the masses end up favoring the elite. Democracy isn't just about elections—it's about constant participation. But if people feel powerless, they won't participate."
A few of my classmates nod in agreement. Others seem skeptical. The professor smirks slightly, clearly enjoying the debate. "Interesting perspective, Mr. Romero. But if disengagement is the problem, then what's the solution? How do we restore faith in the system?"
I exhaled, glancing at the window for a moment before answering. "Transparency. Education. Accountability. We need leaders who actually listen and policies that actually work. But more than that, people need to feel like they have a voice. That their votes matter. That democracy isn't just a show every six years."
