Double rainbows and November 30 nationwide protests

Bonifacio Day 2025 will now be remembered as well as the historic day Filipinos from all over the country united against widespread corruption.

This common shout heard nation-wide: “Ikulong na mga kurakot!”

Here in Cebu, the following added chants:

Korapsyon! Korapsyon! Undangon! Undangon! Undangon!

Political Dynasty: Lumpagon! Lumpagon! Lumpagon!

Pundo sa Katawhan! Ibalik sa panudlanan!

Ibalik sa panudlanan! Pundo sa Katawhan!

Seeing the thousands of protesters in white was truly inspiring! WE CAN, WE DID UNITE, AS A NATION, AS A PEOPLE!

And we can/did express our protest peacefully, prayerfully, powerfully!

DAGHANG SALAMAT, MABUHAY, PADAYON TO ALL LEADERS, CONVENORS, PARTICIPANTS, SUPPORTERS, EVERYONE!

November 30 also showed the strength of our interfaith church leaders and members and the power of multisectoral partnerships and UNITY!

Church bells tolled, dioceses from Luzon to Mindanao together with thousands of the faithful joined Cardinal Ambo, Archbishop Abet and other bishops “not only in advocating for justice and transparency but also setting a clear moral contrast against factions that compromise ethical standards in exchange for political influence.”

November 30 - another proud “handog ng Pilipino sa mundo - mapayapang paraang pagbabago, katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan, ay kayang makamit nang walang dahas, basta't magkaisa tayong lahat!”

This song captures the essence both of EDSA in 1986 and the November 30 protests!

“Masdan ang nagaganap sa aming bayan, magkasama na'ng mahirap at mayaman
kapit-bisig madre, pari, at sundalo, naging langit itong bahagi ng mundo.

Huwag muling payagang umiral ang dilim, tinig ng bawat tao'y bigyan ng pansin, magkakapatid lahat sa Panginoon, ito'y lagi nating tatandaan!”

November 30 evoked this other unforgettable 1986 EDSA song - MAGKAISA!

“Ngayon ganap ang hirap sa mundo, unawa ang kailangan ng tao, ang pagmamahal sa kapwa'y ilaan, Isa lang ang ugat na ating pinagmulan, tayong lahat ay magkakalahi, sa unos at agos ay huwag padadala.

Panahon na (may pag-asa kang matatanaw), ng pagkakaisa (bagong umaga, bagong araw), kahit ito (sa atin Siya'y nagmamahal), ay hirap at dusa.

Magkaisa (may pag-asa kang matatanaw), at magsama (bagong umaga, bagong araw), kapit-kamay (sa atin Siya'y nagmamahal), sa bagong pag-asa.

Ngayon may pag-asang natatanaw, may bagong araw, bagong umaga, pagmamahal ng Diyos, isipin mo tuwina.”

Even the heavens clearly joined the November 30 protests!

Not one, but two rainbows graced the skies above the EDSA protesters inspiring hope, reassuring all of God’s covenant with us!

Worth recalling/reflecting on God’s covenant with Noah in Genesis 9: 9-17:

“I am now establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants to come, and with every living creature that was with you: birds, cattle and every wild animal with you; everything that came out of the ark, every living thing on earth.

And I shall maintain my covenant with you: that never again shall all living things be destroyed by the waters of a flood, nor shall there ever again be a flood to devastate the earth.

And this', God said, 'is the sign of the covenant which I now make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come:

I now set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I shall recall the covenant between myself and you and every living creature, in a word all living things, and never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all living things.

When the bow is in the clouds, I shall see it and call to mind the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth, that is, all living things

That, God told Noah, is the sign of the covenant I have established between myself and all living things on earth.”