It’s wonderful to be Filipino

Let’s be honest, 2025 was a brutal year. At the top of the nation’s trauma was discovering the shocking depth and scale of corruption in government. The people were robbed blind and the robbery was carried out – or at least abetted – by the very “public servants” Filipinos trusted. Talk about betrayal.

Add to this the sharp deceleration of the economy, brought about by PBBM’s failure to address the structural defects in the system. PBBM’s failure sabotaged the once strong momentum of the economy and by doing so, squandered three years of the country’s demographic advantage. Talk about a catastrophe.

Exacerbating the trauma were external factors – 23 typhoons, one of which ravaged Cebu. Political instability which many affirm is funded by China and managed by traitorous Filipinos. And of course the sustained coercion by China in the West Philippine Sea. Talk about being a sitting duck.

Making our year a full-blown comedic tragedy were senators and congressmen pirouetting across the national stage, proudly displaying their idiocy, cowardice, hypocrisy and pompousness for all the world to cringe at. Truly, what a bargain bin of leaders the country has. And just when the plot couldn’t get any worse, the Comelec Chairman’s bias in the Chiz Escudero decision happened.

With so much trauma in a single year, many find it impossible to enjoy Noche Buena even if they have P500 in their pocket. (The tone-deafness and ineffectiveness of the DTI secretary is beyond words).

Yet, we must still bring in the joy. It’s Christmas, after all. So my mission today is to help you see the silver lining in it all.

Look at it this way. At least Filipinos are not living under the iron hand of communism. Filipinos still enjoy freedoms of speech, movement and the press – as well as the right to assemble, protest and navigate an open internet.

These freedoms are often taken for granted. But taken in context, they are as valuable as life itself. Let me share a real life story.

The story

Last Nov. 26, fire engulfed a seven-tower apartment complex in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong. Some 160 people perished while six are presumed dead. It was Hong Kong’s worst fire in 80 years – one that revealed the weaknesses in the enforcement of fire safety codes.

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China and operates under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework. In practice, however, Beijing – and by extension, the CCP – exercises ultimate authority over Hong Kong’s political system and administration.

Following the fire, the grieving families naturally asked questions… How can a fire like this happen in an age of strict fire safety codes? Who approved the use of combustible construction materials? Who is responsible for this disaster?

A young student, Miles Kwan, launched an online petition in which he made three reasonable demands. One, that a fair probe be conducted. Two, that victims be provided decent resettlement. And three, that the officials who allowed the lapses in safety code be made accountable.

Not too much to ask, right?

Well, that young boy was arrested by Chinese officials for sedition. Let that sink in… the Chinese government arrested its own citizen for a high crime just for demanding accountability.

Subsequently, a 26-year-old YouTuber and a district councilor were also arrested on the same charge. They demanded accountability but were accused of making “derogatory comments” against the government. In China, those convicted of sedition face a minimum of five years imprisonment.

The arrest of the three youngsters were followed by a warning from Beijing, which said: “We sternly warn the anti-China disruptors who attempt to disrupt Hong Kong through disaster (sic). No matter what methods you use, you will certainly be held accountable and strictly punished.”

So 160 people perished and Beijing’s reaction was not empathy but to warn its people not to ask questions. If you do, you will be labeled as an “anti-China disruptor” and punished accordingly. Clearly, the CCP is a heartless government, one more concerned about protecting its reputation than its people.

The CCP spent years fostering a culture of silence among its citizens. It monitors its citizens through surveillance cameras, mobile apps and online tracking – punishing anyone who dares to speak their mind. In fact, records show that Beijing spends more on domestic surveillance than on national defense. What does this tell us? It suggests a government that sees its own people as a threat.

While many Chinese enjoy their newfound wealth, their freedoms remain heavily restricted. Anyone who claims that prosperity justifies repression is telling a lie.

Why it is wonderful to be Filipino

The Philippine system is highly imperfect. And yet, despite everything, it is still better to be Filipino. Even with corrupt leaders and broken institutions, Filipinos are a people who can speak, question, protest, create, dream and demand better without fear of being erased. The people can call out injustice and organize protests because freedom is woven into the national fabric. Democracy, though wounded, is alive and thriving.

And then there are the people. Filipinos fall, get betrayed and are battered by storms – both political and literal – yet still rise with humor, courage and a stubborn belief that tomorrow will be kinder. Filipinos argue loudly because their love for country is fierce. Filipinos always demand better because they care deeply about their families, community and nation.

Being Filipino means carrying hope like a flame that no corrupt or incompetent regime can extinguish. Yes, democratic freedoms matter – but it is the Filipino’s instinct to care for one another, to keep hoping and to keep rebuilding that makes Filipinos truly extraordinary.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

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Email: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan