What next for People Power?

It was heartwarming to see Filipinos throughout the nation continue to remember and commemorate People Power even on its 40th year!

Beyond remembering, however, we still have the responsibility to complete the unfinished goals of People Power: genuine freedom, justice, and truth, responsible people-centered governance, end of abuse and corruption, no more hunger and poverty, among others.

Can People Power again be fully harnessed and sustained to meet these unfinished goals?

And which goals will be prioritized, what action and steps need to be done, how, by whom, when and where?

Will the national rage and campaign against widespread corruption be the next common agenda for collective, united action?

Will there be and what will be the next moves of the various groups and coalitions vs. corruption?

On the local and national levels, will there be immediate calls for charges to be filed vs. those involved in the anomalous flood-control projects? Will the guilty be prosecuted and penalized? When?

How can People Power accelerate the movement for justice to be rendered to the victims of flood-control corruption and the abusers and corrupt to be duly punished soon?

On another related issue, will People Power be channeled once again to pressure Congress to pass the genuine Anti-Dynasty Law, Freedom of Information, and other laws?

Massive education campaigns about these important laws are required.

Will there be a nationwide, active discourse, discernment, and collective action to ensure good governance in the hands of sincere public servants?

Will there be public demand for accountability in use of public funds? Will public disclosure of evidence vs. the corrupt and abusers of public funds be pursued as an immediate agenda for People Power action as well?

While elections are still in 2028, will People Power act and mobilize soon to educate/ensure more informed, more responsible voters?

There is climate emergency as well, urgently needing collective action and resolve. Acres of land and mountains are being lost to mining, and in Cebu to garbage disposal.

Will there be a public outcry not only vs. the move to restore Binaliw as Cebu City’s dumpsite/landfill but to the absence of committed investigation and action vs. those responsible for the garbage slide and deaths in the Binaliw dumpsite/landfill?

Will People Power direct its collective strength to demand more participatory, inclusive management of local government resources/budgets to be prioritized for the use of the needy constituents rather than for expensive/eco-unfriendly/unnecessary waste management technology?

The public has been enjoined by Cebu City Mayor Archival to participate in waste segregation and management. At the start of the campaign, the city was able to save a significant amount with less collected garbage disposed of more effectively.

For wider participation of residents and communities, not only continuing public education and dissemination of ICE (information, communication, education) materials are needed. Actual demonstration as well as displays of alternative household and community waste management options need to be available and accessible to the public.

Just as millions of funds have been allotted to truck-based waste collection and disposal, in order for Mayor Archival’s participative segregated waste management campaign to be sustained to meet the goal of reduced waste volume, city funds need to be used as incentives/rewards for participating residents/barangays and should immediately be made available.

Participative, alternative household-community-based waste management holds the key to solving the problem of landfill, of hunger, of poverty, of employment, of climate change.

This participative, alternative waste management scheme should be given ample time and committed budget to demonstrate that this is far better and a more sustainable waste management option than the WTE or any technology-based option being touted by politicians.

Waste comes from people’s hands. Waste can best be solved/disposed of/managed by people and their hands. Not by politicians, not by technology.