Can you truly trust a promise that was once broken? I am not the kind who holds a grudge, but scamming an entire nation's budget for the sake of their own luxury life seems like a gruesome stab in the back for me.
We’re leaving behind 2025, a year known for its messy system filled with corrupt politicians who robbed the country blind. Who knows what our hard-earned funds were used for? But I can assure you, it wasn’t spent to support or better the country.
Now we enter the year with a new goal—to refuse injustice and protect our nation’s dignity.
As the year begins, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed into law the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026, upholding a commitment towards a much more responsible use of public funds. He assured that every program and project will undergo a thorough review to make sure the benefit for the people is transparent and valuable. They also stated that the administration has a “clear goal,” which would be to better the system and ensure accountability. In short, their said goal is to “end” corruption. But the big question remains: Is this true, or is it just one of their ways to silence the nation’s voice and hide behind walls as they continue to steal the public funds again?
It’s not a joke nor a mistake that could be repaired with just an apology; a loss of billions of public funds leaves a mark—a trauma that is not to be forgiven nor forgotten. It is the kind that follows you around like a shadow. You look to the side of the street and see unwalkable sidewalks; you look to the other, and see trash and signs that remind you to always prepare for the worst. They shouldn’t expect that we’d leave what they did in 2025 and act like it never happened; that’s just not how it works.
What’s worse is that it doesn’t just end with money itself. Houses, businesses, resources, and even lives were lost. The people and the country became the cost for the price of a life of princess treatment they can cling to. And if I were able to question them right now, I’d ask if it was all worth it? Watching your country that you were born and raised in, drown in corruption and insatiable greed—watching people lose their lives, lose their families, was it truly all worth it?
If you ask me? Not one or any privilege will ever convince me that all of this was worth it. It’s like the nation’s worth itself was stepped on and disrespected. Someone has to pay.
However, in spite of everything, maybe there was a shift in their heart to finally heal what was once broken. This may be the year of change for the country, and justice will be upheld. I cannot say this for sure because only time will tell us whether they are sincere or not.
For this year, it’s time that their words matched their actions, let 2025 be the eye-opener for everyone on how the country suffered in the hands of the people who were supposed to be the ones taking care of the nation. This shouldn’t take another round, another masked promise, just for the society to finally realize what is truly happening. It happened once—the lies, the injustice, the disrespect.
Written by Kayleigh Shingler | Nessaa, Insight PH
Kayleigh Shingler | Nessaa, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
