Those Who Enslave Us

 

                                             (photo: youtube.com)

Bagan-o gajod ka gawasnon?

This writer has always held deep appreciation for the independence of the Philippines—a nation that proudly claims to uphold the ideals of democracy. But considering our current realities, can we truly say that we are completely free?

Are we genuinely free when we remain shackled by the cultural remnants of hiya, a deeply ingrained sense of shame inherited from centuries of colonial oppression under Spain and the United States? Are we free when we diminish our self-worth because of our brown skin, reaching for whitening products in a desperate attempt to conform to a beauty standard that was never ours to begin with?

And what of utang na loob? Have we become bound by a lifetime of obligation, even when kindness and assistance ought to be given freely, as an act of humanity and moral duty, not as leverage for eternal debt?

Why is it that when we assert ourselves, we are quickly branded as entitled? Is this not a democracy, a free nation, where every voice, no matter how inconvenient or unrefined it may seem to those in power, deserves to be heard? Isn’t freedom of speech and expression part of the very independence we commemorate today?

Our leaders must not only respect but embody the liberties they claim to protect. Why, then, is knowledge hoarded, and decisions made in isolation, as though wisdom is the sole possession of a select few? Can we confidently say that their actions reflect the true will and needs of the people they have sworn to serve?

And why is it that the burdens, whims, and privileges of those in power are so easily passed down to those beneath them? Is this not yet another form of enslavement: one masked in bureaucratic tradition, but exploitative all the same?

Today, we commemorate the 127th year of our independence. Yet, despite the passage of time, we remain bound, not by foreign conquerors, but by the systems and mindsets of those among us who have failed to evolve toward true self-actualization. These individuals treat others not as equals, but as mere pawns in their personal pursuits of power, pushing people around to mask their own insecurities, cloaking inferiority with a façade of superiority and leaving behind those they consider as collateral in their ambitions.

This cycle of oppression persists in part because many lack a deeper understanding of our identity as a race and as individuals. Without introspection and self-awareness, the chains remain invisible but tightly fastened. Some are quick to criticize those who take to the streets in protest, raising their voices against injustice, yet they fail to ask: What drove them to march? What pain or truth are they trying to express?

True freedom cannot be achieved through symbolism alone. It requires a collective awakening: a conscious effort to embody and internalize the sensitivities of our shared struggles and aspirations as a people. Only then can we begin to break the cycle and move toward a more genuine, inclusive liberation.

True independence is not marked by the date we were declared free, but by the moment we refuse to be complicit in our own oppression. Until we rise with clarity, courage, and conscience, our freedom remains unfinished.