Imagine that you are riding a horse — except this horse is dead. You might convince yourself that things will improve with a bit of extra care — a new saddle or a nicer bridle. Perhaps you would consider swapping riders, hoping a fresh leadership could somehow breathe life into this lifeless creature.

Let us be honest, though — no amount of change will get that horse to carry you anywhere.

This whimsical yet frustrating scenario mirrors a reality many Filipinos are confronted with in their personal lives and within the broader context of governance in the Philippines.

The “Dead Horse Theory” — originating from a Dakota tribal proverb: “When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount” — highlights our tendency to grapple with pressing issues requiring innovative solutions, yet we still cling to outdated practices that yield no real progress.

Given persistent challenges like corruption, poverty, and inefficiency, we must ask ourselves: Are we still riding that dead horse? Are we distracting ourselves with temporary fixes instead of confronting the deeper issues? Isn’t it time we dismounted, reassessed our challenges, and strode toward meaningful reform?

When confronting seemingly impossible problems, many ignore the harsh truth and cling to ineffective solutions, like a rider stubbornly holding onto a dead horse. If you’re on a dead horse, the logical move is to get off and look for a new one. Yet, this simple solution often eludes us.

Instead of moving past outdated approaches, people resort to futile actions, for instance, investing in a shiny new saddle — like leaders instituting superficially appealing policies that fail to address underlying issues.

In the Philippines, this phenomenon is all too common. Consider the frequent announcements of new infrastructure projects to tackle traffic congestion. While new roads and bridges are vital, these initiatives often serve as mere cosmetic fixes that neglect systemic inefficiencies in public transportation.

Another example is the tendency to make trivial adjustments, like changing the “horse’s diet.” In governance, this appears as temporary social programs designed to aid the underprivileged.

Cash handouts (like TUPAD and AICS) often garner attention during election years. Still, they don’t solve fundamental issues like jobs creation or skills training, ultimately trapping individuals in cycles of dependency and mendicancy.

Switching riders — bringing in new leaders without real policy changes — is another common reaction. Our political landscape features new administrations making grand promises of change yet frequently repeating the mistakes of the past. This cycle is glaring in its various approaches to corruption, where new governments may introduce tougher anti-corruption laws but struggle or fail to enforce them due to persistent systemic challenges.

Firing the caretaker also appears to offer a fresh start, yet it often leads to greater inefficiencies.

For example, hiring a new chief for the Department of Education seems promising. Still, without changes in the educational framework or fair resource distribution, issues like overcrowded classrooms and outdated materials will remain unchanged.

Moreover, agencies often convene to discuss the dead horse rather than taking actionable steps. How often do task forces gather to study corruption or poverty, only to produce reports stating the obvious, leading to no meaningful action? Months pass, and the dead horse remains motionless.

Sometimes, these issues are downplayed by comparing them to other dead horses — suggesting that if everyone else is struggling, our problems are less severe. Frustratingly, politicians commonly use this tactic to deflect criticism.

Attempting to “train” the dead horse appears to be a misguided effort, similar to proposing budgets for initiatives promising improvement without addressing core deficiencies. Funding workshops on governance may generate discussions, but they rarely lead to effective systemic change.

So, how can we achieve meaningful progress? The challenge is clear: it’s time to dismount the dead horse and focus on effective reforms that will empower people and promote sustainable growth.

Real reform does not come in piecemeal solutions but a commitment to participatory governance, in which citizens actively shape policies instead of being silenced.