Freedom is a word we love to claim we have. It echoes in our anthem, adorns our laws and permeates our rhetoric. We relate it to independence, and the right to shape our destiny. But what does freedom mean when our leaders pledge loyalty not to the people, but to personalities?

Recently, a senator declared, “Kahit sunugin mo ako, mangangamoy Rodrigo Duterte ako (Even if you burn me, I’ll still smell of Rodrigo Duterte).” On the surface, it seemed a simple gesture of loyalty. But at its core, it reflects a troubling trend — a fixation on political figures that eclipses our commitment to democratic values.

We are not free when a system supposedly built on the power of the people has elected officials that act more like followers than leaders.

This blind allegiance exposes a deeper problem: a cult of personality dominating our political landscape. Here, public officials rise not because of their ideas or their integrity, but because of whom they align with. They make their political survival depend on pleasing powerful patrons rather than on serving their constituents. The result is a democracy that thrives on adulation, rather than performance.

Let’s be clear — democracy thrives on representation, debate and accountability. When public servants pledge themselves to individuals rather than to institutions or ideals, democracy suffers. It reduces governance to selective pleasing, where loyalty is rewarded over results, and principled dissent is dismissed as disloyalty.

So how do we reclaim our freedom?

First, we must demand better political education. A well-informed citizenry is the backbone of a functioning democracy. Voters must be taught not just how to vote, but why it matters. We need to encourage critical thinking about political ideologies, platforms, and candidates — not just to cheer for famous names and faces.

Second, we must fortify the institutions that hold power in check. Independent media, civil society, and a robust legal system must be protected, encouraged and empowered to speak truthfully. Without this, democracy risks becoming a hollow ritual, devoid of substance and easily hijacked by personality cults.

Third, electoral reform is crucial. We need a system that amplifies diverse voices and discourages the concentration of power. Instead of dismantling the partylist system, for example, let’s fix it to ensure that those who claim to represent marginalized sectors actually do. We must tighten their qualifications, raise their standards and weed out opportunists.

The work of reclaiming our freedom will not be easy. There will always be those who prefer strongmen over strong institutions and who find comfort in personality politics. But democracy was never meant to be easy. It demands vigilance, courage and participation.

When a public official boasts of loyalty to a person over service to the people, we must ask: whose freedom are they really defending? Until our leaders are held accountable not to their political idols but to the public that elected them, our democracy will remain compromised.

True freedom requires more than the right to vote. It demands a political culture where leaders answer to the people, not to personalities. Only then can we call ourselves a nation not just free in name, but free in spirit, action and truth.