Vice President Sara Duterte said the 1986 EDSA People Power uprising taught Filipinos “that change does not always begin in the halls of authority, but it begins with conscience.”

“We must always lead with principle, grow with integrity, and excel not by compliance alone but with courage in our hearts,” Duterte said during the Philippine Association of Local Government Accountants’ 18th Mindanao Geographical Conference in Davao City on Wednesday, 25 February.

Duterte said that “forty years ago, on the streets of EDSA, unarmed Filipinos faced tanks with nothing but courage in their hearts, and stood for one thing: accountability.”

“In a time of rising public desperation, where people are betrayed by the very inaction and indifference of government institutions, your theme is not mere words or decorations, they question what you stand for,” she added.

Duterte also noted that “Filipinos are rightly demanding to know where your money went while they lose their homes and livelihoods to every storm.”

“When budgets are bloated but no tangible progress is felt, that is not technical error. That is failure of integrity in the budget process. To our accountants and finance officers, you are the unseen guardians of public trust,” she added.

The Vice President also reminded barangay officials to protect their budgets from corruption.

“To our punong barangays, treasurers, and SK leaders, the budget that we protect from corruption is the protection of every Filipino family. Every transparent audit is an act of patriotism,” she said.

“Accountability is a lonely road. Kaya ang karamihan ay mas pipiliing manahimik na lamang. And in the Philippines, it is a lonely road to nowhere. To stand firm in the face of threats, harassment and bribery,” the Vice President added.