We are a nation of sports fans mismanaging a democracy. Every election cycle, we don jerseys, paint our faces, and treat the future of our children like a basketball tournament. We scream ourselves hoarse for our teams, utterly blind to the reality that while the players on the court get rich, the fans in the bleachers remain broke, hungry and deeply divided.

Look at how we segment our collective conscience. We have willingly allowed ourselves to be forced into boxes designed by highly paid political marketing strategists. You are either a Duterte die-hard or a Marcos loyalist. If you are neither, you are instantly branded a Dilawan or a Pinklawan.

We have allowed our national identity to be fractured into color-coded factions, reduced to toxic algorithms, dynamic soundbites and aggressive tribalism. We fight like rabid dogs over the crumbs thrown from the tables of political dynasties, treating flawed, self-serving politicians as if they were messiahs capable of saving us all.

Reality check: We are our own savior. No one else.

When did we start pledging our allegiance to dynasties instead of the flag? The ultimate tragedy of the Filipino voter is our voluntary, almost enthusiastic surrender to the “lesser of two evils.” We approach the ballot box not with hope, but with a defeated sigh, choosing the thief who smiles over the tyrant who growls — as if those are the only choices God gave us.

We settle for mediocrity and call it “pragmatism.” We excuse systemic corruption, justify human rights violations, and turn a blind eye to blatant incompetence simply because “our side” is the one wielding the gavel.

This is not democracy; it is the idolatry of our own ruin. We have created a culture where loyalty to a political brand supersedes loyalty to the republic. We excuse the sins of our chosen leaders while crucifying their opponents for the exact same transgressions.

In so doing, we have absolved the ruling class of accountability, giving them a blank check to plunder our resources and mismanage our future, so long as they wear the right color during campaign season.

Demanding “Pro-Philippines” Standard

We need to break the vicious cycle of political codependency. True citizenship requires radical accountability, not blind adoration. Stop being loyal to politicians who do not know your name and only care about your thumbprint on election day.

Start being loyal to the republic. Demand leaders who are strictly pro-Philippines — leaders whose policies are measured not by how effectively they can destroy their political rivals, but by how many Filipinos they lift out of poverty.

The next time you find yourself aggressively defending a politician on social media or screaming at a relative over the dinner table, ask yourself: What have they done to earn my blind devotion? Our country is bleeding from a thousand cuts inflicted by political greed, generational theft and systemic neglect.

It’s time we grew up as an electorate. It’s time we stopped cheering for the knives.