If we reflect, the times have truly shifted. Back then, when corruption thrived, it was the corrupt who trembled in fear of being exposed. The word “Expose” carried weight. It carried shame. It carried fear. Because society, at least in some sense, still respected truth. The one who spoke out was seen as a hero....defenders of the people against the greedy who fattened themselves on the nation’s wealth.
But today, it is the opposite. The whistleblower, the truth-teller, the one who truly cares for the country, is the one living in fear. Fear of threats, fear of lawsuits, fear of character assassination, and sometimes, even for their very lives. Meanwhile, the corrupt? They stand proud....smiling, wearing shades, hands on their hips, parading on the stage of power. Why? Because corruption has been normalized. What was once a crime is now treated like a privilege.
This is what the Marchanism Manifesto column declares: the deadliest form of corruption is not only the theft of wealth but the theft of the people’s courage. It is the system that turned integrity into a joke and made honesty a dangerous choice.
So the question is: will we remain silent? In the past, those who spoke were uplifted; today, we must defend them. Because if truth is finally buried in its coffin, no one will dare make a sound. What remains is a nation blinded by fear and fattened by lies.
We cannot simply say, “Bahala na....let it be.” We cannot accept this as normal. Corruption is like cancer. If tolerated, it will eat the entire body of the nation. But remember.....cancer is not defeated by silence. It is defeated by collective effort, by the chemotherapy of courage, and the radiation of truth.
Again, this is the Marchanism Manifesto: the one who exposes is not the enemy, but an ally. Corruption is not destiny, but an adversary. And the people must not live in fear, but in strength.....because the power of the people is far greater than the shadow of any corrupt figure.
If the times attempt to twist right into wrong, it is our duty to restore justice to its rightful face.....not for the few, but for all.
Before, the corrupt feared being exposed. Today, the whistleblower fears the corrupt.
But tomorrow… if we unite, if we raise our voices, if we stand firm in principle… once more, it will be the plunderers who must tremble....not the people.
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