The Irresistible Necessity:
Revolution, Nationalism,
and the Voice of the Filipino People
In the face of such stark realities—where corruption, political apathy, and external control persistently undermine the sovereignty of the Philippines—one might rightfully ask if concepts like class struggle, liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice have become passe. The questions echo in the minds of those who continue to witness a nation’s political and economic systems serving the interests of foreign corporations, political dynasties, and the elite, while leaving the Filipino people in a perpetual state of inequality and frustration. When national leaders continue to chant the words of “national unity” and “order,” it becomes increasingly clear that these terms are hollow rhetoric, designed to placate the discontented and distract them from the deeper social injustices that persist.
The call for unity has often been nothing more than a veneer, a tool used to silence the voices of the people, who demand their basic rights: just wages, land, and homes. Instead of meaningful reforms, these calls are met with “assistance programs”—not genuine solutions, but temporary palliatives that do little to address the root causes of poverty and inequality. The Philippine government’s response to this widespread discontent is often a futile appeasement: handing out aid packages and programs meant to calm the masses, but never truly confronting the larger structural problems at hand. Isn't this an attempt to undermine the fact that the people are rising? The people's demands are often dismissed as inconvenient, yet these very demands—the fight for land, wages, housing, and justice—are not only legitimate but vital to the nation's progress. The poor are power, if only given the opportunity to organize, to speak, to demand their rights. But when their voices are drowned out by false promises and superficial measures, the true power of the people is obscured, and their ability to shape the nation is minimized.
A concerned patriot—driven by a profound desire for justice and a genuine concern for the people’s plight—might begin to see the traditional ideals of liberty and equality as something far more than outdated or out of touch. These concepts might feel increasingly relevant in such a time of crisis, when “class struggle” is not a relic of history but an ongoing, urgent reality. In the face of such overwhelming forces, the pursuit of justice and equality may appear as an idealism, but it is an idealism fueled by the lived experiences of the Filipino people—people who yearn not just for survival but for dignity, agency, and a chance to forge their own path, free from the shackles of historical exploitation.
This drive to seek justice is what led Atty. Apolinario Mabini, one of the Philippines’ most revered patriots, to recognize that when “the desires of the people” reach a critical point—when the "popular will" becomes so compelling that it cannot be ignored—revolution becomes an inescapable necessity. Mabini’s words are powerful in this context: “In reality, I never had the courage to disturb his countrymen while they preferred to live in peace." he said. However, it was inescapable for him to feel the "genuine desires of the people" and "the popular will.” For Mabini, the realization that the majority of citizens were being denied their basic needs—whether food, land, or political voice—could no longer be ignored. It was no longer just about the elite or the ruling class; it was about the majority who had suffered long enough and had reached the point of irresistible necessity for change.
Mabini’s belief that a socio political revolution is not only a right but a necessity in such circumstances is a profound and timeless observation. A revolution, he said, is initiated by the people, for whom the desire to better their condition becomes irresistible, a matter of survival, dignity, and justice. When the genuine needs of the Filipino people are felt by the majority, when their voices cry out for freedom from exploitation, equality, and justice, then the state must recognize the necessity for political change—not as an act of violence, but as an act of self-determination.
So, what justifies the fight? Revolution is justified because it is driven by the voice of the people, a collective cry that cannot be silenced by false promises or appeasement. As Mabini observed, the desire of the majority to better their condition becomes undeniable, a demand that transcends the efforts of the elite to maintain the status quo. It is not the marginalized seeking to destroy the nation, but rather the people seeking to revitalize it, to restore its integrity and sovereignty, to reclaim its identity from the forces that have long exploited it.
The fight for justice and sovereignty is thus not an idealistic outpouring but a profound necessity. It is a necessity driven by the very real needs of the Filipino people, who are fed up with being silenced, fed up with being treated as pawns in a game of political and economic exploitation. Nationalism, real nationalism, is not about waving flags or singing anthems—it is about ensuring that the Filipino people have the power to determine their own future. It is about recognizing that the poor are power, and that their struggle is not only for economic justice, but for the very survival of their nation’s identity.
In the face of overwhelming oppression, patriotism is no longer just about standing by while the country is exploited—it is about standing with the people, recognizing their struggles, and supporting their fight for justice, equality, and sovereignty. Just as Mabini followed the voice of the people, so too must the concerned patriot listen to the cry of the masses, for they alone hold the key to the nation’s true future.