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My mother, a political science graduate, always wanted to be a lawyer. During college, while working toward this dream, oppressors came to power, and the system failed her. Instead of silence, she chose to fight. So, she became a student activist, joining the wave of protests on the streets, carrying placards and raising her voice against injustice. Her efforts to help others reach their dreams almost led to her arrest by the police. But what her story makes unforgettable is her willingness to let others reach the stars of their life with her bravery and passion. She once told me, “If you want freedom, you need to fight for it.” So I did, I continued her legacy. Activism changed my life. It ignited my mind to fight for what is right — even when it’s uncomfortable. For the sake of freedom, activism became my choice. For two years now, I’ve joined rallies, chanting for hope and justice. According to philosophy, we act because we are free, and our choices shape who we become. But true freedom requires control — not control by power, but by purpose. Because living under a rotten government coated with hypocrisy feels like hell. You want people to be free, yet they drag you down for speaking the truth. Countless activists have already sacrificed their lives out of fear of exposing those rotten promises. And still, the masses remain burdened, trapped in a system that kills their dreams. When the government turns into a dictator, activism becomes the people’s response — a revolution toward freedom. Until now, political turmoil and social injustice have continued to weigh heavily on our shoulders. Corruption is everywhere—it spreads like a disease, causing people to suffer from their own causes. Yet, why are people the ones who are supposed to adjust to heal from sickness when they’re the ones who are responsible for spreading lies in our society? The worst part is that when people try to heal by speaking out against this cruelty, the “disease” silences them—sometimes even kills them. Activists are branded as rebels and communists when in truth, they are simply exercising democratic freedom and defending the rights that belong to us all. Look at education, for instance. Many of us dream of changing our lives through learning, yet how can we reach the light when our torch has been stolen? Recently, the government denied the budget increase for educational institutions, redirecting it instead to defense and substandard infrastructures. With enough funding, we could have achieved progressive learning, where students discover through research, equipped with proper classrooms and tools. They always say that education is the key to success, but how can we open the door if they keep stealing the key? People have already witnessed the incompetent service of the government and are concerned about their potential plunder over mishandling millions of pesos in government funds, which has led them to take to the streets. Some of them believe that it's necessary to protect the constitution and respect the decision made by the administration. But the wound is too fresh to be healed by intention alone. Instead, have they even considered respecting the people's choice? After all, it's their responsibility to serve the people. They would not be on the roads if there were honesty; besides, it is about upholding the truth over lies. But if they still choose to deny, ignorance betrays the people’s trust. And that’s how I began to march on the road. I remember my first rally — wearing green baggy jeans, a blue compression top, and carrying the placard I made the night before. I felt uneasy as I witnessed the brutality of the authorities toward those who dared to speak. But my heart reminded me — I wasn’t alone; my mother’s blessing was with me. What mattered was that I was there, fighting for their dream, your freedom, and my rights. Yet as I became a voice of the masses, I didn’t expect how exhausting it would be. If a genie were here right now, my only wish would be for us to be heard — because we, Filipinos, deserve better. Maybe they’re right, we should focus on studying. But how can we, when the system is run by those who rob us of our future? Maybe they fear an educated generation awakened to truth. Activism is not rebellion; it is love—love for the people, for truth, and for freedom. People take to the streets because the system failed to reach their dreams. We suffer, but must we live in hell? Even the heavens would be ashamed of their lies. Even birds will fall as their wings melt—losing hope in a sky that once promised justice. My mother’s blessing will forever fuel my fight for freedom and the defense of our rights. No one should feel ashamed or afraid to demand accountability—for it is they who should fear the truth. Their own threats have already dragged them down from power. That is why we must continue to demand action, because those in power exist to serve the people. Our freedom must be protected from the hands of corruption. Activism will never be terrorism. There is nothing wrong with fighting; we fight because there is something wrong.