“Dubai chewy cookie o ilocos empanada? Good governance.”

I once saw those words online… shared casually, almost humorously, buried beneath reactions and laughing emojis that it had garnered. But behind that seemingly simple statement lies a craving so deep it aches.

Hindi na luho ang hinahanap ng mga Pilipino… hindi na simpleng kaginhawaan ng buhay… hindi na trendy outfits, viral foods—kundi ang mabuting pamamahala na lang.

Ang hinahangad at ninanais na lamang ng mga mamamayan ay ang gobyernong taumbayan ang pinagsisilbihan.

At doon sumasakit at lumalalim ang punla sa aking dibdib, at siguro sa ating maraming Pilipino… dahil nakapapagod nang mamuhay sa sistemang hindi ang taumbayan ang pangunahing pinaglilingkuran.

Sa gobyerong hindi magnanakaw sa sariling mamamayan, gobyernong hindi ginagawang negosyo ang serbisyo publiko, at gobyernong kayang unahin ang bayan bago ang pangalan, kapangyarihan, at pansariling interes.

Kung noon ay hindi mo pa gaanong ramdam ang katiwalian at korapsyon noon… hindi ka pa uhaw na uhaw sa mabuting pamamahala… hindi ka pa gutom na gutom na mabutas ang tiyan mo. Ngunit ngayon ay garapalan na tayong niloloko ng mga politiko, tipong harap-harapan na ang pagmamanipula sa sistema at wala lang magawa kung hindi ang maghangad at magutom sa mabuting pamamahala ng gobyerno.

Ika nga nila, “Country so rich, they have to be greedy…” at totoo ‘yon… because in a country so rich in people, culture, and potential, why does good governance still feel like a privilege we must beg for instead of a right we deserve?

The Philippines is rich—in culture, in talent, in resilience, in people who endlessly sacrifice for their families and communities. Yet despite all these, many Filipinos continue to suffer under systems that fail them repeatedly. We see officials involved in corruption scandals return to power as if accountability no longer matters. We watch political dramas unfold inside the halls of the Senate of the Philippines and other institutions while ordinary citizens struggle merely to survive another day.

At minsan, nakakapagod na…

Hindi ko maipagkakailang sumasagi na sa aking isipan ang mang-ibang bansa para makuha ang maayos na sistemang hinahangad ko bilang isang tao. Dahil nakakapagod nang makinig sa mga pangakong paulit-ulit na lamang tuwing eleksyon. Nakakapagod nang panoorin kung paano nagiging palabas ang politika habang ang taumbayan ang tunay na nagdurusa. Nakakapagod nang masaksihan kung paanong ang mga institusyong dapat nagsisilbi sa katotohanan ay unti-unting nagiging entablado ng mga gasgas na sarswela—mga dramang paulit-ulit, maingay, ngunit walang tunay na pagbabago.

And still, despite everything, Filipinos continue to hope.

Despite the corruption, people still vote, believing change is possible. Despite being ignored, people still speak. Despite historical distortions, disinformation, and repeated disappointments, there are still citizens willing to fight for truth, accountability, and justice.

Because you do not mourn a country you hate. You mourn a country you know had the potential to become better.

And as my mind continues to wander… I often find myself wondering what this nation could have been if greed had not consumed so many of its systems. What could the lives of Filipinos look like if public service truly meant service? What kind of future could the youth inherit if leaders chose integrity over self-interest?

What if this country loved its people the way its people continue to love it?

What if…?

Paano kung…?

Hindi ko alam—hindi ko na alam. Pero isa lang ang sigurado ako—mananatili na lamang siguro akong gutom sa paghahangad ng mabuting pamamahala sa maling panahon, maling konstitusyon, at maling mga namumuno.

And perhaps that is the tragedy of being a Filipino today—to love a country that keeps breaking your heart, and still choose to hope for it anyway. To remain hungry for the kind of governance we should have never needed to beg for in the first place.

And maybe… craving for good governance is one thing we cannot have. Maybe not right now, in the current situation of our country, the Senate, the Constitution, and everything that is happening… not right now. But good governance will remain my cravings for the rest of my life. And I will continue…

Yearning for good governance.

The Frontman