Democracy is fragile: But its power lies in the people

In every corner of the world where ballots are cast, democracy is tested—not just by those who count the votes, but by those who believe their voice still matters. At its best, democracy is the collective dream of a people charting their own future. But at its most vulnerable, it is a quiet hope that can be silenced with fear, forgotten in apathy, or broken by betrayal.

- NIGHT OWL ANNA MAE YU LAMENTILLO

The truth is: democracy is fragile. And yet, it remains the most powerful force for change because its strength does not reside in institutions or constitutions alone—it lives in the people.

In the Philippines, we know this fragility well. Ours is a democracy born of struggle—shaped by colonization, tempered by martial law, and reborn through People Power. We have marched in the streets and waited in long lines under the scorching sun just to make sure our votes count.

We have risked safety to speak the truth when it was dangerous to do so. And yet, for all our sacrifices, we remain vulnerable to the same forces that threaten democracies everywhere: corruption, disinformation, suppression, and the slow erosion of trust in public institutions.