The Philippines is currently facing its worst corruption crisis, with the legal system responding with dramatic gestures such as the creation of special panels and the filing of complaints. However, the credibility of these actions depends on the independence of the courts, prosecutors, and investigative bodies. The country has a history of impunity, with high-level cases such as the Maguindanao massacre and the Marcos ill-gotten wealth litigation resulting in few convictions and many cases stalling or collapsing. The same pattern of impunity is evident in the Visayas, where devastating floods have been linked to poorly planned infrastructure, corruption, and weakened ecosystems. The state’s failure to deliver justice has led to a cycle of hope and disappointment, with the public repeatedly invited to hope for accountability only to witness the same predictable failures. To break this cycle, fundamental political reforms are needed to confront the roots of impunity and state capture. This includes ending monopoly control over local governments, enforcing strict campaign finance rules, and strengthening ideology-based political parties. A national transition people’s council could guide institutional reforms, and the youth of the country, who are more informed, connected, and courageous than any generation before them, may be the force capable of ending impunity and rebuilding democracy.
