For years, the world has known Filipinos for one thing — resilience. After every storm, flood, or tragedy, we smile. We rebuild. We laugh through tears. We’ve been called “the people who can smile even after losing everything.”

But when I saw these photos, something hit me hard. The smiles that used to define us — are gone. In their place: tired eyes, faces of worry, and signs asking for the basics — food, water, help.
And what’s more heartbreaking? These people are standing in front of one of the most powerful leaders in the country. Yet the expressions on their faces say what words cannot: “We’ve had enough.”

It’s not that Filipinos stopped being resilient. It’s that many are starting to realize — resilience should not be an excuse for neglect. How long will we keep glorifying “Filipino resilience” when it’s really just people enduring the same suffering over and over because of poor governance, slow response, and corruption that never ends?

This isn’t about politics anymore — it’s about survival, dignity, and justice. Even the strongest spirit can break when the system keeps failing those who stand in the mud, waiting for change that never comes.

Maybe what we’re seeing now isn’t the death of resilience — maybe it’s the awakening of a people who deserve more than just to “endure.”