A Bolder Generation

A Bolder Generation

January 1, 2026

This essay examines how resolute young representatives and Gen Z whistleblowers—framed by a public exhortation from Retired General Romeo Poquiz—embody a civic courage that challenges corruption, reshapes political discourse, and tests democratic institutions in the Philippines.

Context and thesis

The contemporary Philippine political landscape is animated by a generational shift: younger representatives and Gen Z activists are increasingly visible as agents of accountability. Their public denunciations of corruption and state abuse—often at great personal cost—have catalyzed debates about transparency, institutional resilience, and the ethics of political power. This essay argues that their moral clarity and procedural insistence constitute both a corrective to entrenched patronage and a stress test for democratic norms; their persecution by vested interests reveals systemic weaknesses even as it galvanizes civic solidarity.

Courage as political praxis

Courage in politics is not merely rhetorical. When two Gen Z individuals exposed corruption and government abuse, their actions performed a dual function: they disclosed wrongdoing and modeled a new civic grammar—one that privileges evidence, digital literacy, and public testimony. Such acts convert private grievances into public claim-making, forcing institutions to respond. The persecution they faced—legal harassment, smear campaigns, economic pressure—illustrates how informal power networks weaponize state and market levers to silence dissent. This dynamic underscores the need to protect whistleblowers and to institutionalize safeguards that prevent retaliation.

Generational ethics and deliberative practice

Younger representatives bring distinct ethical registers to deliberation: transparency, intersectional awareness, and procedural rigor. Their deliberative style often emphasizes collaborative fact-finding, use of social media for evidentiary circulation, and insistence on legislative remedies. These practices challenge older patronage-based modes of politics and invite a rethinking of accountability mechanisms. Yet, the transition is fraught: institutional inertia and elite resistance can co-opt or neutralize reformist energy unless it is anchored in durable legal protections and broad civic alliances.

The role of symbolic endorsements

Public endorsements from respected figures can amplify reformist momentum. Retired General Romeo Poquiz's invocation—translated roughly as "As long as there are Levistes and Barzagas, there is hope for the Philippines"—functions symbolically to legitimize youthful dissent and to frame it as patriotic rather than subversive. Such endorsements can shift narratives, but they also provoke institutional pushback; official actors labeled dissent "defeatist" or "alarmist," revealing tensions between military, political, and civil society perspectives.

Institutional reforms and civic strategy

To convert moral courage into systemic change requires three interlocking strategies: (1) legal protections for whistleblowers and witnesses; (2) procedural reforms that increase transparency in procurement, budgeting, and oversight; and (3) civic capacity-building that sustains public attention beyond episodic scandals. Young representatives are well-placed to champion these reforms, but success depends on coalition-building across generations and sectors.

Conclusion

The persecution of brave Gen Z exposers is a mirror: it reflects both the pathologies of a system that privileges wealth and influence, and the possibility of renewal when principled youth and supportive elders converge. The exhortation attributed to Retired General Poquiz captures this duality—a call to persist, and a reminder that hope is contingent on collective action. If institutions respond by strengthening protections and enabling deliberative participation, the sacrifices of these young actors may mark the beginning of a more accountable polity rather than a cautionary footnote.

Summary: Rep. Leandro Leviste's released list of 75 DPWH projects totaling ₱8 billion and with proponents tagged as “OP (ES/SAP)” exposes serious issues in transparency, accountability, and possible misuse of the budget; a thorough Congressional investigation and independent audit are needed to clarify the origin and legitimacy of the proponents and allocations.

Context and basic facts

In December 2025, Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste released a document purporting to contain projects in the 2025 DPWH National Expenditure Program, showing 75 projects with a total cost of ₱8 billion, and with a proponent tagged as "OP (ES/SAP)"; Leviste said it was unclear who this tag was referring to and that he did not believe it was former ES Lucas Bersamin. According to the report, approximately 60% of the funds were for flood control, 32% for roads, and 8% for streetlights.

Critical analysis

Transparency and documentation

Lack of clear proponent identification is the main problem: the use of the cryptic tag OP (ES/SAP) allows a project to be placed on the NEP without it being clear who actually endorsed or applied. This creates information asymmetry that makes it difficult for the public and legislators to conduct early review and oversight.

Institutional accountability

Placing large allocations (₱8 billion) under an unknown proponent opens up the possibility of patronage, ghost projects, or redirection of funds. Even if the technical categories (flood control, roads, streetlights) are legitimate needs, the process of proposing and approving must have clear traceability and documented justification to prevent misuse.

Legal and ethical implications

If the proponent is not an official unit or legitimate entity, it may violate government procurement and budgetary rules. Providing a proponent tag that is unclear may indicate an attempt to circumvent the normal public bidding process and congressional oversight.

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Comparison of critical issues

| Key Issue | What does it mean? Possible impact |

|---|---:|---|

| Transparency | Proponent tag unclear | Difficult to audit; public distrust |

| Accountability | No clear sponsor or signatory Funds may be misallocated

| Legal compliance Procurement and NEP rules may have been violated Legal challenges; suspension of projects |

| Technical needs Flood control and roads have legitimate needs Risk of politicized prioritization

> Sources: 

Recommendations and steps

- Independent audit of documents and projects to verify the existence, scope, and beneficiaries of each item; priority to those with large allocations (flood control projects).  

- Forensic procurement review to determine if there are violations of bidding and NEP submission rules.  

- Congressional inquiry to invite DPWH officials, proponents, and alleged OP representatives for sworn testimony and documentary evidence.  

- Public disclosure policy: implement mandatory online registry of all NEP proponents and supporting documents before funding is approved.

Conclusion

The release of Leviste's list is an important reminder that transparency and accountability in national spending should not be sacrificed in the name of speed or political interest. The ₱8 billion tagged to the cryptic proponent is not just a number—it is public funds that require clear explanation and thorough investigation to protect the interests of the people and the integrity of public institutions.

Amiel Roldan's curatorial writing practice exemplifies this path: transforming grief into infrastructure, evidence into agency, and memory into resistance. As the Philippines enters a new economic decade, such work is not peripheral—it is foundational. 

Amiel Gerald Roldan   

I'm trying to complement my writings with helpful inputs from AI through writing. Bear with me as I am treating this blog as repositories and drafts.    

please comment and tag if you like my compilations visit www.amielroldan.blogspot.com or www.amielroldan.wordpress.com 

and comments at

amiel_roldan@outlook.com

amielgeraldroldan@gmail.com 

Amiel Gerald A. Roldan: a multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.

Recent show at ILOMOCA

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