Another war. Another airstrike. Another display of might dressed as “peacekeeping.” This time, it is Iran once again in the crosshairs—bombed by the United States under the thin veil of nuclear fears and so-called deterrence.
Let us be clear: this is not self-defense. This is not diplomacy. This is aggression—unprovoked, unilateral, and utterly reckless. A sovereign nation attacked. A region pushed closer to the brink. And for what? A fleeting illusion of control? Another stage-managed show of dominance while the world watches, weary and bleeding?
From the heart of the Middle East to every barangay in the Philippines, the echoes of war ripple far. Each missile strike jolts oil prices upward. Each diplomatic collapse pushes peace further out of reach. And each escalation means tighter budgets, higher fares, and costlier goods for our people—Filipinos who had no say, no stake, and no shield from the consequences.
What is most infuriating is the hypocrisy. The US, with its vast stockpile of nuclear weapons, preaches non-proliferation while coddling an aggressive ally in Israel—an ally that has laid waste to Gaza, Lebanon, and now cheers as Iran burns. They bomb in the name of security, while civilian casualties mount and hopes for peace are buried under rubble.
This is not just geopolitics. This is about justice. About dignity. About survival.
We must not be silent while empires wage war to feed their military-industrial machines. The Philippine government must break free from subservience and stand for peace, sovereignty, and the welfare of our people. We urge Malacañang to denounce this aggression and to champion diplomacy, not just at the UN, but through bold, principled leadership at home.
And as oil prices surge, it is time to rethink our economic path: break our dependence on volatile imports, invest in our industries, and protect the sectors most vulnerable to these global shocks.
War is not inevitable—it is manufactured. And resistance, too, can be made. Through solidarity. Through conscience. Through a global chorus saying: enough.
Because in every act of militarism, it is not generals or presidents who pay the price. It is workers, mothers, farmers, students—people.
They deserve more than silence. They deserve peace.
To our international allies: now is the time to act with clarity and courage. We should urge movements, parliaments, and peoples across borders to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and defy the machinery of war. Demand accountability from those who wage destruction under the guise of democracy. Amplify the call for an immediate ceasefire, justice, and sovereignty. Let us forge a global front against militarism—because silence, in the face of injustice, is complicity.
