Since the 1960s, student activists have been exercising their freedom of speech to demonstrate against the Philippine government regarding graft and corruption, and poverty.

The students were then joined by farmers, drivers and then by educators in carrying placards expressing their legitimate grievances.

According to Eckhart Tolle, author of the book A New Earth, a grievance is a strong negative emotion connected to an event in the sometimes distant past that is being kept alive by compulsive thinking, by retelling the story in the head or out loud of what someone did to me or what someone did to us. In other words, a long-standing resentment is called a grievance.

Why are these demonstrators always in the streets, raising the same concerns and issues? Has the government addressed these issues?

The controversial overpriced Makati City Hall Bldg. 2 has raised some eyebrows. In the subsequent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing some information came to light that has questioned the integrity of Vice President (VP) Jejomar Binay.

The second Head of State through his lawyer quickly denied the allegations. I am a firm believer of the adage that where there is smoke, there is fire.

Months before the 300-hectare Laguna property was discovered and investigated by the Senate, somebody handed me a three-page file containing the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Binay family.

Since it is difficult for me to verify the document as the government offices that would give credence to the report are all located in Metro Manila or in its neighboring towns, I will venture to simply ask the following questions:

Do the Binays have a 10-hectare mango farm? Does the family own two condominium units in Rockwell? Does the VP own a three-story mansion with elevator in Banuyo St., San Antonio Village in Makati? Six rest houses in different locations in Luzon are allegedly owned by the Binays. The file also contained alleged bogus projects amounting to millions of pesos. Hmm, if these allegations are of merit, Vice President Binay would be in hot water if he has not declared these in his statement of assets and liabilities.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on October 23, 2014.

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