Being an ordinary Filipino today feels exhausting.
Especially if you belong to the middle class — the group that earns “just enough” to survive, but never enough to truly breathe.
We wake up every day trying to do the right thing. We work hard, pay taxes, follow the rules, and try to build a decent future for our families. Yet somehow, it feels like we are the ones carrying the heaviest burden while getting the least support.
Everything is expensive now.
Gas prices keep rising. Electricity bills are painful. Water bills continue to increase. Grocery prices change almost every week. Even simple meals that used to be affordable now make people think twice before ordering. Rent is high. Transportation is difficult. Healthcare is expensive. Education costs continue to climb.
And salaries?
Most of the time, they stay the same.
You work harder every year, but your money becomes worth less every month.
What makes it even more frustrating is watching the government behave like a circus.
Instead of focusing on long-term solutions, improving the economy, lowering the cost of living, creating better opportunities, or fixing public services, many politicians already seem obsessed with the 2028 elections. Political drama dominates headlines while ordinary citizens struggle just to survive daily life.
It feels like governance has become one giant campaign season.
Social media is full of propaganda. Politicians are busy attacking each other, building alliances, and preparing for future power. Meanwhile, the average Filipino is worried about how to pay the next electric bill or afford basic necessities.
The middle class is stuck in a painful position.
You are not poor enough to qualify for government assistance, but not rich enough to live comfortably. You become the invisible sector — expected to endure everything quietly.
And honestly, it changes people.
Growing up, I never dreamed of working overseas. I never imagined wanting to migrate. Like many Filipinos, I believed in building a future here at home. I wanted to succeed in the Philippines, contribute here, and live here proudly.
But lately, it’s difficult not to think about leaving.
Not because we hate our country.
But because we are tired.
Tired of feeling like no matter how hard we work, progress remains out of reach. Tired of corruption. Tired of political noise. Tired of seeing ordinary citizens sacrifice while those in power continue playing games.
The painful truth is this: many Filipinos are no longer leaving for adventure. They are leaving for peace of mind, stability, and dignity.
And that should alarm everyone.
The Philippines has talented, hardworking, resilient people. We deserve better than endless political distractions and short-term thinking. We deserve leaders who focus less on elections and more on solutions.
Because at the end of the day, ordinary Filipinos are not asking for luxury.
We are simply asking for a fair chance at a decent life.