The May 7, 2016 aerial picture in Luneta

This column was inspired by a picture – the May 7, 2016 aerial picture of Duterte’s miting de avance in Luneta. It was the best illustration of the famous book “Here Comes Everybody.” The picture was not only about a huge rally. It showed Duterte supporters linked shoulder to shoulder. The Philippine flag was lofted magnificently on top of their heads.

We were later to know it was not orchestrated. People came on their own, some by themselves and others in groups from Metro Manila and nearby provinces. It was a surprise even to the organizers. I heard one ask “naka-milyon na ba tayo?” Mas pa. It was an ecstatic event for all of us who never thought it would happen even those who worked very hard. It was the miracle we were waiting for sovereign Filipinos to demonstrate their sovereignty against bad governance. It broke the back of oligarchic politics and government. But will it last?

Filipinos are a strange mix of confidence and submission. For the past few years rallies were faked, people were bused and paid. That is why good citizens would not even think of running for public office. It means having funds to pay both media and political leaders before one could get a decent audience.

But Duterte had no money, no funds and no organization and yet he was able to draw crowds to his rallies. What was his secret? Two things, one was the social media and the other was his own cunning on how to use public pronouncements. A friend once asked him why he kept the public guessing whether he would run. This friend apparently knew him well. He answered, “that is how I stay in the news.”  Social media is free, it is not owned by oligarchs and anything goes for those who use it.

I was staring at the aerial picture – the aerial picture of the crowd of May 7, 2016  at the Luneta – and realized this could be the perfect standard for our campaign for a new constitution that was promised by Duterte  in his campaign. Let's do it again!! The key was perfect timing. When would that come? I was out of those who were making the plans and like others we were waiting for the grand push, for the make or break rally for a new constitution. The numbers were there staring at me in Facebook while we waited for an announcement from organizers. But we can already begin the march right here in facebook with the rhythm of like and share..like and share…like and share.

I have 5,000 friends and 3,500 followers, mas or menos, removing those I do not trust or are inactive as I went along. Why wait for the march in real time? We could march right here in Facebook. If I have 5,000 friends and 3,500 followers multiply what these friends and followers have and their own friends and followers and you can see the magnitude of a Facebook March. We march until the day for the repeat march in Luneta is announced.

Well, it has been announced: It is on Feb. 25 and 26 in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta. This should be a repeat performance of May 7, 2016.

The Opposition, the anti-Dutertistas will also march on that day in EDSA. If you are for Duterte and change go to Luneta. If you are for the likes of Noynoy, Robredo, and Trillanes the guardians of the status quo go to EDSA. It will be a battle of the marches.

In the Facebook March that I began, I used the illustration of the May 7, 2016 aerial picture at the top, the best painting of Duterte whom we will ask to lead us more aggressively for a new constitution at the earliest possible time, a picture of former Justice Reynato Puno who made a recent statement that we have a continuing tragedy that only the people if they come together to assert their will and power can change and my column entitled  “We want it, waiting is not an option.”

We can match even outdo the crowd of May 7, 2016 simply by being there. Let's do it again!! If each blogger comes, we have the numbers. Thank you, Dutertista organizers for the brilliant idea of a date that is appropriate and meaningful. The time has come with the announcement that it will be on February 25 and 26 in Luneta where we made the stand for Duterte in the last elections.

Let’s all be in Luneta because we want it and waiting is not an option. This is what Claes Shirky meant when he said in his book ”Here Comes Everybody.”We organize without organizations because we are both individuals and members of groups and united in one cause – change.

Facebook has given us the online social tool that we need to connect without restrictions of time and cost. We must use  it. For those who are taken in by Western propaganda to weaken Duterte and his government,  Orion Dumdum of the Correct Movement General Assembly says:

“First Worlders – particularly clueless Westerners  who haven't experienced the hypocrisy of how “Due Process” in the Third World has often allowed corrupt rich people with connections to get away with all sorts of crime will never understand the Duterte phenomenon.

They operate from the assumption that because their First World societies are already fine and dandy with working institutions and working “due process,” they erroneously think that the same should apply in the Third World.

But they don't understand the context. In the Third World, particularly in societies that were for a long time too enamoured with aping the First World West, the resources with which to set up properly functioning institutions and “due process” were just not there.

The lousy economic situation and the low pay of civil servants and law enforcers tended to cause them to be prone to corruption. Rich offenders almost always got away scot-free because it was always easy to influence or bribe the people manning these institutions to turn a blind eye.