Wearing Activism as A Badge

By Herman M. Lagon

Activism is not an accessory. It is not a phase. It is not a trend one picks up for clout and discards when it is no longer convenient. As my long-time comrade US attorney Ian Seruelo once said, it is a badge—worn with pride, courage, and an unshakable sense of duty. This statement resurfaced during a conversation with young artivists from Dakila, a group committed to modern heroism. It is a needed reminder in a time when activism is met with suspicion, red-tagging, and criticism instead of respect.

The Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Ngayon? Forum held last March 8 in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, proved that activism is far from dead. Six of us friends-in-arms for 30 years—former student leaders of the 90s–were invited to share our stories with today’s generation. Ian, now a US labor and immigrant rights lawyer, joined me and other seasoned activists like Jennifer Mae Ladrido, who has transitioned from campus journalism to social-education entrepreneurship, and former National Federation of Student Councils (NFSC) Founding President Bam Parreno Lopez, who now champions advocacy-driven tourism. The stories varied, but the message was clear: activism, in any form, drives progress.

In the ’90s, it meant hitting the streets, leading walkouts, printing underground newsletters, and taking direct action against tuition-oil-tax hikes, corruption, and human rights abuses. But beyond the big rallies, radio interviews, sharp articles, and fiery speeches, activism was about the everyday battles—negotiating with school administrators, debating policies, and mobilizing students for causes bigger than ourselves. Fast forward to today, and the battleground has expanded. The internet has become both a tool and a threat, where digital activism coexists with state surveillance and disinformation. The question is, does activism still hold the same weight? The answer is a resounding yes.

Jennifer, who once wielded the pen and the paint as a student journalist and street parliamentarian at UP Diliman, spoke about the shifting forms of activism. In an age where online noise drowns out meaningful discourse, distinguishing performative activism from real advocacy is the challenge. A shared post is not enough. Hashtags, while powerful, must be backed by sustained action. The impact of activism is measured not in viral trends but in real change—policy shifts, cultural awakenings, and tangible reforms. This is where engagement beyond the screen becomes crucial.

However, wearing activism as a badge today comes at a higher cost. Ian and Bam emphasized the dangers of red-tagging, where activists—regardless of their political stance—are labeled threats to national security. The systematic demonization of activism has turned it into a dirty word, making people hesitant to speak out. Yet history tells us that democracy thrives when dissent is alive. Those who refused to be silenced won every significant reform—from labor rights to press freedom. Speaking out has always been expensive, but the cost of silence is far greater.

Grace Dequilla, former University of San Agustin Student Council president and now one of the pastoral mentors in her church, reflected on how activism is often misunderstood. Many young people avoid it, fearing judgment, but activism is never just noise—it is meaningful action. It challenges complacency, questions injustice, promotes acts of kindness, and pushes for real change, whether in school, politics, faith, or work.

The weight of activism is heavy, and burnout is real. Once at the forefront of student movements, many of us have felt this exhaustion. In this note, Raymund Moderes, former youth and labor organizer and now a lawyer, spoke about how activism does not always mean being on the front lines. It can mean working within institutions, shaping policies, or supporting causes in quiet but impactful ways. Activism is not just about protests—it is about writing or lobbying laws, defending or empowering the marginalized, running ethical businesses, or teaching critical thinking. It endures because injustice does.

The challenges may have evolved, but the essence of the fight remains. In the sharing, all of us stressed in different ways that the greatest enemy of activism is not oppression but apathy. It is not just those in power who suppress movements but also those who choose to look away. The challenge, then, is to make activism relevant to every generation—to remind people that their voices matter, that their actions count, and that passivity is complicity.

The six of us, and we hope the rest of the Dakila youth artivists present, agree that activism, at its core, is about hope. It is about believing that things can and should be better. It is about refusing to accept the status quo when it is unjust. It is about carrying forward the struggles of those who came before us while paving the way for those who will come after. We wear this badge not for recognition or ego but because silence has never changed the world. The question is not whether activism is still relevant. The question is, will we dare to wear the badge despite everything?

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.