In a scene straight out of political theater’s bargain bin, Australian lawmakers staged a protest during President Bongbong Marcos’ parliamentary address, a move as impactful as a whisper in a hurricane. 

The picket line outside, manned by a handful of Filipino Australians, resembled more a sad reunion of lost tourists than a formidable demonstration. Perhaps some were lured by the promise of a few Australian dollars, their protest signs flimsier than their convictions. 

Marcos, unfazed by the feeble attempts at dissent, sauntered through his speech, barely acknowledging the spectacle. It was a performance reminiscent of the 3-member Makabayan bloc’s annual charade during his State of the Nation Address – a predictable sideshow easily dismissed. 

In the grand opera of political resistance, this was but a forgettable aria, drowned out by the deafening silence of indifference.