Rances at Coalition Launch: “Philippines in State of Collapse, Warns Against ‘Unconstitutional’ Power Grab”
QUEZON CITY – In a fiery speech that blended stark political critique with a spiritual call to arms, Rob Rances declared the Philippines a “nation in danger” and called for a mass movement to hold the current administration accountable, while simultaneously issuing a severe warning against any unconstitutional shortcuts to seize power.
Speaking at the launching of the “Save the Philippines Coalition” on Wednesday, Rances presented a grim diagnosis of the country’s state under the Marcos Jr. administration, alleging widespread “governance failure” and “state capture.”
Rob Rances is Asia’s first Master Neuroplastician, an internationally trained leadership futurist, political blogger, and the Philippines’ leading voice on Brain Capital—the cognitive and emotional assets powering innovation, resilience, and national development. He is the founder of Synapsity and QuestLab, where he builds future-ready leaders and institutions by integrating neuroscience, strategic foresight, and civic transformation.
Rob holds advanced credentials and interdisciplinary training from premier institutions in the USA, UK, Australia, Singapore, and Switzerland—including leadership, innovation, and strategy programs from MIT, and doctoral-level research in organizational development and neuroscience.
A recipient of the Gawad Pilipino Awards – Hero of the Year and the Dr. Wentz Country Vision Award, Rob is a trailblazing speaker and thought leader whose work spans corporate boardrooms, military resilience programs, grassroots empowerment, and national public policy.
His mission: Rewire leadership. Restore the Republic. Build a future-ready Philippines.
“A System Run Like a Syndicate”
Rances began by critiquing the leadership of President Bongbong Marcos, which he characterized by a lack of clear reforms, vision, and policy. “Instead of solutions, we see only press conferences,” he stated, pointing to a “captured” media, a compliant Congress, and investigative bodies that “cover up and control the narrative.”
Rances asserted that the nation is facing more than just corruption. “We are facing state capture—a system where those who design the budget also benefit from the budget, and also investigate the budget,” he stated. “That is not governance. That is a system that operates as if it were run like a syndicate,” Rances told the crowd, describing a system where the same people who design the budget, benefit from it, and investigate it.
He pointed to the recent ₱100-billion flood control scam and budget insertion scandal as evidence, questioning the sincerity of the administration’s own anti-corruption drives. “If the masterminds sit at the top, can the system really clean itself?” he asked the crowd.
International Repercussions and Economic Alarm
Rances issued a stark warning on the international fallout, stating that allegations of the President’s drug use have moved beyond domestic gossip into formal diplomatic and intelligence channels. He reported that this perception of a “drug-compromised” leadership is causing key allies to quietly scale back intelligence sharing, fearing compromised security, while simultaneously scaring away vital foreign investment.
“Foreign investors don’t look at Palace claims. They look at falling markets, collapsing FDI, weakening currency, rising political instability, and allegations of a drug-using President,” Rances said, painting a dire economic picture.
However, he noted a silver lining: the world is also witnessing the massive opposition rallies. “Diplomats are whispering now: ‘The Filipino people may be more stable than their government,'” he shared, framing the public as the “last line of defense.”
A Stern Warning Against “Transition Councils”
Rob Rances issued a stark condemnation of efforts to subvert the nation’s constitutional order, centering his argument on several key messages.
A “Power Grab Disguised as Reform”
Rances forcefully rejected rumors of a “transition council” or “caretaker government,” labeling any such move an unconstitutional power grab. He argued that these mechanisms, designed to prevent Vice President Sara Duterte from assuming power, are not acts of salvation but of destruction. His central warning was clear: “Transition councils don’t save countries—they break them.”
A Dangerous Precedent with a Dire Price
He grounded his warning in recent global history, asserting that “Every country that bypassed [the] constitution in crisis paid the price.” By citing the disastrous outcomes in Myanmar, Thailand, and Egypt, Rances illustrated that discarding the constitutional rulebook sets a dangerous precedent that ultimately weakens the nation for all future leaders.
The Deafening Silence of the Authorities
Rances identified the complicity of key institutions as a major red flag. He pointedly noted, “The most alarming part? The silence from the DILG, PNP, and the Palace. That silence speaks volumes.” This condemnation served to highlight the perceived inaction of those sworn to uphold the law in the face of a clear threat to it.
The People as the Final Defense
Amidst the dire warnings, Rances pinpointed a single source of hope: the Filipino people. He praised massive public rallies and placed ultimate sovereignty in their hands, delivering a stirring call to action: “We are the last line of defense when institutions are captured. We are the remaining institution that still works in this country.” This message framed the public not just as spectators, but as the active guardians of democracy.
A Call to the “Constitutional Majority”
Rances’ solution was a direct appeal to the Filipino people, whom he called the “constitutional majority.”
“They may be winning the propaganda war, but we are the majority,” he asserted. “We are not outnumbered. We are just out-shouted.”
He called for a unified national uprising from all regions, stating, “No investor, no institution will save us—if we, the people, do not rise first.” He defined the moment as a critical juncture: “A nation collapses when people wait for permission to act. A nation rises when people move even without permission.”
A Moral and Spiritual Battle
Framing the crisis in moral terms, Rances stated that neutrality has become betrayal and silence has become surrender. He imbued the political struggle with spiritual significance, stating, “This is not just political work. This is moral work… This is God’s work through the Filipino people.”
In a poignant and strategic conclusion, he invoked the spirit of the late President Rodrigo Duterte, imagining a rallying cry from “Tatay Digong” that urged Filipinos to fight for their country. The speech ended with a final, impassioned plea: “GOD SAVE THE PHILIPPINES.”
The event signals a significant consolidation of opposition forces, setting the stage for increased political mobilization amidst a backdrop of severe allegations and constitutional warnings.
A Call to Action: The “Constitutional Majority” Must Rise
Rances’ central message was a call for the “constitutional majority” to awaken and mobilize. He argued that while this majority is currently “outshouted” by propaganda, they are not “outnumbered.”
“A nation collapses when people wait for permission to act. But a nation rises when people move even without permission,” he declared, urging a unified rise from all regions under the banner of “one voice, one pressure, one stand, one republic.”
Framing the moment as a historic moral and civic duty, he concluded, “This is a battle not just of politics, but of moral obligation, of civic duty, of love of country.” Invoking faith and the legacy of former President Rodrigo Duterte, he imagined “Tatay Digong” urging the crowd: “Don’t be afraid. Don’t back out… Fight for the Philippines.”
The speech culminated in the coalition’s rallying cry, positioning the people themselves as the solution: “The answer is here, the answer is now. The answer is us. Save the Philippines!”
The Save the PH Coalition is a newly formed movement comprising citizens from across the political spectrum, united by a shared concern for the nation’s future and a commitment to constitutional democracy and accountability.#
