What do I remember on this day?
What do I remember about the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986? None that I experienced personally since I just turned one year old 9 days before it happened (on which I have photos taken with my parents, uncles, aunts and older cousins who pose with the “Laban Sign” while I was blowing the candle on my cake).
But then, based from how people around me remembered, and from the memories shared by my Philippine History teachers, I have learned to name some of the icons from the said event. Of course there were Ninoy Aquino and the late President Corazon C. Aquino with their children, among which Kris is most famous (even more famous than her brother who is currently the President of the country, although when I was younger, it didn’t occur to me that she is the same actress that starred in “Pido Dida” ).
There were also the Marcos Family and their ill-gotten wealth (Swiss account) that were disseminated to their cronies. There’s also General Fidel Valdez Ramos (who became the Philippine President after President Aquino), Gringo Honasan, Juan Ponce Enrile and the many others who took part in the same event.
The church who was represented by Cardinal Sin and the call for the masses to gather at what is now known to be the EDSA Shrine. The thousands of people coming from all walks of life -- politicians, businessmen, media people, private and public office workers, students, youth...everyone is making the “Laban” sign.
Even the priests and nuns marched out of the churches to join the thousands and even initiated the persuasion of the military men to join their group and turn their backs on the evil that the government has become. Everyone is determined to put an end to the piling cases of unjust killings, corruption, and crooked leadership of the late Ferdinand Marcos. Everyone is willing to risk their lives just to justify the death of one brave man who chose to stand and fight for the oppressed rights of the Filipino people.
It was the day when we became a nation who stands united and against the Marcos Government and the war between yellow and red, democracy and the many years of dictatorship, EDSA People Power Revolution and the Martial Law, Aquino and Marcos supporters finally approached its fatal end.
Apart from all of the heroic deeds, martyrdom, sacrifices, and many other things that were done in the past, I am not happy (and not proud either) to say that I know nothing else about the People Power Revolution. Twenty five years has fleetingly passed. There had been EDSA II (and some were claiming EDSA III too). But where are we now? Are we now a nation of freed people? Are we now lavishly enjoying the fruits that we reaped from the two EDSA revolutions? Or the nation and its new breed of youths (just like I do) can no longer identify with the said events. Are we becoming so forgetful that we no longer respect the lives that were sacrificed just to make it happen?
In the middle of the commemoration and activities held in celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution, I do wonder why the broadsheets, radio stations and TV stations are flooded with the same old faces during the National and Local Elections. I wonder why they keep on airing the same old political problems again and again everyday involving the crooked leaders who bear the same old family names (in some cases from the same old blood lines too). And I wonder why despite all the evidences against them and amidst all that the country has been through, we, the people kept on patronizing them and giving them seats for them to falsely serve and matter-of-factly stole from us? Is the celebration that we held today is just plainly that...a celebration with no importance at all?
Have we not learned? Or are we just too hopeful (and confident) that when the situation ask for it, we can still swarm the streets, wave our tiny yellow flags and ribbons, wear our yellow shirts, gather together and ask whoever the evil leader is, to step down and give us back our snatched rights? Are there still rooms for the succeeding EDSA revolutions, or will it just become one of the ordinary and usual rallying to be held so frequently on the streets that will make it loose its true worth? I am hoping not.
But then, based from how people around me remembered, and from the memories shared by my Philippine History teachers, I have learned to name some of the icons from the said event. Of course there were Ninoy Aquino and the late President Corazon C. Aquino with their children, among which Kris is most famous (even more famous than her brother who is currently the President of the country, although when I was younger, it didn’t occur to me that she is the same actress that starred in “Pido Dida” ).
There were also the Marcos Family and their ill-gotten wealth (Swiss account) that were disseminated to their cronies. There’s also General Fidel Valdez Ramos (who became the Philippine President after President Aquino), Gringo Honasan, Juan Ponce Enrile and the many others who took part in the same event.
The church who was represented by Cardinal Sin and the call for the masses to gather at what is now known to be the EDSA Shrine. The thousands of people coming from all walks of life -- politicians, businessmen, media people, private and public office workers, students, youth...everyone is making the “Laban” sign.
Even the priests and nuns marched out of the churches to join the thousands and even initiated the persuasion of the military men to join their group and turn their backs on the evil that the government has become. Everyone is determined to put an end to the piling cases of unjust killings, corruption, and crooked leadership of the late Ferdinand Marcos. Everyone is willing to risk their lives just to justify the death of one brave man who chose to stand and fight for the oppressed rights of the Filipino people.
It was the day when we became a nation who stands united and against the Marcos Government and the war between yellow and red, democracy and the many years of dictatorship, EDSA People Power Revolution and the Martial Law, Aquino and Marcos supporters finally approached its fatal end.
Apart from all of the heroic deeds, martyrdom, sacrifices, and many other things that were done in the past, I am not happy (and not proud either) to say that I know nothing else about the People Power Revolution. Twenty five years has fleetingly passed. There had been EDSA II (and some were claiming EDSA III too). But where are we now? Are we now a nation of freed people? Are we now lavishly enjoying the fruits that we reaped from the two EDSA revolutions? Or the nation and its new breed of youths (just like I do) can no longer identify with the said events. Are we becoming so forgetful that we no longer respect the lives that were sacrificed just to make it happen?
In the middle of the commemoration and activities held in celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution, I do wonder why the broadsheets, radio stations and TV stations are flooded with the same old faces during the National and Local Elections. I wonder why they keep on airing the same old political problems again and again everyday involving the crooked leaders who bear the same old family names (in some cases from the same old blood lines too). And I wonder why despite all the evidences against them and amidst all that the country has been through, we, the people kept on patronizing them and giving them seats for them to falsely serve and matter-of-factly stole from us? Is the celebration that we held today is just plainly that...a celebration with no importance at all?
Have we not learned? Or are we just too hopeful (and confident) that when the situation ask for it, we can still swarm the streets, wave our tiny yellow flags and ribbons, wear our yellow shirts, gather together and ask whoever the evil leader is, to step down and give us back our snatched rights? Are there still rooms for the succeeding EDSA revolutions, or will it just become one of the ordinary and usual rallying to be held so frequently on the streets that will make it loose its true worth? I am hoping not.
posted by feeling blogger @ 10:46 PM
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