from ninoy to cory to noynoy

8/14/2019 From Ninoy to Cory to Noynoy

1/7

The EDSA Revolution Present:

Propelling the Nation into aProsperous Future from a Glorious

Democratic Past

Edward Quinto

A yellow flower in the highlands of Batangas for Tito Ninoy and Tita Cory

A long time of 24 years has gone by so swiftly, since the glorious days of thepeaceful revolution in EDSA. The memorable days of February 1986 found mepreoccupied with matters of heaven and earth. In the company of fellowamateur astronomers at the Manila Observatory, we were busy telescopicallyscanning the heavens to be the first in the Philippines to observe the secondreturn of Comet Halley in the twentieth century. Down to earth, I became a partof a historical movement employing the collective power of the people to makea change for the common good. Those last few days of February 1986 borewitness to the uprising of a nation that ended the dark years of a totalitarian

regime. We, the people, took matters into our own hands and ultimately made a


2/7

permanent transformation in Philippine society. It was a change that left alasting legacy of democratic empowerment for the Filipino people. I will alwayslook back fondly to those days that rocked the Philippines to its very foundationand ushered in a new age of democracy and prosperity; but wait, democratic

yes; but prosperous, not yet. Achieving prosperity in the Philippines still lies inthe distant future; it is still an ongoing arduous process many of us are stilldreaming of.

My EDSA story began in 1982, a year before the dyeing days of Martial Law, ina seemingly auspicious time when my friends and I just graduated from UST.Benjie, Gerry, Beyem, Caloy and I made up this bunch of EDSA RevolutionaryBabies. We immediately pursued graduate study in the same university, exceptfor one who went to UP Diliman, to buy a little time while we looked around for

our dream occupation. Three of us took up MS Microbiology while the other twopursued MS Chemistry. Those were the days when graduates in the Philippinesapplied in droves for employment to just one place in the world: the MiddleEast. Every page of the classified ads of the major broadsheets carried largeadvertisements of companies hiring skilled workers for Saudi Arabia. It was alsothe days when the Marcoses were still very much in power; when MadamImelda Marcos assumed several key government posts and when a full houseat the CCP had to await her momentous arrival for a major concert to begin.Many people during that time including myself and my friends started outapolitical and with good reasons. If you were in the middle income bracket

group, you can pretend that you are living in a new society of peace andprogress under the Marcos regime. In short, you just turn a blind eye to themassive injustices, widespread corruptions and immense censorship of themedia happening around you. But every now and then, youd hear stories fromfriends and from the anti-establishment news of people disappearing in themiddle of the night only to be found murdered in some far flung disserted areas.These hapless people who were simply asking for fair treatment or who were

just expressing lawful grievances stood no chance against the might of agovernment bent on perpetuating itself in power. Only the church was in a

position of power to stand up and face the government eye to eye on questionsof freedom and security. But there were instances when the state flexed itmuscle against the church. One late night, the military invaded the peace of theFathers Residence at the Ateneo de Manila University searching for a Jesuitpriest who was reported to espouse left leaning tendency. The Jesuits werevery vocal against the excesses of the Marcoses.

Then a voice began to make loud noises in the political arena that surely rattledthe Marcos regime. It was the redeeming voice of Senator Benigno Aquino, a

person of uprightness and integrity, challenging Pres. Ferdinand Marcos toreturn democracy back to the Philippines. Senator Aquino was fondly called


3/7

Ninoy by the people and those who loved him. Because of his strong will tochallenge Pres. Marcos, Senator Aquino suffered humiliation andimprisonment. Sen. Aquino was later on found to be suffering from a heartailment and was allowed by the government to go to the US to seek medical

treatment. His plan to return back to the Philippines after the medical treatmentto carry on with his fight for democratic reform must have earned the ire of thepowers that be. Soon, the airwaves were filled with the song Tie a YellowRibbon by Tony Orlando. Its the story of a man who wanted to know from hisloved ones if hes still welcome to return back home by tying a yellow ribbonaround an old oak tree. The song captured the hearts and minds of the Filipinosfor it embodied Sen. Aquinos strong determination to return back to thePhilippines. From then on, yellow became the colour of the Aquino Movementwhose aim was to topple Pres. Marcos from power. Surely enough, when Sen.

Aquino alighted from the plane, he was gunned down without mercy. One cansee a sombre and sad Ninoy standing up from his seat inside the ChinaAirways plane. He must have felt at that moment that a tragic fate was about tounfold for him. But for someone who loved his country, he was willing tosacrifice even his life at the altar of freedom. The assassination was definitelyone of those rare moments in ones life when one can vividly remember whereone was or what one was doing. I recalled my brother opening the door of ourroom in that ill-fated late Sunday afternoon to tell me that Sen. Aquino was shotdead in the airport. Distraught, I just stared at him and never said a word. Heclosed the door gently back to let me be again. Alone in my room, I froze in

disbelief and just found myself enveloped in despair. I felt the pain of loss ofsomeone I considered close to me like a beloved family member. He was myhero who fought valiantly for his impossible dream, which were my very owndream and the nations as well. After the death of Ninoy, my friends and Ibecame politicized as everyone else in the academic community. Teachers andstudents were now united in their discontent and resentment at thecondemnable turn of events. UP Diliman was the most vocal among thePhilippine universities in expressing dissatisfaction against the Marcos regime.A friend from UP Manila told me that the most popular question at that time was

Makabayan ka ba which translates as Are you for the country. The days thatfollowed were one of the most tumultuous days in Philippine politics. One earlyevening, Gerry convinced us to go to Santo Domingo Church to pay respect toour fallen hero. We all agreed and excitedly took the jeepney from UST toSanto Domingo. Our drive to join the noble cause of the grand AquinoMovement finally began. The church and its vicinity were filled with so manypeople from all walks of life who liked us were affected so much by hisassassination. Soon the day of interment arrived and the silent majority of thePhilippines came out in force. A sea of humanity bearing the yellow colour

followed the open casket of the slain senator from the Santo Domingo Churchall the way to the Loyola Memorial Park in Paraaque. I took my ride from F.B.


4/7

Harrison in Pasay City, where I lived at that time, to Santo Domingo in thatmemorable morning. But when I reached the foot of the Quiapo Bridge, thetraffic was no longer moving because of the large crowd that formed the funeralprocession. I had no choice but to alight from the jeepney and waited at the foot

of the Bridge. The song Bayan ko (My Nation) by Freddie Aguilar was widelysung during that time of dissent for it meant so much to Filipinos who believedin the democratic ideals Sen. Aquino was fighting for. As the casket of Sen.Aquino passed some distance in front of me, I felt the grief of his untimely deathand experienced oneness with the mourning Filipino masses demanding for

justice. We were also united in praying for freedom and democracy stolen bythe Marcos regime to be returned back to us. Beyem who went all the way withthe colossal funeral procession to the Loyola Memorial Park told me that whena heavy downpour happened leaving everyone wet and dripping, no one dared

open an umbrella as cries rang out in the crowd that only Madam Marcos opensan umbrella. It was a day when the Philippines stood still and lamented thepassing away of an illustrious son a valiant fighter for freedom.

As the saga of the Aquinos moved on, a sudden momentous twist of fatecatapulted Mrs. Corazon Aquino into the limelight of Philippine politics. Knownfondly as Cory or Tita Cory, she took up the fight of her husband andchallenged Marcos for the presidency in a snap election. Metro Manila wasagain bathed in yellow as the sign of a peaceful mass protest. Yellow ribbonswere proudly displayed; yellow armbands were confidently worn and yellow

confetti rained down on rallies taking place in city streets. I remembered cuttingthe yellow pages of the Philippine Telephone Directory in strips to be thrown outof our windows from the 4th floor of the UST Charity Hospital to show support todowntown parades against the Marcos government. We were also at the cornerof Ayala and Paseo waiting for Kris Aquino, who was just a little girl then thatinstantly gained popularity. She arrived to thunderous applause to give us, theassembled crowd, messages of encouragement in the fight for freedom anddemocracy in the Philippines. It was also the first time for us to travel toFairview, where June Keithly of DWRV was beaming the only free radio

broadcast of peaceful protest to the Filipino nation. As we travelled to visitDWRV to give our monetary donation, we felt excited and privileged to supportthis venerable radio station in its fight against media suppression. For us theride to Fairview, fondly called Farview, which was located at the ends of ourknown Metropolitan Manila seemed to have lasted eternity. The road toFairview was flanked by trees and thick vegetation; today the trees were nolonger there replaced by malls, houses, and a wide concrete highway. Pres.Marcos then tried to rig the results of the snap election that soon precipitatedthe EDSA revolution of 1986. The late Cardinal Sin called on the people to

support Mr. Fidel Ramos and Mr. Juan Ponce Enrile who spearheaded a coupd etat in Camp Crame against Pres. Marcos. People poured en masse for


5/7


6/7

But the six years of Aquino rule were beset by several coups and intra-government bickering leaving the vast majority of the people still wallowing inpoverty. Many were left disillusioned and through the years became indifferentto the ideals of the EDSA Revolution of 1986. Whatever happened to the

glorious days of the EDSA Revolution which seemed to have started a new ageof peace and prosperity? It was really an event so extraordinary and sacred thatit could have brought lasting peace in the Philippines with the NPA soldierscoming down from their mountainous hideaways and the Muslim rebels layingdown their arms. Whatever happened to the promise of prosperity that wouldhave brought the socio-economic level of the Philippines at par with thedeveloped nations of the world? Those promises of prosperity for thePhilippines did not happen and nowadays still rang hollow. Many Filipino liveswhether they are from the army, rebels and civilians, are still sacrificed so

uselessly in the name of a better future or a better Philippines. Was the EDSARevolution a lost opportunity for peace and prosperity for the Filipino nation thatmight not knock on our door again. Are we forever damned to live in a neverending cycle of unrivalled violence, political immaturity and economicinstability? My heart once bled when a taxi ride brought me for the first time inthe Tondo and del Pan area. I saw densely populated communities living in oldworn out and dilapidated tenement buildings. What kind of life are the peopleexperiencing there right now? Do they still receive the benefits of a goodnutrition, education, health and even perhaps clean water? Whatever definitelyhappened to the promises of EDSA 1986?

When Pres. Corazon Aquino passed away last year, she may have left acountry with unfulfilled dreams of prosperity but a country proud and steeped indemocratic idealism. Her funeral procession from the Manila Cathedral to theManila Memorial Park almost rivalled that of her husband. It was definitely oneof the most poignant moments in the history of the Philippines when even theheavens poured down tears of sorrow. The day was ominously gloomy andheavily rainy and everything seemed to have once again stood still to paytribute to an illustrious daughter of the Philippines who liked her husband gave

her whole life and unwavering dedication for a better life for her countrymen. Ikept asking myself why she was taken quite early in her life. Perhaps, it wasmeant to be for it could surely pave the way for another Aquino to hold the helmof the country. Tita Corys untimely demise magnified nostalgia for herpresidency of transparency, truthfulness, minimalism and morality. The historyof the Philippines will surely be divided into Before Cory or BC and AfterCory or AC. Before Cory (BC), the Philippines was just the show window ofdemocracy in Asia; after Cory (AC), the Philippines was a bastion, a fortress ofdemocracy in Asia. Indeed, the process of nation building is not yet over for the

Aquinos, we may just be half way through. Another Aquino is destined to bringthe EDSA revolution of 1986 not only into mere completion but more of a full


7/7

realization, from full democracy to full prosperity. If Ninoy and Cory brought usinto democratic maturity; then her son Nonoy will bring us into economicprosperity. I know that I will not live to see the days when the Philippines percapita income will equal or even surpassed those of Singapore and Hong Kong.

The time when every labourer will not anymore received a minimum daily wagebut much higher wages to enjoy the best things in life; when public schools willhave the best laboratory equipment and electronic visual aids for an effectivelearning process; a time when the student to teacher ratio will be 20 is to 1;when no one will die of food and water borne infections; when no one will fearof being divested or killed due to acts of wanton criminality and finally when thecommunists and the Mindanao rebels will have finally laid down their arms tolive in peace and harmony with their countrymen. The saga of the Aquinos issurely not yet over and out. I believe that the fight is no longer to achieve full

democracy for we are now enjoying it thanks to Ninoy and Cory but how toattain the dream of economic prosperity for the vast majority of the Filipinos.The election for a new president in the Philippines is fast approaching, so let usall please vote wisely. Let us elect another person who will carry on the idealsthat Ninoy and Cory fought for so admirably; a presidential candidate who willpersonify honesty, simplicity, and selfless service to the Filipino nation. Thefuture viability of the Philippine nation in the international arena of commerceand trade will be a very competitive one. So let us act now and work in unisonto swiftly move our country forward into economic prosperity lest we fall indisunity and desert the nation once again to staggering poverty. Make no

mistake about it as I and the majority declare it, the future of a prosperousPhilippines belongs to Nonoy and Mar! They will carry on the illuminating torchof a free and peaceful Philippines and lead us into a prosperous Philippines.Long live the Spirit of the EDSA Revolution of 1986.

Biolumin: Blue Light Green

World

from ninoy to cory to noynoy

Documents