I was in Grade 4 during the Edsa Uprising in 1986. I can vividly recall that Cassette tapes containing the speeches of Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. were illegal and newspapers containing releases about him were scarce. My teacher was fond of me when I would gather my classmates and discuss what I have learned about Ninoy and why the country was under Martial Law.
Years after my teacher and I bumped into one another and told me that she was right when she said that I might be an activist when I grow up. I did, but not because of Ninoy Aquino. I was among the student leaders holding a pen, a campus journalist and later on was with the National Patriotic Alliance (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan - Negros).
The experience has taught me of the National and Democratic movement where until now has my respect. Over the years – people change and evolve, and so did I. I am now with the Fourth Estate being a photojournalist and writer.
Last Feb. 25, I was with fellow journalists covering the Edsa People Power commemoration. I instantly recalled the experience when the people took the streets to call for Marcos to go down from the presidency. I saw thousands of people went to the Bacolod Public Plaza – the unity of the people to remove Marcos from power.
After 25 years – the time and people do change, but I could still hear speeches saying that Edsa in 86’ was a peaceful revolution and a miracle. It was not a revolution but a people’s uprising, the leaders were changed but the political system remained the same. I also noticed that after 25 years people do not walk out from their houses to commemorate the day we regained our democracy from a dictator – they now arrived with cars in a motorcade.
An avid Pinoy supporter told me in a facebook comment: “We marched and walked to the streets to rally during the Martial Law Days, we can now ride.
1 comment:
I was in grade 4, too. We were new to the city, having been plucked out of our hometown as my father had to be away most of the time working hand in hand with others who, like him, was sick and tired of being poor and oppressed. When it was declared that Marcos was finally out, we walked the road from Magsaysay Avenue, Singcang, all the way down to Bacolod City Plaza to join the rest of the jubilant Filipinos. Me and my siblings were clad in our pajamas, ecstatic over our simple innocent knowledge that indeed, someone sounded so bad has flown away.
Since then I grew up with this conviction, that this society needs me to be a good and patriotic citizen in order for it to survive. Everyday is an effort to live up to it.
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