Monday, February 23, 2009

EDSA REVOLUTION 1986


Mid of the night when my father advised me that we will be going out of the house. We lived in Pasig then so we just walked from Pasig to Edsa! Too many people were in the streets. Mostly occupying a space as if they were expecting a longer stay in their respective post. Some have foods shared for every one. Some have flowers. Some are praying. No body have to know ones name or line of work or social status. It was as if every one knows every body. My father lead the way as we walked from Ortigas, Edsa to the front gate of Camp Aguinaldo. We stayed there for a while then we walked some more. I was not sure where we were headed but I had been sure of one thing though..that was the night when my eyes had been opened to the political crisis that had been continuously smoldering my poor country. It was 1986. It was the first People Power Revolution. I know that if my co-workers would have the chance the read this entry, I can already imagine the mockery I might receive..”Mommy She…your age is showing!! You are one certified old woman”. Sometimes, when they joke about age, I felt them indirectly saying “Mommy She, you are already obsolete, depreciated and extinct”… No offense, I just smile. Filipinos, in general, and in some jokes, used to say that a woman, when she reaches 40s’ is already depreciated. I suppose it is only in the western countries where they do not consider being old as being “depreciated”. Anyways, since 1986, I had been emotionally engaged in the developments that transpired in our country. One president replaced by another. I went down to the point of getting involved in the social issues of our country. I suppose that lead me to the orphanage and the few non-profitable organizations who tried to reach out to the less fortunate and too much exploited sector of our society who, mostly, belong to the poverty level. Why? because they are the victims and the end point of the empty promises of some of our politicians. One does not need statistics to know that the rich is out numbered by those who are struggling and are on the poverty level. In the course of such work, I also realized and witnessed one thing. We can not always blame every thing to the government. It must be an individual effort to create a nationwide progress. Ordinary citizen should exert effort to make progress on their respective lives and officials should break the habit and the temptation of corruption. Well, one man or woman alone can not change the system. However, this does not mean we have to stop standing for our beliefs. It is a continuous fight. The concept of the First Revolution in Edsa does not stop there. One missionary once told me “ There is only one thing that could make chaos ultimately prevail, that is for the caring men and women to stop and do nothing”


It is 2009, I am not sure if the greater number of our younger generation feels the impact of matters such as this one!! I know one thing though, I only have one country and this is the core of my nationhood, never to be forgotten, demise here even.





12 comments:

Clarissa said...

Mommy She, I don't know if I can really remember the Edsa Revolution 1986 but what all I can say is that life is getting so dreadful due to economic situation.And most of the goverment officials sucks!(sorry for the term)but I do believe that if people will exert to make progess on their lives will help make our world a better place to everyone.

btw, Being 40 is young!!!^_^

Cens World said...

...Hi Clarissa..you are correct, i agree. nakaka lungkot dahil ang daming corrupt sa government. That seemed like a global knowledge as well!

malaki sana ang magagawa kung hindi corrupt ang gobyerno.it should be a combined effort..its people and the government. kailan mang yayari iyon? buntong hininga lang ang kaya kong isagot!

Thanks..kaya lang dito sa tin sa Pinas..kapag ang babae ay tumuntong ng 40..mararamdaman talaga sa paligid. Isa yata iyon sa paniniwalang pinoy!! Meron ngang biruan na sinabi sa akin ang isang kakilala" Ang lalaki daw parang alak..habang tumatagal lalong nadadagdagan ang value..pero ang babae..kapag tumuntong na ng 40..which is near menoposal period..latak na daw" ang sakit sa tenga kasi lumalabas ang macho mentality..skin deep ang basihan sa value ng babae..pero ganun yata talaga. i talked to one american and he was surprised that a 40 year old woman is already old. He said life starts at 40 and that is the peak of life. Siguro a matter of culture talaga.

Thanks for your comment and have a nice day

Mommy Liz said...

I remembered this EDSA Revolution, I was staying at my uncle's house in Quezon City. I was there when there was the "kudeta" coup d' 'etat ba yun? ay sus, dinig talaga namin ang mga baril and everything. Kasi, sa EDSA talaga kami nakatira. But anyways, I wasn't really into politics and besides bagta pa kasi ako non, so I really didn't pay too much attention. I was there on the first Anniversary, lakad lang kami, may mga tugtog sa street, sarado ang buong Cubao. Yah, She, pareho na tayong oldies.. di lang ikaw, ako din.

Listening to my sister complain about how life is so hard in the Philippines, I can really tell that the country is not going to get better. Rich people are going to be richer and poor people are getting poorer. Corrupt individuals? well, yes, nothing you can do.. you do something, you will be dead the next day. Hirap noh?

Clarissa said...

I guess it's a continous problem,Mommy She.Kelan nga kaya?

Ay naku!! Mentality lang ng mga pinoy yan.Dito nga sa Japan,mas may charisma sa kanila ang aged 40's and above eh!

Thanks for dropping by,Mommy She!!^_^ Regards to Cen!

richard said...

Hi, Momi She, nakalimutan ko na EDSA revolution day pala las feb 24....
I have a tag for you...

Have a nice day...

Cens World said...

..To Liza of Mom Of Four. Speaking of age, mas matanda ako sa iyo!! The very night lang ng edsa revolution ako nan duon..and the next consecutive people power. Pero habang tumatagal, ginagamit na ng pulitiko ang people power,eh!!

Well, mahirap nga ang buhay dito sa atin. pero this time,medyo global na yata talaga ang issue.Kahit first world country my recession na din. sabi nga ni "tabacco", one of our former president..In the midst of uncertainties..we make effort to improve our respective lives..or something to that effect. agree ako duon..

Thanks for visiting my blog and the comments. It is very important for me. Have a nice day.

Cens World said...

...To Clarissa..Yeah..it is a continuous problem, specially kapag hindi nag babago ang marami sa gobyerno natin.

Sa labas ng ating bansa, open ang mind when it comes to age. Napuna ko nga din iyan..Kaya marami sa atin..kina kaila na ang edad pag tumuntong na ng 30s.. pumunta kaya ako sa japan :) joke lang!! Ok lang iyon para sa akin kahit tumatanda na ako. Ang mas importante,magawa ko ang mga kailangan kong gawin bago ako physically incapable to do so. Iyon lang ang importante..

Have a nice day to you and thank you so much for your visit and comment.

Cens World said...

..To Doods.. busy,i suppose. Too many things in your mind, perhaps! I can relate to that. Hindi naman talaga yata legal holiday ang edsa day..di ba??

Thanks for always including me in your tag and thanks for your comment as well.

See you at work. Ingatz

Leslie Ann said...

ay naku momi she, i would give an arm or a leg to have been there at edsa. you're not obsolete or extinct as you may think, and you should take pride in the fact that your dad took you outside your house to edsa and be part of history. i was in the edsa 2, the rally against erap, but nothing would compare to being in the 1st one.

Cens World said...

...To Leslie Ann. Thanks for the comment, Les. I am grad you dropped by. You are correct though, iba nga ang edsa 1.

Thanks for visiting me and do have a good day.

Anonymous said...

Goodevning Ms.Cen, i was searching about the Edsa Revolution that took place on 1986, and people who were able to witness the event first hand. I am a 4th year international studies student and i was just wondering if you could kindly answer this simple questions for me:

1. what is the impetus or the driving force that made you participate in the people power?
2. knowing the dangers that might occur, site your reason why you still pursued to join the event.
3. what is your experience and learning while you're on the event itself?
4. how did the non-violent way of revolutionizing imposed a great help to achieve the People Power success?
5. What did you feel after the People Power seccess?

Thank you very much!:)

Cens World said...

Hi…

Good evening to you, too! Call me She. Sorry I am not able to immediately reply. I hope this response is not too late.

Here is my response to your questions:

1 – None. I was so young then. My memories are still clear about the Edsa Revolution. But on that moment, I did not know what was going on. It was my father who took me to Edsa.
2 - I do not believe there was an immediate danger then. In fact, there was no tension in the air. What I saw was Filipinos in all walks of life gathered as one. Regardless of ones economic status in the society, people joined together against a dictator.
3- When it comes to experience, it was a momentous moment. It thought me the value of being a Filipino. But then, I learned that only after a number of years when I was already able to comprehend what really had happened on that faithful day.
4 – The non violent revolution is the main reason why there had been a change in the government.
5 – I felt pride. Proud to be a Filipino. And if I may say so, government is not really perfect. There are Filipino traits that are not really positive. Like manana habit, crab mentality and so on and so forth. I suppose no country is perfect. But that does not mean we should love our country less.

It would be better if you mentioned your name and school though.
I hope I am able to help you with your query.