I’m 27 years old, I come from a political family, and yet I don’t really know much about former President Cory Aquino. All I know was that she succeeded former President Marcos through EDSA in 1986 and that she’s been criticizing the Arroyo administration for the past few years. When I heard she passed away this morning, I was really surprised to be genuinely saddened by the news. I did some soul searching while driving along Ateneo (meeting a colleague) and then it struck me why. This post is for my generation and the next generation of Filipinos who never really knew Cory.
“I don’t have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It’s always the people who make things happen.” – Corazon Aquino
Price of Democracy
Former President Marcos clamped down on the Philippines like an iron vice. He shut down media stations and other companies when he declared martial law. Freedom then, according to my more “experienced” friends, wasn’t free. Fear ruled the streets – and not because you were afraid you’d get mugged. You were afraid that someone from the military would pick you up and kill you. It was a really different time back then. One that we can’t even imagine happening these days.
However, there was one woman who picked up the fight when her husband died. Former President Cory Aquino made the decision to stand up, represent, and fight for the Filipino people. It is because of former President Aquino and the people who backed her up that we were able to break free from Marcos’ reign of terror. The Philippines today wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t have EDSA 1 and President Aquino.
What you owe to her
We owe a lot to President Aquino. The little things that we take for granted everyday wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her sacrifice and courage. If she didn’t step in and give back the media outfits to the original owners, we wouldn’t be enjoying all the TV shows that we are watching now. Journalists would still have their hands tied by fear and we wouldn’t be able to read, hear, or watch any credible news network. The truth would become relative, told only by those on the payroll of a dictator gone mad.
How about the internet? I’m willing to bet that if the Marcos era extended to today, we would probably be like China or Iran in the sense that the government is cracking down on bloggers, writers, and other new media publishers. Websites like Youtube would be banned. Now that would totally suck right?
Back then there was also curfew. You won’t be able to go out and drink with your friends, or maybe even watch a last full show. You’d have to be home, bored to death.
Integrity and Prayer
A lot of critics say that President Aquino wasn’t able to handle the economy well when she was in charge. However you really have to take into account that she wasn’t really qualified in the first place. She’s not a hardcore economist or a genius. However she had the best chances of taking down the Marcos regime and we are all blessed by her decision to go for it.
President Aquino wasn’t your perfect leader. She didn’t know all the numbers. But she did one of the best things in the history of this country. She gave us back our freedom. I believe that it’s because of her that we’re all enjoying life so much these days. In fact, without Cory, I don’t think former Presidents Ramos, Estrada, and even Arroyo would be able to perform as they did in their terms.
The next time you go out and enjoy a night with your friends, or you’re surfing for videos on the internet, or even just watching your favorite TV program… pause a while. Remember President Aquino and just thank her for her sacrifice.
Maraming maraming maraming salamat President Aquino. May you find comfort and peace in the loving arms of our Creator.
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Great article Carlo, reading this made me teary eyed. Believe it or not.
yes, i agree with you, being a part of our generation, where we now enjoy much freedom, we have a lot to thank to all those who fought in the 1980′s significantly to Tita Cory, i remember so little back then,
watching on TV a big station(IBC 13 ata) being held by rebels, and only the Tora Tora going over our house at the time of coup d’ etat on her term of office,hehe. Hope our generation remember the things she gave us and use our freedom well…
goodbye tita cory…. thank you…!!
i agree, Cory made a nationally important achievement of re-establishing civil freedom at great expense to herself too. being 46 yrs old, i can make some comparisons between the conditions that Cory fought against vs. the conditions we have made for ourselves now (based on what she achieved), and i’m not happy with the progress.
Explaining why will probably need a long blog post which i won’t do here – suffice it to say I think we as a people have wasted much of what Cory achieved!
Hey. Good work. Following you on twitter.
moving beyond expanded individual freedoms to go out, browse the web or watch TV, she also made a good case for honesty, good governance, humility, and the peaceful transfer of power.
In 1986, I was about to graduate in grade school when the revolution happened. Needless to say, those were the years that shaped me to what I am today. During the Marcos era, they actually banned anime and a slew of cartoons because the conjugal dictatorship said that they were not good for the youth. But since I was in grade school then, I thought that was too much (a kid needs his ‘toons), but when I started high school and becoming more aware of society, I appreciated the events that transpired in EDSA all the more and even had the chance to meet with President Cory before her term as President ended.
IMHO hindi sa maka Marcos po kami d2 sa ilocos, pero sa tingin ko yung about sa masasamang nangyayari na nangyayari noong regime ni Marcos kuya Waukz eh sa NCR at ibang provinces lng naman nangyari mga yun. d2 sa ilocos have been a peaceful province. wala namang reklamo mga tao d2 noon.
I would quote yung sa sinabi mo sa d2 sa blog mo
“How about the internet? I’m willing to bet that if the Marcos era extended to today, we would probably be like China or Iran in the sense that the government is cracking down on bloggers, writers, and other new media publishers. Websites like Youtube would be banned. Now that would totally suck right?”
you were comparing us to China… duh eh ano naman tayo sa CHINA ngyon in terms of econommics. Ang China isang sleeping giant. tignan mo yan after a few years pa mas tataas pa estado nila kesa sa atin. kasi me unity ang mga tao dun…
My friend told me that he doesn’t care if Tita Cory died, he said that nothing good/bad happen to him when she died. I told him that because of her we Filipinos might still be in Martial Law, if she didn’t step up and fight Marcos then you (my friend) might not have the freedom that you are getting right now.