How many of our people remember the historic events of February 1986? Then, the Filipinos showed the world how faith, unity, and courage broke the chains of dictatorship and martial law, without bloodshed. People's power, Filipino style, became a model others would emulate later in various parts of the world.
The price of freedom did not come without costs, without sacrifices. Martyrs gave up their lives to expose, to fight Marcos and his authoritarianism. Ninoy Aquino believed in the goodness of people. Dictators and dictators' supporters followed different values.
Ninoy's death triggered anger, courage among millions of Filipinos. His grieving wife, Cory, reluctantly was pushed into the political arena and emerged President after Filipinos, willing to give up their precious lives marched through EDSA and various parts of the Philippines to declare “tama na, sobra na, palitan na!â€
The Filipino is worth dying for. Freedom is worth fighting for. No to dictatorship! Never again!
Push forward from 1986 to 2013. If even students of UP, considered as the vanguard of activism and nationalism, no longer remember what happened in February 1986, then there is reason to reflect about how to revive the spirit of EDSA and people power, how to stir anew the strong wave vs. abuse, vs. dictatorship, vs. martial law.
PNoy, as present President, can do so much to awaken the memory of our people vs. dictatorship. Those who were at EDSA or who engaged in the struggle for freedom anywhere else in the Philippines should also do their share to keep the torch for freedom ever burning, especially among our young.
Schools and books should include these historic dates of February 1986. Media can also serve as powerful tools for keeping the lessons of history and the genuine essence of freedom alive and meaningful!
The best testimony to the victory won in EDSA circa February 1986 is to uplift the lives of every Filipino beyond the chains of poverty, ignorance, despair. beyond looking back to February 1986, all of us also have to continue to contribute and do our share to help ourselves and our people, our country go beyond abuse, corruption, and onward to prosperity and moral ascendancy, for and with God.
Years beyond February 1986, as a nation, we still have so much to do together to protect and preserve our freedom from the abusive and power-driven.
With God and with faith, unity, and collaborative action, nothing is impossible. In February 1986, we witnessed so and showed ourselves and the world the miracle of EDSA, the miracle God, our Mama Mary, all freedom-loving Filipinos that Filipinos and liberty are worth dying for.
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Email: cherryb_thefreeman@yahoo.com