Update: This is an old archived post on this site and is only kept online for my own archival purposes. The content and images on this post this might be outdated and incomplete. Please do not sue me if the Internet breaks because you read this.
It bothers me that to this day, no significant political change can cure this lingering cancer of corruption in our nation. This malignant and ruptured anomaly continues to worsen our people’s way of life. It has grown to the point where we all have to make a stand and face this problem head on.
I am writing this post in commemoration of the events that transpired back in 1986. Back then, we Filipinos took a stand against a dictator and his generals. This was a time when us Filipinos were suddenly proud to be called Filipino.
Most of the younger generations have different ideas on what really happened on this historic day, myself included, since I was only pre-school then. I am fortunate enough to have had the older people in our family keep us aware and enlightened of the our history and the present political chaos which surrounds us.
The were other “People Power” events from 1986 to present, and here is my take on the following.
People Power I
In my opinion, the first of the two People Power revolutions proved itself to be a vital point in our history as it ushered a long overdue change from a corrupt dictatorship to a revolutionary government which transitioned later into a somewhat better democracy. President Aquino’s new democracy was full of promise, full of hope with an economy rising from the ashes of the previous crony-driven, corrupt economy. Unfortunately, our economy took a downward spiral due to the multiple coup attempts and other events during that time. It is still also a shame that all the lives sacrificed prior to 1986 continue to seek justice to this day.
People Power II
The second one was a failure altogether. It was a failure since our people were not able to select their chosen leader to replace former President Estrada as there was no immediate presidential election right after. Up to this day facts leading to the former President’s ouster and his imprisonment, the expected conviction and eventual pardon are still being mixed up with all the speculation surrounding it. Only when the dust of what is now our chaotic political landscape settles in can there be a factual account of the things that really happened on People Power II.
Now What?
Things are brewing for another regime change. The present political structure and its multi-party system, the pork barrel, and the disease of corruption continues to eat up on our society’s very core.
Now, I am already a head of a family, a father of three and no longer that child who once witnessed a bloodless revolution. I fear for my family as this impending regime change might not be a bloodless one.
At present I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel, at least not just yet. We are now in a very dark political episode in our history. Now is a time for us to finally decide how to handle corruption not only from a political perspective but from a change in the basic way of life of every Filipino. Our very basic way of life has been contaminated with corruption, hopelessness and indifference.
Unless we take a conscious effort to cure our mindset and our way of life, then we will see no end to this dark phase of our history.