Friday, February 25, 2005
Pagbabalik-Tanaw: Katoto's People Power Revolution Special
(This blog post will be divided into 2 parts: The first part is my "critical" analysis of EDSA 1 and the other part is my personal "adventure" in EDSA. Enjoy....)
REVOLUTION BETRAYED
February 22-25, 1986- Four days. Four historic days that would be remembered for the rest of our lives. Three million people gathered to the historic streets of EDSA to profess their love for freedom and democracy and to finish 2 decade-long regime that have brought great harm and malevolence to the country and its people. They called it "The People Power Revolution" and sure enough it was a revolution won not by armed insurgents, but by flower-bearing, rosary-carrying, picket-bearing men and women driven by their desire to effect change in this beleaguered society of ours. During those four days, enlightenment and activism was the order of the day. People from all walks of life marched and held hands together, shouting the same chant, and believing in one thing.
I
t was such an unprecedented event. No one ever expected it to be that big. It was truly democracy in practice; an end of a repressive era and the beginning of a period of peace, justice and freedom.........and so it seems....
.......But after 19 years, changes are yet to be seen. Post-EDSA Philippines is a mockery of the true democracy that the Filipinos back then fought and died for.......
A new charter was created to change the old, abusive constitution the Marcos regime had established. This constitution made the principles of democracy a joke. A closer look to the 1986 constitution would reveal that it was a pro-rich, anti-poor piece of written law, nothing close to what the millions of people in EDSA thought of and expected to be created. But the question is who created the new constitution? Who else, but by the ruling elite of course! It was a revolution instigated by the masses, the common tao, and the "aristocracy" took advantage from it. Their rationale was “when one elite falls down, then another must replace him” meaning that once the masses of people overthrow Marcos, then the elite would supposedly create a new "democratic government" that is unfortunately controlled by their kin. Old corrupt politicians from the Marcos regime still held vital political positions, the streets still littered with poverty, the quality of life the citizens had before and after the revolution never changed…and actually grew worse. Call me cynical and pessimistic but I tell you, the Filipino people never gained anything from this bloodless upheaval. Sure, our civil rights were back, everyone was again free to do whatever we want. No more curfew, no more oppressive authorities, and no more omnipotent tyrant. But did our lives change to the better? I think not; crime rates dramatically increased, our national debt augmented, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. The dreams and aspirations of all the persons involved in the rallies seemed to go down the drain. The masses never knew of this treachery despite it being so obvious and noticeable. It was just that the common folk were tired. They wanted something new, but what they got was just as bad as the one they grew accustomed.
EDSA One was no doubt an edifice of what genuine democracy stands for. The first of its kind, it was a bloodless revolt that united all the people from different sectors in society. But… some exploited this event and deceived the inspired masses who fought with them. We, the common Filipinos, were robbed of the democracy we fought and gave our lives in. Progress and harmony were never realized. Our “democracy” is nothing close to the real thing; it was the worst example of a democratic state. The Philippines of today still continue to deteriorate and it made the EDSA People Power Revolution an old dream hardly remembered. Truly it was a revolution betrayed…
5:16 PM
