CFM and Ninoy’s legacy

Declaring today as Ninoy Aquino Day and a non-working holiday may just be what our country needs at this time. In the short span of 23 years since the assassination of the late Senator Aquino at the airport tarmac, Filipinos who are reputed to have short memories may really have already forgotten the significance of that event. Indeed, most of the people who were part of the oppressive regime when the assassination was carried out are now back in the saddle and lionized in social gatherings of the elite and the powerful. That recent incident depicting the PCGG Chairman being rebuffed, thrashed and rejected by the wife of the late dictator in a public gathering for meekly offering to compromise the ill-gotten wealth cases against her family is quite distressing and utterly shocking. The image projected is that after 20 years of trying to recover the supposedly filthy lucre, our fighter for good government is throwing in the towel because it is "more practical" (is this the official policy now?) to share the loot than continue the fight; that crime pays and pays handsomely. The image becomes even uglier because the tables have been turned; the offer has been disdainfully spurned by the accused. These ominous signs of the times often cast doubt on the veracity of our hero Ninoy’s declaration that "Filipinos are worth dying for".

It may be good therefore to devote part of this day to reminisce and reflect on the past and current events. They will clearly show us the many shining moments in the life of our nation that have considerably dimmed and turned into dark episodes.

The treacherous and brutal slaying of Aquino 23 years ago marked the turning point in the lives of many Filipinos. From being so unmindful and unconcerned about the happenings around them and just concentrating on how to eke out a living and advance the limited interests within their own family circle, most Filipinos suddenly found a renewed spirit of unity and togetherness, of being part of a bigger community that has been reeling under the throes of an oppressive and rapacious regime. Suddenly, people who have never met before found themselves arm-in-arm rallying in the streets of the metropolis and demanding "Justice for Aquino, Justice for All". That single tragic event was the catalyst that brought solidarity and unity among the people from all walks of life eventually culminating in the now legendary and historic, non-violent people power revolution at Edsa on February 22-25 1986 – a revolution that set the pattern and saw the downfall of other repressive regimes in other parts of the world.

That first Edsa people power was non-violent because there were so many Filipinos, individuals and organizations, who remained steadfast in their faith that a change in the administration or the overthrow of the regime could still be carried out non-violently. At that time the color of the protests rallies were gradually being mixed with the flaming red of the radical leftist groups. Rallyists were being indoctrinated with the idea that the only alternative was a violent revolution because even if the dictator would heed the clamor of the people for a snap election to quell their growing restiveness, such election would just be a farce as it would not be free and clean. Sensing that things were coming to a boil, one of the more active groups of married couples and their families which is purely a non-political organization with non-political agenda (unlike the present species of "civil society"), still clang to the idea that a free and clean elections were possible despite the volatile situation then prevailing. This is the Christian Family Movement (CFM), an organization mainly composed of middle class families, which at that time was a silent but already a potent force in society with a solid cell-type structure extending to the very basic part of a community. Their members believed after observing and judging the situation that something must be done and that they must act on what they had observed and judged.

From a series of meetings of some units of the CFM, the seeds of a movement for free and clean elections were sown until it sprouted into a nation-wide group that is now known as the NAMFREL-the foremost and highly reputed watch dog in every election. The founding fathers of this group were CFMers and it got its baptism of fire in that 1985 snap elections where all its members including my wife Josie and I became the core of the "Bantay Bayan", zealously guarding the ballot boxes all over the country. It was because of NAMFREL that the snap election shenanigans were exposed eventually leading to the Edsa people power revolt. Appearing on this page of the Star today is more complete story of how the movement came about.

This year CFM will be celebrating the 50th year since it was introduced as a movement into our shores from the USA where it was initiated by Pat and Patty Crowley. It is presently headed by Roger and Nora Panlasigue as National President Couple. Most of those who figured prominently in the turbulent era of the early 80’s are still around for the golden celebration that will be capped by a national convention on October 22, 2006 at the Manila Hotel. Like in the 80’s when it was just about 25 years, CFM remains steadfast and stands ready to spearhead the preservation of Ninoy’s legacy of peaceful non-violent struggle to effect the changes in our society that will serve the common good especially during these times when our country is once more wracked by extreme partisan political strife.

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