26 years ago

Twenty-six years ago marked the first People Power revolution that took place in EDSA  inspiring people all over the world and placing the Philippines under the global spotlight. Soon after, many other nations followed with their own brand of people power  seen in the 1987 “middle class” revolution in South Korea, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and even the eventual dismantling of Augusto Pinochet’s political power in Chile which compelled him to transfer the reins of government to a democratically elected president in 1990. The EDSA People Power revolution, however, was unique in the sense that it was peaceful and hardly any life was lost in those historic four days in February 1986.

Like in most stories, there can be no hero without a villain  and in this case, Ferdinand Marcos was cast as malefactor while Ninoy Aquino’s death elevated his status to almost legendary proportions  leading to widespread protests that forced Marcos to hold snap elections in 1985, eventually culminating in EDSA I which paved the way for a revolutionary government that saw Cory Aquino, Ninoy’s widow, becoming president. But with the newly restored democracy also came the proverbial birth pains. Barely six months after assuming power, the fledgling Aquino government experienced a series of upheavals with the launching of coups d’état that continued until 1989. It would be an understatement to say that the first few years of the Cory Aquino presidency were tumultuous and marked by political instability.

Certainly, there were high expectations that required a lot of work to stabilize the precarious state of the Philippines’ newly restored democratic institutions  a situation that most, if not all countries, face as they go through historic transformations. To be sure, birth pangs almost always go with any change  with some being more painful than others. Take for instance what’s happening today in Egypt and Syria  nations that continue to experience the after-effects of the “Arab Spring” that most historians agree began in 2010, triggered by a poor Tunisian vendor  Mohamed Buoazizi  who set himself on fire to protest police cruelty and corruption in his country. In Syria, the unrest continues 11 months after the people’s uprising, with more than 7,000 already killed while in Egypt, violent protests continue even after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak over a year ago.

When Fidel Ramos took over as president in June 1992, the Philippines experienced a period of economic boom and political stability, bolstered by forecasts and expectations that the Philippines will become the next economic tiger of Asia. After a peaceful democratic election, Joseph Estrada became president but another “people power” uprising in 2001 set the country back once again with Estrada’s unconstitutional removal from power. The world looked at it differently this time, describing it a “mob rule” as reported by Time magazine. Edsa Dos saw Gloria Macapagal Arroyo taking over the reins of the presidency  consequently setting the wheels rolling for another turbulent period in our country’s political history.

Looking back, indeed the world has turned around so many times since the first People Power. Today, Noynoy Aquino  the son of Ninoy  is president. Today, Bongbong Marcos and Jinggoy Estrada  the sons of ousted presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada  are both senators of the republic. One could even call it an ironic twist of fate that today, we see Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Gringo Honasan working in the same halls of Congress with the son of the man they helped oust from power. While some may contend that nothing much has really changed in the country’s political landscape considering that many of the present crop of politicians are scions of the old, I would like to believe that we have actually moved forward in more ways than one since 26 years ago, albeit the pace has been slow.

More than the obvious physical transformations, perhaps the more substantial change can be seen in the way people are conducting themselves and beginning to be more conscious of the rule of law and constitutional processes with the dawning realization that democratic shortcuts  seen in the case of Joseph Estrada and Edsa Dos  can bring far-reaching and painful consequences. This is why political observers are closely watching the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, precisely because they are convinced the country could suffer setbacks  both locally and internationally  if the rule of law and the Constitution are once again circumvented.

Admittedly, the road ahead is not easy, with so many roadblocks that need to be overcome  among them the past hostilities that marked the rivalries between old political families. Which is why now more than ever, the sons of Ninoy Aquino, Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada have the heavy burden of showing by example that they are a new generation of leaders who can transcend the past and all deeply ingrained anger and bitterness that their elders may have harbored against each other.

True, what happened in the past cannot be changed. But this new crop of leaders can influence the present and set the wheels rolling for the future of this country and their children’s children. This current generation should not waste precious time in bickering, finger pointing and blame shifting because these are negative pursuits that distract from the more important task of rebuilding this nation. Admittedly, we must not forget the past  but we must also envision the future that lies ahead. Good or bad, Filipinos, most especially our young leaders, should take into stock the lessons we should have learned after 26 years  and more than ever look to the next 26 years ahead and beyond.

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