- Remembering the People Power Revolution 25 years later
I was eight years old when this major event unfolded before me. I was too young to understand the complexities in politics, but I knew who Ninoy Aquino was, Cory and Marcos. Ninoy was assassinated at the Manila international airport in 1983. Cory was his wife... Marcos was the enemy. I can vividly remember the images of Ninoy's dead body facing down on the airport tarmac. The bullet that shot Ninoy Aquino triggered an outrage among Filipinos. Three years later, Cory Aquino led the revolution that marked the Philippine history.
On February 22-25, 1986, millions of Filipinos embarked on a nonviolent revolution to end the 20-year repressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos. The streets of Manila was filled with tumultuous populace. People cried for their desperate need for change. They were marching, singing hymns, saying prayers... holding each other's hands. After four days of uprising, Filipinos overthrew a tyrant.... without harming their fellowmen.
Do you know what it takes to engage in a peaceful revolution? Looking back at what happened 25 years ago, here are the lessons that I've learned form the 1986 People Power Revolution:
Unity. Just when you thought you were alone, you realize that there are million others who are in the same predicament as you. We are all the same. We share the same need for understanding, companionship and trust. When you're feeling empty inside, dreadful, numb, use these negative emotions as a source of strength rather than suffering. Give others the comfort in knowing that they are not alone, and that you are there to listen and to support them. Use this bond to overcome the challenges in life... together you can make things happen.
Individuality. A society is not possible without the individuals that make it. Every action of an individual can have a profound effect on the collective whole. Though we are the same within the objective definition of life, we are all different in terms of character, attitudes, or opinions. Whatever idiosyncrasies there may be, respect it. The uprising was made possible by people from different backgrounds such as nuns, soldiers, workers, students, etc. who may have nothing in common but for their goal to abolish the dictatorship. Each one contributed to the success of the revolution.
Volition and judgement reside in an individual. The willingness to have a bloodless revolution came from every individual who made it possible. If unity is the bond, then individuality is the foundation that substantiates a revolution.
Freedom. Yes there is poverty, unemployment, or economic crisis in the Philippines. But for Filipinos, there is no substitute for freedom. There are nations who survive by subjecting themselves to oppression and control of their government. Not Filipinos. Without freedom, humans are nothing but a mindless automaton... a zombie, a dead person. Filipinos believe that freedom is synonymous to living... it is a principle that is worth fighting for.
Rationality. Humans are equipped with minds that can think. You don't have to resort to physical force to make things happen. The bloodless revolution was not based on mystery... but on rational decisions. Is it right to harm another human being? Is it necessary? Think. Find a solution. Communicate with others. Understand each other, and then think again. Rationality is what sets us apart from other animals; it is the hallmark of human beings. So act like humans, not like savages.
Dare to question the established rules and dogmas. Get rid of your automatic thought that says "well it's always been like that". Don't compromise your rationale. Compromise is a practical means to maintain or restore order. It is a concept that suggests that right and wrong can co-exist. How can right be wrong at the same time? Compromise is a principle that settles the conflict between the two. But bear in mind that when something is right, it is right; when something is wrong, it is wrong. Compromise comes with a price... sometimes it's your own personal values. There may be rules and dogmas in your government (or in your simple surroundings) that is corrupting your life. Don't let this happen. Always pose a question when something doesn't make sense. Don't just obey. And by the same token, if you happen to be wrong and someone provides you with the right answers, correct your mistakes. Respect the truth.
And finally...
Value of life. With all the uprising that's going on in the Maghreb nations, many lives are being lost in exchange for their independence. Yes freedom is worth dying for, but try to explore the means that would cause less harm. Realize that the end of all means, or the end of all ends, is YOUR LIFE. We eat, we work, we exercise, we educate ourselves... whatever it is that we do, we do it all for life. Let life be the end of your means. The People Power Revolution teaches us that revolutions doesn't need to equate to bloodshed. Trust yourself that your are competent to think and to make rational decisions. Don't surrender to aggressive or hostile means. If all the peaceful approaches have been used and did not work, let revolutions be an act of self-defense to protect your life. Don't let it be an act of retaliation that could sever your life or the life of another. Freedom is the principle that allows your to say "I choose to" or "I choose not to". This principle cannot exist without life itself. Life precedes freedom, and we choose freedom to experience how it is like to live. Life is the beginning and the end... this is the value of life. Let your revolutions restore it, not end it.
- Sharing the pride of my fellowmen across the world in remembering the 25th anniversary of People Power Revolution.
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