Of yellows and rosaries: The legacy of championing democracy lives on

February 1986. The world witnessed just how powerful Filipinos are when they unite and wield their collective voice to champion democracy against a dictatorial and oppressive rule. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) on what was later to be known as the People Power Revolution where priests, nuns, students, workers, rich and poor alike held hands to overthrow the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos. Because of the public’s apparent abhorrence to his administration, Marcos fled and went on exile; marking the end of his oppressive rule and signaling the advent of a new and free Philippines.

The People Power Revolution is a testimony to our common preference for democracy. More importantly, it is an evidence of our united powers as stakeholders of the government. And most of the credit for the success of the revolution and for restoring democracy to the country goes to Corazon C. Aquino.

Widowed by Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr. who later became a Philippine hero, Mrs. Aquino catapulted herself from being a simple housewife to becoming a dictatorship-slayer and mother of democracy. Her involvement to mass actions following her husband’s assassination has greatly stirred the spirit of liberty and nationalism among the oppressed Filipinos.

When the snap presidential election was announced in November 1985, she heeded the call of challenging Marcos for the presidential seat. Her charisma and dedication to democracy have united the oppositionists and the whole country into ending the Marcos regime.

After a fraudulent election transpired and the People Power was staged, Mrs. Aquino was installed as the first female president of the Philippines (and in Asia); successfully putting an end to an infamous period in Philippine history.

Under her administration, she suspended Marcos’ 1973 Constitution which was drafted during the Martial Law era and enacted a new Philippine Constitution that was anchored on freedom, equality, justice and human dignity. She also put into law several significant legal reforms such as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. Although there were some failures in her six-year rule, Mrs. Aquino’s greatest contribution was the restoration of Philippine democracy which was curtailed during her predecessor’s administration.

After her stint as president, she continued being an inspiration for democracy not only in the country, but worldwide.

August 2009. 23 years after the People Power Revolution, Mrs. Aquino still remains an inspiration to all of us – even when she was in her death bed. Until her dying hours, she has remained the ‘mother of democracy’. Hundreds of thousands of people, rich and poor, have once again united and gathered to honor Mrs. Aquino’s contribution to the country. And although she passed away, she has left an indelible legacy of advancing democracy. This legacy she left is for those who remain, especially the younger generation, to keep and protect.

It’s coincidental and symbolic to note that the ‘mother of democracy’ died at a time when democracy is being threatened once more. Interestingly, her death happened at a time when our Constitution is once again at the tinkering of some self-serving politicians through the approval of the Constitutional Assembly. It’s also figurative how Mrs. Aquino died at a time when the 2010 election is drawing near, when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has just delivered her State of the Nation Address, and when a repeat of the martial law is being feared.

Mrs. Aquino, through her death, seems to have given one last attempt of unifying the Filipinos and urging us to learn from the past.

Her death has reminded us once again of how dramatic and labor-stricken our forefathers have fought for our freedom. It has reminded us of the horrors of martial law, of oppression and of chaos. And with all these messages Mrs. Aquino implicitly conveyed through her passing, we should also be reminded of our responsibility to keep and protect democracy from those who take interest in stealing it.

Let us also remember not only Mrs. Aquino, but all the heroes who have valiantly fought for our freedom. We are now the modern heroes of our country and we are the inheritors of their legacy. We should safeguard democracy at all cost, just like they did. Let’s do it for Mrs. Aquino, for his husband Benigno, for Andres Bonifacio, for Jose Rizal and for all those people to whom we owe our freedom.

We can start by making our vote count this coming 2010 elections. Registering to vote, encouraging others to register and vote, vigilantly keeping an open-eye and actively participating in nation-building efforts are the easiest of all the things we can do.

It takes a valiant and compassionate heart and a common preference for peace and equality before we can achieve real democracy for our country. And we can only do so much to make it happen.

May 2010. History repeats itself. Perhaps, just perhaps, this political turmoil we have now will end in a good light just like it did when Mrs. Aquino restored democracy from an era of tyranny. Perhaps, a better Philippines is in store for all of us.

By Ryan Louie G. Madrid (Photo credit: http://images.google.com)