Cory Aquino: The Mother of Philippine Democracy

August 21, 1983 - Mom and Dad were having their first date (as of what I remember what they told me) somewhere in Manila when the television started airing the assassination of a Philippine senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. at the then Manila International Airport (now named after him).

Moving on when mom and dad heard the news, mom asked dad "who's that Ninoy Aquino?" so dad told that Ninoy was the opponent of the Dictator Ferdinand Marcos. That's what I only could remember. Millions of people joined the parade of Ninoy's funeral.

It was not until the last week of November 1985 that Ninoy's opponent Ferdinand Maros shocks the country by calling snap elections to be held on Febuary 1986. The wife of Ninoy was reluctant to run for presidency at first, her reasons are that she is only an housewife and knew nothing about politics. She requested 1 million signatures for her to run. She later was convinced to run after being inside the convent for 10 hours.

Febuary 7, 1986 - The elections was clouded by corruption and violence, at least 30 COMELEC computer technicians walked-out and told that their machined were rigged and the numbers don't match to their records.

Febuary 15, 1986 - Despite the alleged rigged machines, The Supreme Court proclaimed Ferdinand Marcos as winner of the elections.

Febuary 22, 1986 - At about 9:00pm, Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin asked a favor to the Filipino people, to go out to the streets and support the opposition. Knowing that they won't stand a chance to the guns and tanks of the Government's loyal soldiers, people came in millions.

Febuary 23, 1986 - Former soldiers of the military Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos consolidated their positions. by mid afternoon Radio Veritas relayed that tanks were closing in to their positions. tens of thousands of people gathered in the streets and blocked the tanks by linking their arms together, nuns knelt infront of the tanks and prayed the rosary. The military ordered the people to clear the road, no one budged. They were stopped just 2 kilometers away from the camps that Enrile and Ramos were staying. In the end, the tanks retreated without firing a single shot.

Febuary 24, 1986 - A fire was shot, by my mother that is. My older brother was born at this day when the revolution was on-going. This came Marcos' finest hour in the People Power Revolution.

• The actual dialogue on TV went as follows:
  
• FABIAN VER(head of military) and Ferdinand Marcos
  

Fabian Ver:We have to immobilize the helicopters they've got. We have two fighter planes flying now to strike at any time, sir.
Ferdinand Marcos: My order is not to attack.
Ver: They are massing civilians near our troops and we cannot keep on withdrawing. You asked me to withdraw yesterday....
Marcos (interrupting): My order is to disperse [them] without shooting them.
Ver: We cannot withdraw all the time...
Marcos:' No, no, no! Hold on. You disperse the crowds without shooting them. You may use any other weapon...

Febuary 25, 1986 - 2 inaugarations were held, Marcos and Cory both declared that they were presidents of the Philippines. at 9pm Marcos were flown by 4 American Helicopters to Clark Air Base before going to Guam. When people heard of this they stormed the Palace that once they were denied to enter, people looted objects but mostly people just wandered inside and looked at the halls where the fate of the country is being decided.

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I was thinking what would happen if this housewife didn't stood up and ran for president.
I was thinking what would happen if this housewife didn't have the courage to lead the nation.
I was thinking, how good it was to live during the EDSA Revolution.
It was when the Philippines were born again and really started to be free.
Our country wasn't free in 1898, we were freed in 1986.
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Now, Cory Aquino has passed away. It was such an honor to be there waiting for her
me and my buddies Dani and Jai didn't mind the heat and rain, cory offered her private life and sacrificed so much in this country, I'm sure 2 hours of waiting for her and to show our support to her wasn't enough. It is never enough.

at my background is the line of people...if you know Intramuros, this stretch of line is so long. I think the lines reached more than a hundred meters.

as I end this blog I would like to tell you what Bob Simon, an anchorman at CBS once said:

"We Americans like to think we taught the Filipinos democracy. Well, tonight they are teaching the world."

*Some Sources are from Wikipedia.