Always But Never There
For a good part of my life, at least for a few minutes almost every day, I am at EDSA. But talk about EDSA in another breadth and I can tell you I was never there.
I'm old enough to have witnessed the 3 EDSA events unfold.
EDSA for me will always be the 1986 People Power Movement. I was a high school senior then who considered the coup a breather from classes. The country stood still then. People stopped working and went to EDSA. My family stayed home but prepared food for heroes. Although they had to wake me up from slumber when Marcos left, I felt proud of what happened in the country. For a while there, my favorite song was Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo.
In 2001, EDSA Dos happened. I was already into fellowship then. A prominent mentor was encouraging us to join the rallies in our white coats. Yet another mentor went there to take pictures. I never did. I was busy studying for a board exam. I thought about missing all the action in EDSA in 1986 and thought that I could make up for it by going to EDSA Dos. But I decided there were more important things to do. And frankly, I didn't think it would end so soon. Unlike EDSA 1, life went on. I had to go to work. I had a glimpse of EDSA Dos though as I took the MRT to and from work. My friends and I watched Erap's departure from Malacanang in the office.
I never considered joining EDSA III. I thought that this was one time too many. Problems cannot be solved by taking to the streets. And so soon too after EDSA Dos.
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If you had a different experience, share them. Blogger's Kapihan is hosting Bloggers Action Week: Bloggers Remember People Power 2.
edsa, people power revolution, 1986, 2001, blogger's kapihan
Video from YouTube, originally uploaded by ApoJim
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6 comments:
EDSA Dos happened because of the failure of our democratic institutions. Had the Senate done its job, there would not have been a need for people to go out on the streets to demand for Estrada's ouster.
ah yes, that song. and there was also "magkaisa." those were my favorite songs at that time too.
I joined Edsa 1. Mine is a family of certified usiseros so we went to make usi. However, the infectious spirit got to us and before we knew nakiki-cheer na din kami. Sa dami ng tao we were stuck on the wrong side of Camp Crame so we didn't get to see Ramos doing his jumping thing. We heard the crowd roaring though. We also were in PICC for the counting. I remember sitting beside Gov. Pena of Palawan (administration guy) and he was peeping at my clipboard. Syempre I was doing my own quick count. Mendiola too, we were there. Was able to get some guy to cut a foot of barbed wire for me. Pang souvenir ba :)
Panaderos, democratic institutions should keep the people's interest at heart.
Lady Cess, I remember Magkaisa too but I like Handog better. It felt like We are the World.
Cookie, I wished I joined EDSA 1. It really was a turning point in the country's history.
I regret not joining EDSA 1. I had strict parents who were keeping me from joining through remote control - they were abroad, I was living with stricter relatives.
sadly, the spirit of EDSA has been abused and overused since then.
Mon, sayang, no? I don't think EDSA 1 could be duplicated ever again.
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