EDSA 20

In a period mired with confusion and uncertainty, the grieving widow of our slain hero, Ninoy, was the only person who united the “silenced” and “silent” Filipinos in her life and yes, in her death. Under Cory’s courageous leadership, we learned to set aside selfish interests and differing ideologies. We finally began to believe in our capacity to topple the dictatorship and restore democracy. Yes, we dared - greatly and magnificently -without a drop of blood shed for motherland.

We overwhelmingly voted for our pro-people and pro-Nature Constitution that Cory fought hard, for its adoption, and which others now seek to change — for perpetuation of a purely personal agenda. We earned the freedom that we were deprived of for thirteen long years under Martial Law, and now slowly eroded by the use of force and willful violation of human rights. Cory’s untainted administration brought back the trust in our institutions that were crippled by the iron fist of a dictator and now, weakened, once more, by the patronage system that we have chosen to tolerate and worse, accept as a stark reality.

“How were you able to fight so valiantly for our freedom? “ is a question that puzzles the youth who were unborn in the golden era of the EDSA revolution. We dared to believe in our power to change and in Cory’s ethical leadership, despite the persistent threats to our young democracy.

How did Cory do it? Well, she dared to be herself. She did not even try to be another Ninoy. She was her own person, until the very end.

As pure as her heart was, she was not spared from vilification. “Walang alam,” haughtily sneered those who thought they had the monopoly of knowledge and leadership skills. Yet, for sheer love of country and the people, she prodded on, even as Private Citizen Cory, in her gentle but gallant ways. She bravely continued to fulfill her mission, which caused the parting of ways with the present tenant along Pasig River. She was determined to strengthen our democratic institutions and ensure their survival so that whoever the occupants of Malacañang and those in public office might be, the people’s interest will prevail under the Rule of Law.

It was her beloved Krissy, who articulated the pain that must have been endured by Cory, by asking “Why are you so mean to Mom?” - to a hard-hitting critic, as he later on narrated in his tribute to her.

Now, we realize Cory was a precious gift to us and to the world. She was what we needed most, in our hours of need, then and now.

She was always the pillar of strength to Ninoy, her children, her family, her beloved co-workers in the struggle to fight for what is right and to her orphaned kababayan.

Who was Cory? While we listened to the accolades that poured in her wake, the compliment coming from her beloved Ninoy, who knew her best, written in prison, three months after spending “lonely hours of solitary confinement in Fort Magsaysay, Laur, Nueva Ecija,” sums up who Cory truly was. Below is an excerpt of Ninoy’s Aug. 18, 1973 letter to eldest child, Ballsy.

“…I am very proud of you because you have inherited all the best traits of your mother. You are sensible, responsible, even-tempered and sincere with the least pretenses and affection which vehemently detest in a woman. I am sure like your mother, you will possess that rare brand of silent courage and that combination of fidelity and fortitude that will be the life vest of your man in the tragic moments of his life…”

If you like to “detoxify” and read the letter, just google “ninoy’s letter to his daughter Ballsy.” Be ready to let tears flow freely again.

Thirty six years after, the world had a rare chance to see a glimpse of Ballsy, as a paragon of grace and quiet dignity that she obviously inherited from her mother. I can never forget the moment when she thanked and kissed the children of the man who had their father incarcerated and changed the fate of the nation, not just their family.

How proud Ninoy and Cory must be to see Ballsy, Noynoy, Pinky, Viel and Kris united, courageous and exemplifying the values that our “conjugal heroes’, to borrow the words of dear friend and colleague, Mocring Barcenas, stood for.

Kris won our hearts, especially the mothers, who shed bucketful of tears listening to her narration of events in the days prior to and after Cory peacefully passed away. Without the “tagapagtanggol” and eloquent Kris, we would not have known how Cory and her children bravely fought the challenges, including the callous pull-out of the security team, and how they eventually accepted the sad reality of her demise. Thanks so much, Kris. We feel we pale in comparison to your mom. But, she will be our role model forever, in addition to our parents.

Now, the question that lurks is “Will the values and principles that Ninoy and president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino boldly stood for be finally embedded in our hearts as well? “ Will we dare to dare greatly and fight for our freedom, dignity and honor — again and again and again?

* * *

On Aug. 14, at 5:30 pm, stewards of Mother Nature will troop to SM Cinema 1, Cebu City for the premiere of the movie “Sangtuwaryo”. The film is a potent medium for reaching out to our fisherfolk and our policy makers. The sine sine that the people in the barangays all over the country will soon see is a labor of love of the Department of Tourism under the sterling eco-leadership of Secretary Ace Durano. It is one of the dreams-coming true of Tony Oposa Jr., the passionate defender of our land, air, water and the sea and the 2009 Ramon Magsaysay awardee for environmental advocacy and the second true-blue Cebuano to receive the award after Philippine Ambassador to the UN, the former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. Tony is another reason why we are proud to be Cebuanos and Filipinos. He is truly our icon and who is just “warming up”, in his words. Hala!

The quote below from Theodore Roosevelt is meant for all of us who are inspired by Tony’s trail-blazing work and by freedom fighters like Ninoy and Cory:

“It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat; who strives valiantly; who errs and may fail again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who does know the great enthusiasm, the great devotion; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”