I was only a 5th grader in one of the public schools in Cubao when the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolt erupted to oust the late dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. My memories of the world’s first ever bloodless revolution was confined to Laban signs, chanting “Cory! Cory!” on the streets, blackouts, military take over of TV networks and people headed down to Camps Crame and Aguinaldo in yellow shirts. We were stuck in our rented room those days fearful that this particular war tank rumored to have a capacity to blow up a significant portion of Quezon City might eventually be used by soldiers against civilians. But there was no shot fired. Only two presidents were proclaimed.
1986 EDSA And Beyond Photo Exhibit
by Sonny Camarillo at the Riverbanks Center.
Listening to Radyo Veritas was the in thing to do. June Keithly was an icon. “Tama Na! Sobra Na! Palitan Na!” was the advertising slogan of that year, obviously beating down “Marcos Pa Rin!” by a thousand miles. Everyone on the streets were deemed to be heroes. Selfless patriotic heroes who finally took their stand to stop a tyrannical government from its deceitful and corrupt practices and from taking down further more innocent lives to cover their bloody trails. A united people rallied behind Cory Aquino, the widow of the murdered opposition leader Senator Ninoy Aquino, and swept her to power.
Glory was best exemplified by the 1986 EDSA People Power. There was something about it that made an entire nation of diverse tongues and cultures unite together under one banner. Everyone was out to do everyone good. Everyone looked after one another. Everyone cannot be bought by siopao, rice porridge or sweet promises for dessert the way a guilty Arroyo government does best today. No bullet can came through those who stood united — an obvious reason why the Arroyo government feared people converging in one place and have been employing brute force to scatter everyone like sheep. Those who were there and those who literally grew up in that era knew exactly how that great crowd of hopefuls inspired change. God was there in the midst of the multitude.
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