Note: This is an old post from my Multiply site last August 5, 2009.
This journal entry should be about the continuation of the previous one (especially that I have finished writing it anyway), but I opt to give a small tribute to our late President Corazon Aquino.
Today, I witnessed for the very first time a funeral of a Philippine president. I planned to rest the whole day but since Cory’s funeral was being aired on TV, I took the opportunity to watch it. In this simple way, I will pay tribute to the first Philippine president in my life.
I am a Cory Baby. OK, I am technically a Marcos baby because I was born eight months before the dictator was ousted. Thus, Cory was the first president I saw relaying her message to the Filipino people in national television. I can still remember those carefree years of childhood when I used to hang out in my grandparents’ bedroom then seeing Cory Aquino in the television deliver her message. I did not know what she was talking about then. To be honest, I never knew any of her significant contributions by the time she blessed Fidel Ramos as her presidential candidate. All I could remember then was the time when I saw jet planes from our topmost floor in Mandaluyong because there was a coup d’état surfacing. I can also remember that upon seeing my toddler pictures, my parents told me that I liked the color yellow especially when I wore the People Power sando and I drove my yellow toy car. Times passed. Yellow is not my favorite color anymore, but I was the yellow boy then… or can we say golden boy. (OK, I like the latter better. Haha!)
After her presidency, Cory was still a prominent figure. I also got to learn her and my shirt’s relevance in my Social Studies classes. I envied those who were present when the revolution took place. All my parents could narrate to me about it was that they were having a hard time commuting while carrying me as a baby during those times. Little did I know that history will repeat itself. In my junior year in high school, I was able to witness Cory Aquino in another EDSA revolution. This time I was there when it happened. I got to see the then-opposition shut a lid on Erap’s regime as GMA assumed presidency with help of Chief of Justice Davide. I did not actually like GMA as a figurehead then so I was more inspired upon seeing Cory’s speech in the television (we already left EDSA then) when she implored the people to always pray.
To be honest, Cory was not the perfect president for the Philippines. I have heard of stories of her decision lapses when she was the president. She suffered several coup d’états thus staining her regime. Some people can say that it was not her doing as to why Marcos was toppled. It was just more of a circumstance. But after all these, she was still highly regarded by millions of Filipinos. I do too. It was not her whole doing as to why democracy was restored in 1986, but she was still the figurehead of the dramatic change that occurred. She had that charisma and strength to assume presidency after the Marcoses left Malacanang. She was the rallying point when Filipino nationalism was at a high (i.e., EDSA 1 and her current death). Even if I was at a very tender age when EDSA Revolution occurred, I was influenced by Cory (like that People Power shirt). Call it insignificant, but it was part of my life.
I was too young when controversies blemished her presidential term so I cannot give my statement on that but as far as I am concerned, she showed strong character to the Filipinos. The fact that she finished her regime despite the coup attempts should be a lesson on strength and determination. Her religious actions should inspire this Catholic nation to strengthen our faith in God. Even the way she helped Kris Aquino on her controversies should be a lesson on unconditional love and fortitude. Say what you want on her about being a weak president, but all I can say is that her personality and character is one of the best inspirations in our society nowadays. Sometimes, all we need is a hero for us to wake up from our failures. Hopefully, Cory is that hero. She made mistakes before but hey, heroes are humans too.
Thus, I end this journal entry by thanking our former president – Corazon Aquino – for being an inspiration to us, Filipinos.
Farewell, Tita Cory.
This journal entry should be about the continuation of the previous one (especially that I have finished writing it anyway), but I opt to give a small tribute to our late President Corazon Aquino.
Today, I witnessed for the very first time a funeral of a Philippine president. I planned to rest the whole day but since Cory’s funeral was being aired on TV, I took the opportunity to watch it. In this simple way, I will pay tribute to the first Philippine president in my life.
I am a Cory Baby. OK, I am technically a Marcos baby because I was born eight months before the dictator was ousted. Thus, Cory was the first president I saw relaying her message to the Filipino people in national television. I can still remember those carefree years of childhood when I used to hang out in my grandparents’ bedroom then seeing Cory Aquino in the television deliver her message. I did not know what she was talking about then. To be honest, I never knew any of her significant contributions by the time she blessed Fidel Ramos as her presidential candidate. All I could remember then was the time when I saw jet planes from our topmost floor in Mandaluyong because there was a coup d’état surfacing. I can also remember that upon seeing my toddler pictures, my parents told me that I liked the color yellow especially when I wore the People Power sando and I drove my yellow toy car. Times passed. Yellow is not my favorite color anymore, but I was the yellow boy then… or can we say golden boy. (OK, I like the latter better. Haha!)
After her presidency, Cory was still a prominent figure. I also got to learn her and my shirt’s relevance in my Social Studies classes. I envied those who were present when the revolution took place. All my parents could narrate to me about it was that they were having a hard time commuting while carrying me as a baby during those times. Little did I know that history will repeat itself. In my junior year in high school, I was able to witness Cory Aquino in another EDSA revolution. This time I was there when it happened. I got to see the then-opposition shut a lid on Erap’s regime as GMA assumed presidency with help of Chief of Justice Davide. I did not actually like GMA as a figurehead then so I was more inspired upon seeing Cory’s speech in the television (we already left EDSA then) when she implored the people to always pray.
To be honest, Cory was not the perfect president for the Philippines. I have heard of stories of her decision lapses when she was the president. She suffered several coup d’états thus staining her regime. Some people can say that it was not her doing as to why Marcos was toppled. It was just more of a circumstance. But after all these, she was still highly regarded by millions of Filipinos. I do too. It was not her whole doing as to why democracy was restored in 1986, but she was still the figurehead of the dramatic change that occurred. She had that charisma and strength to assume presidency after the Marcoses left Malacanang. She was the rallying point when Filipino nationalism was at a high (i.e., EDSA 1 and her current death). Even if I was at a very tender age when EDSA Revolution occurred, I was influenced by Cory (like that People Power shirt). Call it insignificant, but it was part of my life.
I was too young when controversies blemished her presidential term so I cannot give my statement on that but as far as I am concerned, she showed strong character to the Filipinos. The fact that she finished her regime despite the coup attempts should be a lesson on strength and determination. Her religious actions should inspire this Catholic nation to strengthen our faith in God. Even the way she helped Kris Aquino on her controversies should be a lesson on unconditional love and fortitude. Say what you want on her about being a weak president, but all I can say is that her personality and character is one of the best inspirations in our society nowadays. Sometimes, all we need is a hero for us to wake up from our failures. Hopefully, Cory is that hero. She made mistakes before but hey, heroes are humans too.
Thus, I end this journal entry by thanking our former president – Corazon Aquino – for being an inspiration to us, Filipinos.
Farewell, Tita Cory.
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