February 3, 2006 · Posted in: Edsa Special, General
Edsa 20/20: A PCIJ multimedia production
FILIPINOS celebrate this month the 20th anniversary of People Power when nearly a million people massed up on Edsa in a popular uprising that ousted Ferdinand Marcos. It was one of the most stirring moments in contemporary Philippine history, one much admired throughout the world. Filipinos still think they set the template for ?people power,? peaceful revolutions that have ended entrenched authoritarian regimes and brought about democracy.
Yet today, 20 years later, many Filipinos are also asking themselves what Edsa was all about. What did it accomplish? Two decades later, the country finds itself mired in political crisis, seemingly in a state of democratic decay rather than resurgence. In 1986, a popular uprising was triggered by a fraudulent election. Twenty years later, we are in the midst of another crisis sparked by election cheating. It seems we have come full circle. What went wrong in the last 20 years? What went right? How have Filipino lives changed? What did Edsa mean?
These are difficult questions but some of the answers can be found in the lives of 20 Filipinos, including some of the main protagonists at Edsa, but ordinary people as well. The trajectory of their lives and the paths they have taken provide a map of what the country has been through since people power. The twists and turns in the personal and professional histories of these 20 individuals also point to the changes that have taken place since 1986.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Edsa, the PCIJ has put together a multimedia presentation called, Edsa 20/20, consisting of articles (published in the PCIJ magazine, The i Report), a photo exhibit (which can be viewed in Glorietta 1 from February 15 to 26), and a series of podcasts containing our interviews with the Edsa 20. The podcasts can also be heard at the Glorietta Exhibit.
We start today with an introductory essay, ?Remembering Edsa: 20 People and their Lives 20 Years since People Power,? by Sheila S. Coronel. From Monday, February 6 to 25, the day Marcos fled 20 years ago, we will broadcast on this site our interviews with the following:
- February 6 — Bernabe ‘Kumander Dante’ Buscayno
- February 7 — Romeo J. Intengan
- February 8 — Jose S. Concepcion Jr.
- February 9 — Alfonso Tomas ‘Atom’ P. Araullo
- February 10 — Rene A.V. Saguisag
- February 11 — Jim Paredes
- February 12 — Carmen Deunida a.ka. Nanay Mameng
- February 13 — Nur Misuari
- February 14 — Ma. Cecilia Flores-Oebanda
- February 15 — Eugenia Apostol
- February 16 — Teresita Ang See
- February 17 — William Torres
- February 18 — Luz Emmanuel Soriano
- February 19 — Jose Luis Martin ‘Chito’ Gascon
- February 20 — Raymundo Jarque
- February 21 — Gregorio ‘Gringo’ Honasan
- February 22 — Juan Ponce Enrile
- February 23 — Fidel V. Ramos
- February 24 — Imelda Marcos
- February 25 — Corazon C. Aquino
11 Responses to Edsa 20/20: A PCIJ multimedia production
ryebosco
February 4th, 2006 at 2:33 am
A well-written article Miss Coronel.
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People Power turned out to be People Failure. Filipinos today that had the EDSA 20/20 vision yesterday now need a lasik procedure in order to focus on ousting the remnants of Marcos’ corruption that have blurred our efforts to rebuild a once great Philippines. Definitely, “life has not improved” for average citizens who have no control of the country’s wealth and bank account. The “ambitious and talented” are indeed leaving. Those left behind who decide to continue the fight, to expose the thieves and to follow the flawed constitution are branded as communists, killed to shut them up and declared OFW heroes for cleaning the toilets abroad.
Most that led this country after 1986 did not do their job. Do we let another 20 years go by hoping, praying and trusting that the roots of corruption would be eradicated? I’m quite certain over a million Filipinos today have had enough. That number alone can overwhelm the few who have led us nowhere today.
I have a suggestion, how about a million of us gathering once again on February 22, 2006 to not demand but MAKE real changes? Those linked with the Marcoses and corruption need not bother joining to disguise their rotten agendas. Let’s truly celebrate the 20th Anniversary of People Power. The late Senator Aquino believed that “the Filipino is worth dying for.” Is it too much to ask ourselves to prove that belief? It does not have to be People Failure!
P.S. Somebody please bring a guillotine
Sleepyjohn
February 4th, 2006 at 9:10 am
WHAT WENT RIGHT WITH PEOPLE POWER?
At last, after the grimacing 14 years of martial rule, the people of The Philippines were one in 1986! All those who were young at that time (that includes me:) ) just waited for that moment to come. Because, freedom of the press was suppressed. Indeed it was a feat done by Filipinos like you and me, wherever part of the archipelago you were then. LUZVIMIN showed her power!
To others, martial rule was right for them. But not to majority of people my age at that time. To those who liked martial rule were those who were, in a way, taking part in the scheming of the country’s wealth. That’s when the scruples were identified.
WHAT WENT WRONG WITH PEOPLE POWER?
Upon the assumption of the revolutionary government under the ‘tutelage’ of Tita Cory, there were so many smart alecs in that administration. One very notable move made during that revolutionary government was to return to the lopezes the meralco holdings.
Since you guys, will have the chance to interview JPE as I saw on the above-stated schedule, please do ask him, why, how was Meralco returned to the lopezes? some pointers though, he might outsmart you when you ask him that. However, make a follow-through question like: Is it true that meralco was returned to the lopezes without even them(lopezes)paying equity because meralco’s debts were written off? Further, if indeed, Mcoy refused the offer of the lopezes then, prior to the ouster, that gov’t takes over meralco operations, who was the one who whispered to the ear of Mcoy to accept the Offer? Who was then, head of the Meralco Foundation?
Up to now we still suffer with the BS claim of meralco that they are losing in their power distribution business! I say, tell that to the marines!
Now, after all have been said and done, to me, what went wrong after people power, was political accommodations!
Political accommodations that went on from 1986 onwards without let up.
Whatever we have to say here, would just be a drop in the bucket, a blob because we just don’t care anymore!
What? the militant groups are taking up the cudgels for us? hellar! they, too, were part of the political accommodation! They can, openly say, straight to your face now, that the communist party of the philippines is now legal. That’s why they can easily roam around the streets of the metropolis, in the guise of freedom fighters, but in reality to create chaos on the streets, creating the worst snarl of traffic whenever they abuse the use of the road. They must also be charged the Road users tax! IN the end, you might be indoctrinated to be communist.
Look around. In the past we used to have numerous multinational companies beefing up the economy because they provided jobs to filipinos.Then came the labor unions. Labor union per se, is good. However, this same good purpose were abused by militant groups. In the guise of labor unions, they stormed factories demanding for alot things, even shooting for the stars!
But, multinational companies won’t budge, so they closed shops here in our country. Tagumpay! sigaw ng mga militante. Napasara natin sila!
After the self-proclaimed victory, what happens now to the factory workers, who were also duped to be labor union members? Will they still get the job from these militant organizations, disguised as labor unions? Will they provide for them while they do not have jobs? Never!
Up until now, the style of these militant groups is still the same. IF we all accuse politicians who are trapos, the militant groups have also trapos in their organization.
So, now we ask ourselves, what is the right mental attitude amidst all these? If OFWs were to go back, they want the factories where they used to work, be open again so they won’t have to leave their motherland.
naykika
February 5th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
Like everyone, I too has story to tell about the event that was Twenty Years Ago. At the height of the of that ‘Revolution’, we even at the time without the availability of internet and real time medium, were stuck to whatever news but mostly by phone. That time my two youngest sister, one busy with her medical practice, the other was my biggest concern because she was busy marching down EDSA. She was an activist just like the Millions of them, and I have to remind her to be careful all the time. And she brag that she had a Giant of a Man (her boyfriend) to cover her up and protect her. Brave as she was, we were all concerned. Was so happy that Edsa 1 ended Bloodless. That May of l986 the whole Family once again gathered in one joyous Celebration; the Wedding of our youngest to her protector and it the Ceremony we had as a toast speaker the uncle of the groom, who later became associates justice of The Supreme Court.
Twenty years later,my sister, her protector with three teenage in tow, immigrated to the country, the same country whose bases they both want thrown out the country and wandering what more could both of them have done. I told them you both have done what you believe was right to do during the context and events of time. Twenty years they remained, but finally decided that idealism that once theirs has now gone. And so most of those who was there twenty years ago.
freewheel
February 5th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
what went wrong after EDSA?
1. Cory A. Revolutionary Govt – inactions/actions:
A. kung deneklara sana nila na ang Pinas ay magpapatupad ng
“land to the tiller” konsepto ng agraryo, tulad ng Japan at Korea,
kalahati ng hinaing ng mga armadong grupo tulad ng CPP/NPA, MNLF, MILF, atbp. matutugunan na sana. Ang dating ExecSec joker arroyo, maaring kunan ng komento?;
B. nakakalulang bilis ang paghain sa mga Lopezes ng mga prime govt assets. Ano kaya masasabi ni TradeSec Joecon dito?
2. Drafting of the 1987 Constitution:
A. habang papatapos na ito, si Direk lino brocka, isang ConCom member, sa sobrang suya at inis, nagresign dahil di kayang sikmurahin ang draft- ampaw daw ito, malaki tignan pero salat sa laman. Ano itong sinasabi ni ConCom member Chito Gascon, “…patalsik ang diktador, pero ang sistema ganuon pa din…” , naalala ko kampanyang-kampanya ito para aprubahan ang draft;
3. Cory A. Govt. under 1987 Constitution:
A. Pagpaslang kay KMUChair Lando Olalia, lider estudyante Lean A., at masaker sa Mendiola. Ang huling signos at patunay na ang establisimentong militar sa pamumuno ni DefSec JPEnrile at AFPChief FVR, ay Marcosian pa rin ang aktitud.
4. Post Marcos Media- Print
A. Habang ang taumbayan ay uhaw sa impormasyon at kapaliwanagan, marami ang kagawad nito ay abalang-abala pagandahin at pagtakpan ang mga disintunadong pamamalakad ng gobyerno. Maaring hingan ng komentaryo ang mga tulad nina Ms Belinda O.- Cunanan at A. Doronilla;
4 na araw sa EDSA? di po ako sang-ayon sa kongklusyon ng artikulo,
“…certainly the fault lies not with EDSA”. Ang pangyayari, ay nagbigay ng false sense of hope and pride sa sambayanan. At ang sumunod na mga pangyayari, ay nagbigay insulto sa mga nagbuwis ng buhay para maganap ito.
Thus, what is right with EDSA?
It brought about the realization that any uprising led by the middle-class (the tipping point as one blogger opined), by burnt-out politicians, by PMA barons [ : ) ] will bring us nowhere not only from poverty, but of more import restore pride and dignity.
That any uprising led by writers, poets, military ‘adventurists’, peoples’ orgs, NGOs is better off and deserving of yours truly energies.
Filipino Librarian
February 6th, 2006 at 9:19 am
Edsa 20/20
The quote above is taken from “Remembering Edsa: 20 People and their Lives 20 Years since People Power” by Sheila S. Coronel, which appears in the latest issue of iReport…
polsjs
February 9th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
” People power'”?
Steven Solars coined the words “people power” that flattered the flushed Flips to ear-fluttering heights who were then already intoxicated by CNN hypes . Then, once again, as when Dewey wispered sweet words to Aguinaldo at the gates of intramuros a century ago, just when the Flips’ victory over the Spanish colonizers was imminent, we were robbed of our Revolution, our fight for Freedom. We allowed ourselves to be deceived. Twenty years ago at EDSA we had something better, more powerful than “people power”. We had the mercy of the Amighty on our side because we were a “powerless people”. We had nothing but our prayers and our tears, we had lost even our fears. Now, Feb 2006, we are a lost people. “People power”? How I wish we would be as “powerless” as we were twenty years ago, for then “when we were weak, then we were strong”.
baycas
February 11th, 2006 at 6:06 am
“Last January 20, Arroyo ignored the 5th anniversary of EDSA Dos that brought her to power in 2001. It’s interesting to see how she will observe Edsa One.”
ms. ellen tordesillas wrote “GMA and People Power One” http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=135 .
(with citation to pcij’s edsa 20/20)
vonpogi
February 11th, 2006 at 10:21 am
Ang mga Senator ay dumulog sa Supreme Court at sa aking palagay ay wala rin mapapatunguhan iyan. Dahil si Gurria Makapal ang nag lukluk kay Panganiban at na bypass ang ibang judge na mas Senior at karapat dapat pumalit kay Damukang Davide na isa ring gago. Ano ang mapapala ng mg Senator kundi panig kay Guriia Makapal.
Sana ay tignan ni Supreme Court Justice Panganiban ang mga sinasabi ng mga Tao hindi iyun utos ng Amo niyang magnanakaw.
May pag asa kaya ang mga Senator kay Panganiban na isa rin alagad ni Gluria Makapal.
MLadia
February 16th, 2006 at 8:15 am
“Flips?”
That’s the root of the problem right there. That is just like Chinese calling themselves “chinks” or the Japanese calling themselves “japs” or the African-Americans calling themselves the “n” word.
going back to topic. jim paredes was right. they should have lined up the trapos and cronies and had them shot.
look at the political spectrum now… it is still comprised of the same old surnames. the dynasties have been passed on. unless this link from the corrupt past is broken, the country will not be able to get out of this rut.
beautiful
February 25th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
Daoat cguro sabihin nalang nating kay PGMA, DO NOT MAKE A SUPREME SACRIFICE TO STEP DOWN FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IS SHE IS USING HER POWER TO STOP THE PEOPLE FROM COMPLAINING. SHE WANTS THE PEOPLE TO MAKE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE .
The Daily PCIJ » Blog Archive » PCIJ blog adjudged best in podcasting
November 10th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
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