Roots
August 21 stirring
By Marifi Jara
QUELIMANE, Mozambique—It would sound so romantic to say that August 21, 1983, the day Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was killed, was the day of my political awakening.
But that would exactly be it, romanticizing my memory of that day 26 years ago. Although I do remember it distinctly because it was the first time that I recognized talk about the government. As a grade 4 student then, I was aware that Marcos was president but it was a fact that was merely useful for exams in social studies class in school. In the days following, relatives came by and the adults chattered much about the assassination. Before that, the government or politics in general was not really a topic of conversation at our house (or at least not obviously to me then) and so all that talk was novel and interesting to my 10-year old ears and mind. I felt a kind of stirring around me. I wondered, who is this Ninoy to have caused all these sudden arousal? Then history continued to unfold.
Ninoy’s death anniversary this year has taken on a greater significance for us following the recent passing of his wife, former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino (don’t we Filipinos just love nicknames!). From the outpouring of sentiments for Cory over the Internet and during her wake and funeral in Manila, I can feel a renewed commitment for what she and Ninoy stood for in our country’s history. Again, a stirring is in the air.
I was heartened to hear of news that students, including those in universities in Dagupan, took part in acts of remembrances for Cory. That makes me believe that the generation following mine, the one that knows more about the adventures and misadventures of Kris Aquino than the political toils of both her mother and father, will now find more meaning on the date August 21. And in finding that deeper meaning on the death of Ninoy, a realization must certainly follow on the need to keep the vigilance for democracy alive.
Our country’s trek with democracy has been stormy. As a nation, we have made major political mistakes both through democratic elections and our now legendary “people power” revolution. And our political mistakes have caused us major economic drawbacks, in large part because of the unbridled corruption of the people we put in and allow to stay in power. A recent Transparency International survey even indicates that here in the African continent as a whole, people are more optimistic about the resolution of corruption in their countries than us Filipinos are about the Philippines. But while we are perhaps more pessimistic about it, it is certainly true that we are taking more proactive steps to curb it. For all our faults, we have remained alert and concerned about our political situation. We still have the Church who have not tired of speaking against wrongdoings among our government officials. Our media and civil society are awake and in action. The Filipino online community is abuzz with the fervor to make a change.
From where I sit, all the stirring I see makes me feel hopeful that better days await us. There is something brewing, and it smells sweet and soothing.
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