Category: Cory Aquino

Dominant thoughts re Edsa One: We wasted it

Published by Ellen on February 25, 2016

The Edsa jump. Fidel Ramos and Juan Ponce-Enrile jubillant as they announced defections of Marcos people to the rebels' side. — The Edsa jump. Fidel Ramos and Juan Ponce-Enrile jubillant as they announced defections of Marcos people to the rebels’ side.

Edsa30 celebration has revived memories of that important event in our history as a freedom-loving people.

From the recollections, one can glean a deep sense of disappointment, of our failure not to have used our regained freedom into building genuine democracy- wherein people would have the opportunities to pursue their dreams of a better life.

Mark Lopez shared his insights of EDSA One in Facebook: “I was 17 when EDSA 1 happened and my family and I were there, together with the millions who want change. It was surreal and it was indeed a triumphant moment when news of Marcos family fleeing was confirmed. In the immediate aftermath, all I could think of was that our country will now be on the cusp of true progress and development. Of course the foremost celebration was for the reinstatement of democracy and freedom to be a Filipino.

“”Thirty years after, I now cringe at what went by after EDSA1. I really don’t know what it is in our psyche that we continue to celebrate democracy but we also embraced mediocrity, especially in governance.

“We may be free, but we are still slaves to indifference, to corruption, and to greed. Do we really deserve this?”

EDSA30

Published by Ellen on February 24, 2016

It has been 30 years since that one shining moment in Philippine history when the people came together to put an end to tyranny.

Rebel soldier reading Malaya. Photo by Joe Galvez.

As Che Francisco, a colleague in Ang Pahayagang Malaya, remarked , “Parang kelan lang.”

On this day, Feb. 24, we, in Malaya were covering the fast-changing events non-stop. I was sleeping in the office. Malaya editors were working in a safe house as rumors were swirling about raids of newspapers unfriendly to Marcos.

In the evening after the editorial work, we would go to Camp Crame where Fidel V. Ramos, then the chief of the Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police and then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce-Enrile, were holding fort together with the rebel soldiers and police officers after they declared on Feb. 22 that they were breaking away from then President Ferdinand Marcos who had been in power for 20 years.

Ang konsyerto ng mga palaka

Published by Ellen on February 27, 2011

sanggumay3 — My sanggumay. Still a beauty but not so fragrant anymore.

Habang nagkakantahan at nasasayawan sina Pangulong Aquino sa EDSAnoong Biyernes sa kanilang pagdiwang ng 25 taong anibersayo ng People Power, ako ay nakikinig sa kunsiyerto ng mga palaka.
Tuloy-tuloy hanggang lampas ng hatinggabi ang kunsiyerto ng mga palaka. Minsan may nagso-solo,pagkatapos pumapasok na parang background music. Ang galing. Talo si Ogie Alcasid at ang kanyang mga all-stars performers sa EDSA.

Sobra isang linggo na ako sa aming baryo sa Guisijan sa Antique at talaga namang nakaka-relax ang sariwang hangin, sariwang isda at sariwang gulay.

Nasubukan nyo na ba ang masaheng alon? ‘Yan ang nangyari sa akin noong isang linggo. Pinaghahampas kami ng alon. Masaya kaya lang masakit sa katawan.

Hindi masyadong damdam ng mga kapitbahay namin dito and selebrasyon ng EDSA1. Natutuwa lang ang mga bata dahil wala silang pasok kaya naligo kami sa dagat. Nang gabi nga nasalubong ko ang aming kapitbahay at sinabi niya makikinood daw siya kanyang katabing bahay ng “Willing-Willie.” Mukhang mas mabenta ang Willing-Willie kaysa EDSA1 na palabas.

‘EDSA is not just four days in February’: Remembering the role of the ‘Mosquito press’

Published by Ellen on February 24, 2011

edsa1-joe-galvez — A soldier reads Malaya's account of Day One of People Power Revolution. Photo by Joe Galvez.

I’m reprinting here the recollection of Lourdes “Chuchay” Fernandez, Malaya’s editor-in-chief at the time of the 1986 People Power, which she did for VERA Files and Yahoo. Chuchay is now editor-in-chief of Business Mirror.

The 1986 People Power is most memorable for us in Malaya, whose owners, Jose Burgos Sr and his son, Joe Burgos, Jr.,editors and columnists were imprisoned three years earlier when their other newspaper, WE Forum, which was padlocked, ran the Marcos fake medals story.

I was home resting the day then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and Philippine Constaburary Chief Fidel Ramos launched their “People’s revolution” having come from a gruelling and emotion-laden coverage of the funeral of former Antique Governor Evelio Javier. I had to cut short my rest and cover what turned out to be one of the Filipinos’ greatest moments.

Here’s Chuchay’s Edsa1 recollection:

“EDSA, from my perspective as then editor-in-chief of the “Mosquito Press” pioneer Ang Pahayagang Malaya of Joe Burgos Jr., broke in the early afternoon of Feb. 22, 1986 when I received a phone call from Malaya’s Malacanang reporter, Butch Fernandez, who said he had heard the distinct “ting-ting-ting” of the teletype machine that receives wire-agency news feed at the Palace press room, indicating an urgent, big development.

Continue reading‘EDSA is not just four days in February’: Remembering the role of the ‘Mosquito press’

Thoughts on 25 years after 1986 People Power

Published by Ellen on February 23, 2011

We are commemorating the 1986 People Power revolution, many refer to as EDSA 1.

If we refer to EDSA I and EDSA 2 as a gathering of people on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, that long stretch of road from Pasay City to Caloocan City, I would agree that’s accurate. Then we should also call the assembly of masses in the last days of April 2001 that culminated in the assault of Malacanang on May 1, 2001 EDSA 3. The crowd in April 2001 was definitely bigger than the civil society groups that ousted an elected president, Joseph Estrada, in Jan 2001 and installed in Malacanang Gloria Arroyo that turned out to be worse than Estrada in corruption and perversion of the law.

Ninoy assassination a closed book for Aquino sisters

Published by Ellen on August 20, 2010

by Booma Cruz VERA Files Twenty-seven years after the murder of opposition leader and former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., his daughters say the search…

“Ipaglaban ko ang pagsasama ng pamilya natin”: James Yap

Published by Ellen on July 1, 2010

Aquino, her husband Yap holding Baby James and her eldest son Joshua attend a mass for the late former President Aquino on the third day of her mother's wake at Manila Cathedral — At President Cory's funeral

Statement issued by James Yap:

“Kilala niyo po naman ako. Tahimik at simple lang akong tao. Tingin ko din itong lahat na issues na naglalabasan siguro dapat kami na lang mag-asawa ang mag-aayos in private. Ever since naman, never niyo akong naringgan ng kung-anu-ano tungkol sa relasyon namin ni Kris.

“Kaya konting lang ang gusto kong sabihin.

“Naniniwala ako sa kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon ng buo ang pamilya. Kaya ipaglalaban ko na mapanatiling buo ang pamilya namin ni Kris anuman ang mangyari. Alam ko walang pamilyang hindi dumaan sa ganitong pagsubok. Marami na kaming dinaanang pagsubok ni Kris before and I don’t think na ngayon pa kami susuko. Gusto ko talagang i-save ang pagsasama namin dahil syempre, may anak kami at hindi biro ang halos anim na taon naming pagsasama. Umaasa pa rin ako na darating ang tamang panahon na maaayos ang lahat.

“Marami nang lumabas na mga balita at mas pinili ko na manahimik muna bilang paggalang sa ating bagong Presidente Noynoy Aquino.

Sen. Edward Kennedy and Philippine democracy

Published by Ellen on August 27, 2009

The passing away of President Cory three weeks ago and last Friday’s 26th death anniversary of her husband, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., brought back to mind the events of February 1986 when the world stood in awe as Filipinos linked arms, armed only with prayers and faith, to restore democracy in the country.

Yesterday, we were yet reminded of that glorious February with the news of the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the last surviving son of America’s political royalty.

Precious L. Javier, widow of the late Evelio Javier, the former Antique governor whose murder helped spark the outrage that led to the 1986 People Power, sent me the U.S. Congressional record of February 19, 1986 when American senators passed a resolution expressing their deep concern over the massive fraud that attended the Feb. 7, 1986 snap presidential elections.

Anak talaga ni Ninoy at Cory

Published by Ellen on August 26, 2009

Hindi pa sinasabi ni Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. ang kanyang desisyon kung siya ay tatakbo sa pagka-presidente na siyang panawagan ng iilang mga kolumnista at sinasabing eksperto sa pulitika.

Ngunit sa himig ng kanyang pananalita, parang natatanto ko na sa ngayon, mas nahihiling siya kung saan siya ngayon: sa Senado.

Guest si Noynoy sa “Strictly Politics” sa ANC noong Martes at sinabi niya na sa tatlong konsiderasyun na kanyang basehan ng kanyang desisyon.

Ang isa doon sa dalawa ay ang opinyun ng kanyang mga kapatid. Sabi ni Noynoy, hindi boto si Pinky at si Viel. Si Kris naman nagsabi siya noong ininterview siya sa Manila Memorial Park noong pansiyam na araw ng pagkamatay ni Pangulong Cory Aquino na “ayaw ni Mom” yan.

Pang-iinis ni Arroyo sa pamilyang Aquino

Published by Ellen on August 24, 2009

Bilib naman talaga ako sa kapal ng mukha at tapang ng apog nitong si Gloria Arroyo at ng kanyang mga alagad.

Sinabi na nga ng pamilyang Aquino na “No, thank you” doon sa kanilang plano na magpatayo ng monumento para kay dating Pangulong Cory Aquino sa Rizal Park, pinagpipilitan pa.

Sabi ni Gary Olivar, dating aktibista ng panahon ni Pangulong Marcos na ngayon ay isa sa tagapagsalita ni Arroyo: “The proposed Rizal Park monument to President Cory is a gift in her honor from the Filipino people and the Philippine government through their elected president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”