25 Years After...

Thursday, 24 February 2011 17:42

Written by Aaron Benedict De Leon

Today is the Silver anniversary of the First People Power which saw the ouster of a dictator and the installation of a reluctant woman into the highest seat of public office. While those people who figured prominently continue to tell their own versions of what happened 25 years back, most of us in the youth sector have been reduced to history lessons, TV documentaries and testimonials in as far as our knowledge about EDSA 1 is concerned.

But while it seems that the memory of EDSA is so distant to our consciousness, the figures who played key roles that time remain the very same people occupying the seats of our government today. People who came either from the Pro-Marcos or the Pro-Aquino wings remain the very same operators of our current state of affairs.

I’m not going to speculate whether our lives were better off or not at this particular point, but from a point of view of someone who was not able to witness the first version of EDSA People Power, I am left to wonder how most of us have just simply forgiven and forgotten the very nature of this fight, which is to change and reform government.

Yes, we may have seen a shift from authoritarian to democratic rule, yet, was there any shift of leadership, between the old vanguards to the new generation?

I stress this because everytime we hold a national election, they say the youth vote compose a big block in the electorate. But let me be realistic about this youth vote: Name a presidential candidate who got the youth vote and won that year’s election? You had Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago in ‘92, the late Sen. Raul Roco in ’98 and ’04, and former Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro in 2010. Their common denominator is that all of them lost.

Yes, we’ve witnessed a shift in power, but we’ve failed to witness and experience a shift and change in inclusive leadership, leadership which allows reform-minded and young people to have seats in government, in plural terms.

Much more, the youth and their perceived bloc vote has not perpetrated their preferred presidential candidate to the highest seat of public office.

A tipping point

Perhaps, the youth and the citizens, at this point, must see this occasion as a tipping point for vindication, not just another year of commemoration and celebration.

We cannot be in a perpetual state of taking our angst and frustrations to the streets and shout for reform. We just cannot organize our efforts towards making people accountable to their promises.
It is ripe and time for the youth to take the pro-active stance in helping dignify that piece of history our forbearers fought for.

The 25th anniversary of EDSA should be a reminder to the youth, that there is so much to do, more than what has been achieved 25 years ago. We have to remind ourselves that we comprise a huge portion of that collective responsibility that was bestowed upon those who took to the streets and sacrificed their time, gave their effort and brought dignity to us as Filipinos.

Now is the perfect opportunity for us to create new pieces of history, new manifestations of people power, with the accessibility of social media right in our very hands. Not only should we be adequately informed, we should also have that ability to make such information available to everyone, including those who are less fortunate compared to us – to make information, appreciation and recreation work for everyone.

Leadership takes shape in student governments. And at this point where most students are currently electing their very own student council representatives for the next academic year, we hope that the younger generation exercises the most sound and correct judgment with their choices. We must outrightly reject student body parties that conduct negative campaigning and spread black propaganda in order to gain undue leverage against an opponent. We must strengthen our democratic processes in our community by exercising our right to vote and be heard.

Lastly, the younger generation must not shy away from becoming part of government. For true blue reforms to take shape, we have to take part in the process. While we recognize the challenges and temptations of the system, we must enter as an organized network of young, able and competent leaders to ensure that we will be able to resist the temptations collectively, reminded of the constituencies we represent. We need to have young leaders in government – not only young but able, competent and patient youth leaders capable of handling and running the country.

Resolve after 25

Obviously, the first People Power in 1986 brought the much needed changes to our government at that time. There was the restoration of democracy, basic human rights, among many others. I believe it has already served its purpose and transient goal.

The youth sees differently the problem of today against that of the yesteryears, thus our solutions must be dynamic, not merely photographic of the past’s resolve.

We must have synergy in our thoughts, actions and resolve, to create a new form of People Power, in our own time, space and generation. A People Power that will introduce, initiate and implement reforms in a sustainable manner, create enormous opportunities inclusive to everyone and make the gift of democracy in 1986 work for all people – for all Christians-Muslims-Lumads, for all the inhabitants of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, for all ethnic races and for men and women alike.

I hope we can fulfill this pledge and promise beginning on the 25th anniversary of EDSA People Power 1.