eLog - The Call to Leadership (6 August 2009)
My Reflection:
Thursday, 6 August 2009
TITA CORY, MY PRESIDENT:
THE MOTHER OF PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY
Now we want to thank you
For the love you gave to us
For the sacred mother
For the secret of life
In your heart you've hidden
Every sorrow, every pain
Showing only to us
Showing only your smile
Thank you because you have given us life
Taking for you only sorrow and pain
So now, our hearts want to tell you
Mama, thank you for your great love
Even if tomorrow
We're no longer at your side
Your love will remain
As a light deep in our hearts
The song above was dedicated to Mama Mary. We used to sing this song during my Youth Marian Crusade (YMC) days in high school. Every time I participate in singing this song, I do not only venerate Mama Mary but also give thanks to my mother (nanay), my Mama (my auntie who spent for my education and my brothers, as well) and all the mom's that were close to me or had been a part of my life; or the mothers of my friends, without them I could have not met my friends today.
Yesterday, we bid goodbye to a very extraordinary person, a nurturing mother, and an inspiring leader. We said goodbye to President Corazon C. Aquino, dearly called Tita Cory by the millions of Filipinos, her constituents. She was one woman who took the responsibility of motherhood to a nation suffering from poverty and pain; a leaderless nation; a family without a father. She was a single-mother to the whole nation.
She was an extraordinary leader in an extraordinary time. I was in Grade 3 when her husband Ninoy was assassinated. His death rallied the nation to fight the dictatorship; the one event that shook the dictator's hold in his castle of stone and eventually toppled his tower of power. A call for a "snap election" in 1985 pushed Tita Cory to fight the dictator. She was reluctant but it was not her will but the will of the people. Chino Roces initiated the Cory for President Movement and launched a one million signature campaign in one week to convince her to run for president.
An ordinary housewife toppled the dictator. The 1986 Snap Election was marred with fraud and violence that caused the people to fully rise against the dictator. A military revolt was in a stand off and the people supported and protected the rebels at Edsa. Mainly because of the call of Jaime Cardinal Sin and the inspiration that was Cory. The battle cry was "Tama na, sobra na! Palitan na!" Cory was the rallying point. Although she retreated in a convent in Cebu (for her safety), she continued to inspire the people. The people believed in her. She brought hope. The dictator finally left 25 February 1986.
The Filipinos showed the world that we can do it if we are united. We know how to fight for our freedom. After several months or a few years, several communist countries went down. People Power spread like wildfire: Yugoslavia, Germany, etc. Cory was a motivation, the Filipino people an inspiration. The US Congress accepted her with a very long standing ovation after her speech and a $200 million aid to the Philippines.
I was in grade 6 going up to 1st year high school at the start of President Cory's six-year term. All my formative years in high school, I have Tita Cory as my president. I had two years in college, at UP, before she stepped down. Looking back, I know I started very young in politics/activism (grade 3 or 4 marching against the National Service Law) but it did not really bloom in my high school years. I guess it was a Cory factor. The leader of the nation was a very religious woman. She may not be perfect as a president but she exudes the character of an individual that you can emulate. She is a mother whom you can not say invectives to.
Her legacy was not only her presidency but the consistency of her character. Her administration was never perfect but for a housewife, a widow and an ordinary citizen who became president, you can not beat that! Her subordinates, the officials in her government may have blemished her administration but Tita Cory maintained that character of integrity and religiosity.
There were anecdotes among my friends who were in the UG before. They were very political and radical during the martial law days but it was during Cory's presidency that they were jailed and accused of regular crimes. It was during Cory's administration that they suffered torture from the same military they hated during the martial rule. It was during her administration that farmers were shot dead at Mendiola. The great Lean Alejandro (UP) was killed in 1987 during the elections. He ran for congressman against Cory's sister, Tessie. Those who are against Cory's administration are against her administration – not her but of course, command responsibility. Hacienda Luisita is still "not" part of the CARP; farmers are still suffering there – but it's not Cory's alone, it's the Cojuangco's and the Aquino's. It was an open secret that her brother, Peping, together with Chavit, controlled jueteng during her administration. Hey, jueteng (and also smuggling) were there even during Mambo Magsaysay's regime.
But Cory is Cory; the alleged anomalies pointed to her lieutenants' stop with them (staff). She will always be part of history (the good part of it). She will always be remembered as the leader who freed the country from dictatorship.
Tita Cory showed to all that she is still remembered and well-loved by the people. Nobody ordered the Filipino people to wear yellow yesterday… but they did. People came as far as Ilocos from the north and Mindanao from the south, on their own free will, on their own expense to line up in queue to see the remains of President Cory at the Manila Cathedral. People waited for more than five hours for the funeral procession to pass. That is Cory Magic!
This is the kind of personality that the Filipino needs to lead our country in 2010. Among those who declared that they are running for presidency, I do not see someone who has the extraordinary appeal or charisma like Tita Cory. I see the same trend of politicians running… same trapos. One or two may be new breeds yet I still could not sense the power within them to lead the Filipino people.
I may not be an American but when Obama stood up for change, for hope, I started watching and monitoring his campaign speeches… the man has character. I just wish he delivers but here in the Philippines, extraordinary leader? --- nada!
That is why I do not and will not vote for president anymore… not until an extraordinary man surface during this extraordinary time.
The Filipino is worth dying for. - Ninoy
Thursday, 6 August 2009
TITA CORY, MY PRESIDENT:
THE MOTHER OF PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY
Thank you, Mama
Now we want to thank you
For the love you gave to us
For the sacred mother
For the secret of life
In your heart you've hidden
Every sorrow, every pain
Showing only to us
Showing only your smile
Thank you because you have given us life
Taking for you only sorrow and pain
So now, our hearts want to tell you
Mama, thank you for your great love
Even if tomorrow
We're no longer at your side
Your love will remain
As a light deep in our hearts
The song above was dedicated to Mama Mary. We used to sing this song during my Youth Marian Crusade (YMC) days in high school. Every time I participate in singing this song, I do not only venerate Mama Mary but also give thanks to my mother (nanay), my Mama (my auntie who spent for my education and my brothers, as well) and all the mom's that were close to me or had been a part of my life; or the mothers of my friends, without them I could have not met my friends today.
Yesterday, we bid goodbye to a very extraordinary person, a nurturing mother, and an inspiring leader. We said goodbye to President Corazon C. Aquino, dearly called Tita Cory by the millions of Filipinos, her constituents. She was one woman who took the responsibility of motherhood to a nation suffering from poverty and pain; a leaderless nation; a family without a father. She was a single-mother to the whole nation.
She was an extraordinary leader in an extraordinary time. I was in Grade 3 when her husband Ninoy was assassinated. His death rallied the nation to fight the dictatorship; the one event that shook the dictator's hold in his castle of stone and eventually toppled his tower of power. A call for a "snap election" in 1985 pushed Tita Cory to fight the dictator. She was reluctant but it was not her will but the will of the people. Chino Roces initiated the Cory for President Movement and launched a one million signature campaign in one week to convince her to run for president.
An ordinary housewife toppled the dictator. The 1986 Snap Election was marred with fraud and violence that caused the people to fully rise against the dictator. A military revolt was in a stand off and the people supported and protected the rebels at Edsa. Mainly because of the call of Jaime Cardinal Sin and the inspiration that was Cory. The battle cry was "Tama na, sobra na! Palitan na!" Cory was the rallying point. Although she retreated in a convent in Cebu (for her safety), she continued to inspire the people. The people believed in her. She brought hope. The dictator finally left 25 February 1986.
The Filipinos showed the world that we can do it if we are united. We know how to fight for our freedom. After several months or a few years, several communist countries went down. People Power spread like wildfire: Yugoslavia, Germany, etc. Cory was a motivation, the Filipino people an inspiration. The US Congress accepted her with a very long standing ovation after her speech and a $200 million aid to the Philippines.
I was in grade 6 going up to 1st year high school at the start of President Cory's six-year term. All my formative years in high school, I have Tita Cory as my president. I had two years in college, at UP, before she stepped down. Looking back, I know I started very young in politics/activism (grade 3 or 4 marching against the National Service Law) but it did not really bloom in my high school years. I guess it was a Cory factor. The leader of the nation was a very religious woman. She may not be perfect as a president but she exudes the character of an individual that you can emulate. She is a mother whom you can not say invectives to.
Her legacy was not only her presidency but the consistency of her character. Her administration was never perfect but for a housewife, a widow and an ordinary citizen who became president, you can not beat that! Her subordinates, the officials in her government may have blemished her administration but Tita Cory maintained that character of integrity and religiosity.
There were anecdotes among my friends who were in the UG before. They were very political and radical during the martial law days but it was during Cory's presidency that they were jailed and accused of regular crimes. It was during Cory's administration that they suffered torture from the same military they hated during the martial rule. It was during her administration that farmers were shot dead at Mendiola. The great Lean Alejandro (UP) was killed in 1987 during the elections. He ran for congressman against Cory's sister, Tessie. Those who are against Cory's administration are against her administration – not her but of course, command responsibility. Hacienda Luisita is still "not" part of the CARP; farmers are still suffering there – but it's not Cory's alone, it's the Cojuangco's and the Aquino's. It was an open secret that her brother, Peping, together with Chavit, controlled jueteng during her administration. Hey, jueteng (and also smuggling) were there even during Mambo Magsaysay's regime.
But Cory is Cory; the alleged anomalies pointed to her lieutenants' stop with them (staff). She will always be part of history (the good part of it). She will always be remembered as the leader who freed the country from dictatorship.
Tita Cory showed to all that she is still remembered and well-loved by the people. Nobody ordered the Filipino people to wear yellow yesterday… but they did. People came as far as Ilocos from the north and Mindanao from the south, on their own free will, on their own expense to line up in queue to see the remains of President Cory at the Manila Cathedral. People waited for more than five hours for the funeral procession to pass. That is Cory Magic!
This is the kind of personality that the Filipino needs to lead our country in 2010. Among those who declared that they are running for presidency, I do not see someone who has the extraordinary appeal or charisma like Tita Cory. I see the same trend of politicians running… same trapos. One or two may be new breeds yet I still could not sense the power within them to lead the Filipino people.
I may not be an American but when Obama stood up for change, for hope, I started watching and monitoring his campaign speeches… the man has character. I just wish he delivers but here in the Philippines, extraordinary leader? --- nada!
That is why I do not and will not vote for president anymore… not until an extraordinary man surface during this extraordinary time.
The Filipino is worth dying for. - Ninoy
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