By: Cyrus A. Natividad
A couple of years after my student days in CPU, I found myself conforming to the lifestyle of a metropolis. I survived the training period with an industry that later allowed me to go to many places, meet many people and circumstances in Metro Manila. My daily grind as a salesman then consisted of waking up at Four A.M., one hour of walking, running or going to the gym. I prefer walking, while our residence was just near the highway.
The highway that I travelled most during my stint is the Epifaño de los Santos Avenue (a.k.a. EDSA) which has become a by-word for democracy. Later on, when we had the first People Power revolution in EDSA in 1986, everyone has to walk from home or places of work around Metro Manila. I still cherish the experience of being there and taking part in the making of history.
The EDSA People Power (popularly known worldwide as a bloodless revolution) was a result of the long overdue struggle for freedom of the Filipino people; a bubble that burst after more than a decade of suppressed freedom of expression, of rights and privileges in society.
The death of Ninoy Aquino started the campaign for civil disobedience and sustained anti-government demonstration. Then the youth had a lingering question in their minds: What will happen to us – to our future if this government is not changed? Generally people had fears ever since the State of Martial Law was declared. But the youth of that time pursued the answers to the question that they posed themselves. This resulted to the toppling down of the Marcos dictatorship.
We look back to the EDSA People Power of 1986 so that we are reminded that government emanates from the people; and democracy is reliant upon the will of the people.
I revisited EDSA a few years ago during its anniversary celebration. More of the same were recalled, spoken, and committed. I was drifting on the memory of the people power revolution when familiar faces showed up. Centralians! They’re the cream of the crop of the old CPU Republic among those who dreamed and worked for social change. Long before the EDSA Revolution, we have a student group that meet on certain days- to discuss some ‘edible’ issues about our country and the government.
Contrary to what some people in the campus during that time thought about our group, and what we’ve been talking about; those were glorious moments when we sought wisdom from the Word of God to guide our confused minds on the political development unfolding in our country at that time.
I had coffee with my long lost friends along EDSA. We didn’t talk much or recall the events that led to the bloodless revolution, but of the Central that we love; the Central that trained us to be patient, resilient and forgiving. We may have had reservations, but certainly we believe that God is guiding us all along. We pray for our nation, we pray for the Filipino people. May God bless us all.
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