Empowered

BEGINNING last weekend, new revelations on the pork barrel scam continues to pour, probably just as heavily as Typhoon Maring’s wrath , which has flooded Metro Manila.
Most Filipinos expressed anger and disgust through social media. They feel betrayed, knowing that their hard-earned money has been blatantly misused by the people they put in power.
Even the recent storm that ravaged the country is not enough to subdue the public’s fixation on the apprehension of Janet Napoles-Lim and her political conduits.
A photo of three men carrying a crocodile plastered with the image of a flooded highway went viral among Pinoy netizens on various social networking sites.
The photo, with the headline, “Breaking news: Nahuli na si Napoles sa kasagsagan ng baha! (Napoles captured in the midst of flood!),” garnered thousands of “likes” and “shares” since it was uploaded on August 19.
While the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the National National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are conducting an ongoing probe into the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), ordinary citizens have decided to take matters into their own hands.
Through an online initiative, “Million People March to Luneta,” Filipinos are encouraged to take their outrage off the computer screens and into the streets. The public demonstration will coincide with the celebration of National Heroes’ Day on August 26.
Inquirer.net reported that “the Aug. 26 event is intended to send the message that the people want the pork barrel scrapped, and that the senators and representatives implicated in the pork barrel scam must be investigated and charged accordingly.”
When citizens share a common cause and join popular uprisings to assert their rights, democracy is at work. It demonstrates that the people have the power.
This practice is very common among the Philippines considering its two popular uprisings against former presidents, the People Power or EDSA Revolution in 1986 oust former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos and EDSA 2 in 2001, to end the regime Pres. Joseph Estrada.
These protests wouldn’t have reached resounding success if it wasn’t for the man who said: “The Filipino is worth dying for,” and redefined the meaning of democracy.
On August 21, 1983, then Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. met his end while fighting for the restoration of the Filipinos’ right and freedom. He was gunned down upon his arrival at the Manila International Airport, after being exiled in the US.
His death sparked massive protests and culminated in the 1986 People Power Revolution. The demonstration eventually ended the Marcos dictatorship. Its success was celebrated throughout the world.
30 years later, Ninoy Aquino’s ultimate sacrifice is commemorated as the day when Philippine democracy was restored. Most commonly known as “Ninoy Aquino Day,” this annual public holiday aims to celebrate and honor the life of Ninoy Aquino, and his contributions to the upholding of Filipino’s democratic ideals.
“My dad’s death is something that cannot be reversed. However, I believe we must give meaning to it so that the sacrifice will not go to waste,” Aquino shared in his interview the with acclaimed journalist, Cynthia Sycip.
In the interview (published at Malacanang.gov.ph), Aquino described his father: “He had a tremendous thirst for knowledge. He was a man who lived to his principles and convictions. As a leader, the concerns of the country were his concerns. He had boundless energy… it seemed like he was a driven man. In a way, I think that was proven by what happened,” Aquino said.
This is a lesson for this generation, one that every Filipino must never forget.
(AJPress)