The next ones

The passing of the former president Cory Aquino has revived the memories of the Marcos regime and awakened the nationalistic sentiments of many Filipinos. Her death also made me reflect on my childhood in the early 80s. My family was then living in Manila. As a child I have very few memories of what's it like to live during the Marcos regime. I remember how everyone, my parents and our neighbors, were afraid of saying aloud Marcos' name. And when they'd talk about him, they'd do so in whispers and they'd refer to him as Macoy. It was like referring to Voldemort as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Even after the lifting of the martial law, people continued to observe the curfew. My father would not allow us out of the house after 6 pm. I was six years old when Ninoy was shot on the tarmac. I was nine when the first People Power was staged in EDSA. I consider myself lucky for being old enough then to understand and appreciate the events that transpired in that era. When I saw the footage of yesterday's coverage of Cory Aquino's burial, I noticed that most of the people who went to the streets are young people. I believe most of them were probably babies or weren't even been born yet at the time of Cory's ascension to presidency. But their presence on the streets yesterday showed that they understand the significance of Cory's death. If only Tita Cory could've have seen them, I'm sure she would've been very proud and happy.