EDSA Revolution Anniversary

February 25, 1986 was just an ordinary day for me. As a first year high school student, I was not that politically aware of what was going on with our country. I won’t go into the details of the events that led to the EDSA revolution but as a high school student at that time, I did not believe the EDSA revolution was the solution to the problem in the country, especially when Marcos was ousted and Cory Aquino was appointed as her replacement. A plain housewife to rule our country? What were the Filipinos thinking way back then?

Twenty two years later, after Fidel Ramos (the president who loves to travel every now and then), Joseph Estrada (the actor elected to presidency by showbiz fanatics), and Gloria Arroyo (the president who got into power by another people power against Estrada) governed this country, nothing has changed. In fact, Gloria Arroyo, an economist whom Filipinos trusted to be the one who would deliver the country out of poverty, is proving to be the worst president ever.

Two sons getting married while she is in power, her husband getting involved in scams, and several failed coup attempts on her government, are just a few of the things that really dismayed me. The very controversial ZTE scandal is another proof of how dirty her government has become. It’s a pity that politicians look at politics as a chance to get rich and fill their bank accounts with money rather than serving the people.

With all these things happening to my country, I am still hopeful that one day we will have a government that is really for the people, of the people and by the people. A president who will look into reducing the debts of our country and a president who will not be tempted with the power and money that goes along with that powerful position in government. I am one of the many Filipinos who are hoping that the senate inquiry on the ZTE deal will bring a positive result and that the guilty parties be punished. I hope all the proper evidence would be shown and there would be no cover ups. I am not looking for another people power now… All I want is for people to realize that there are rotten tomatoes that need to be removed from our government.