Photo found on Google. “Marcos, Hitler, diktador, tuta!” (Marcos, Hitler, dictator, puppet)…. That was one of the famous slogans we were chanting during the rallies under the Marcos regime.I joined the movement in the 1980s during my freshman year in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). It was my elder sister who encouraged me, she was already an activist that time. We would always discuss about the inequalities in our society, high prices, tuition fee hike, corruption in the government, fare increase and many more. I found myself getting more and more involved until I finally became a member of the Student Christian Movement (SCM). My three other sisters followed suit and the five of us eventually became active in various progressive organizations.
It was quite an experience meeting people from all walks of life. Members of the organization were so diverse yet we all had the same objective: to make a contribution to a better system in the Philippine society. We learned a lot, we had fun, but I still recall the hardships we went through during our struggles against the Marcos dictatorship.
There was a time when we had a rally in Mendiola bridge. Prominent political personalities served as the negotiating team (the likes of Teofisto Guingona, Butch Aquino, Butch Abad, "The Grand Oldman of the Opposition" Lorenzo Tañada). There was also the strong presence of Catholic nuns and people from the media such as the media mogul Chino Roces. He was around 70 years old at that time. Everyone wanted to enter Malacanang but security was tight and we were not allowed in. We stayed in Mendiola for the night. We held our programs on the street, chant our slogans and sing nationalist songs. It was 7:00 o'clock in the morning the next day when the SWAT started dispersing us while we were having our morning prayers. They aimed water cannons at us. Chino Roces was among those who got injured. The Mendiola bridge was later renamed Don Chino Roces Bridge.
My companions and I, meanwhile, ran towards the direction of Divisoria. While running, we heard explosions, which I first thought to be gun shots, and the thought made me run faster. We were hit by strong waters coming from the fire truck water cannons, we haven’t had breakfast, we lacked sleep and we were very tired but we had to run fast. It was the longest run of my life. Later on I learned from the others that it was tear gas & not gun shots that was thrown at the crowd. Fortunately, before we inhaled the gas, my sister and I managed to hop in to a jeepney.
Another instance was when we supported the jeepney strike in Quiapo. We built a human chain on one side of the street infront of Quiapo Church to prevent the jeepneys from operations. The police troupe came and they dispersed us using the truncheons. Some rallyists went inside the movie house which was still closed. Some went inside the nearby restaurants and houses. When we regrouped, some were crying and some were very angry. There were some who lost their slippers and things.
I also experienced joining a rally infront of the US Embassy. In the middle of our political program, the security dispersed us with teargas. It was my first time to inhale teargas. I thought I would die. I couldn’t breathe and my eyes were very painful. We couldn’t distinguish our tears from our mucus and saliva. The people ran in different directions. The vendors on the side walk were kind enough to help us. They were selling cold drinks but they offered them to us for free. Hurriedly we poured anything we got to our faces. Before we could cry, I and my buddy were laughing at each other when we saw our faces full of gulaman and sago.
These experiences made the people more aware and made the movement stronger. More people were organized.
August 21, 1983 came. It was in the news: Ninoy was shot dead at the tarmac. Everybody was shocked. Immediately people were on the streets. More rallies were organized. The middle class started joining the rallies and other activities. Marcos was becoming more and more unpopular. Because of this, he announced a snap election sometime in 1986 to dismiss public discontent and to legitimize his control over the country.
Corazon Aquino, the wife of Ninoy Aquino was a strong candidate for presidency. But it was Marcos who was proclaimed the winner. The people revolted. Millions of people spontaneously went to EDSA Shrine and occupied the stretch of EDSA. I was there on the first day. There were simultaneous activities & rallies in other parts of the Philippines. The government-owned radio network was taken over by Cory supporters. Top military personalities withdrew their support from Marcos.
On the fourth day, February 25, 1986, our group went to Mendiola Bridge and stayed there until midnight. We tried entering Malacanang. It was a very tensed and stressful night. All military groups like SWAT, marines, air force, and police were infront of us. Last thing I remember, the people were running, going inside Malacanang. The following morning, the news headline read: It’s all over; Marcos flees. It's on my journal entry that in our history, we refer to as the People Power Revolution.
