Monday, August 11, 2014

Enemies or Friends


ENEMIES OR FRIENDS
by Antonio C. Antonio
August 10, 2014

Sir Winston Churchill once said:  “You have enemies?  Good!  That means you’ve stood for something, sometime in your life.”  I would agree with Sir Winston any day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

The sudden resurgence of a Marcos scion has brought back bitter memories in the history, life and consciousness of the Filipino.  Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., through his loyal supporters, has been making a political posture and pitch for the presidency in 2016 in the last few months.  His mother, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, even admitted that she longs to return to Malacañang Palace. 

Social media netizens and the populace in general are again divided.  Battle lines are drawn between the tyrannical-dictatorial rule former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos is known for and a moral crusading leadership represented by Pres. Benigno S. Aquino, III (popularly called “Noynoy”).  Why is this happening?  Perhaps the Filipino has really learned bitter lessons from his immediate history and is now exercising his right to free choice.  Let’s briefly revisit our immediate political past…

Sen. Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., more popularly known as “Ninoy” (father to Pres. Noynoy Aquino) was the brightest prospect for the presidency in the early 1970s.  Under the 1935 Constitution, Pres. Marcos could no longer seek another term.  On the guise of saving the country from a communist take-over and an assassination attempt on the life of Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Marcos declared Martial Law in September 21, 1972.  I should mention that Enrile, to his credit, debunked the assassination as merely “staged” to justify the imposition of Martial Law.  Ninoy Aquino, together with other political and business leaders opposed to Marcos, was thrown to jail.  Martial Law seems to be good at first as the economy made an upswing.  But the economic gains, however, was only for the benefit of the social, political and military elite… as the poor grew in number.  Marcos actually made it to the No. 2 spot in the list of the World’s Most Corrupt Leaders. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0921295.html)  Political persecution, abuse and plunder were the order of the day.  In 1980 Ninoy Aquino was allowed to go to the United States for a heart by-pass operation.  Amid growing dissent, Marcos lifted Martial Law in January 1981 although the military governance structure remained.  These measures by Marcos did little to ease the fast-growing clamor for change.  While in America, Ninoy Aquino resumed his fight for the restoration of basic freedoms in his country… and after 3 years in exile, he decided to return to the Philippines to join the ranks of his suffering countrymen.   But upon his return, on August 21, 1983, he was assassinated at the airport by military elements.  On February 25, 1986, on the 5th day of the EDSA Revolution, Marcos fled the country.  Pres. Corazon C. Aquino took over the presidency and returned basic freedoms to the country.  After 3 more presidents, Noynoy Aquino became president and is still in a continuing battle for a governance concept called “Daang Matuwid” (The Righteous Road).

After almost 5 decades of democratic freedom, there is now a growing polarization among Filipinos and the younger generation (born after the EDSA Revolution) are confused.  To them I say:  Please do not readily believe what I’ve just written but I would encourage you to surf the Internet and read your history books to intelligently formulate your own opinions.

The Marcoses and Aquinos fought for something, sometime in their lives.  Going back to the illustrious words of Sir Winston Churchill… it’s not just a matter of standing or fighting for something.  It is equally important to discern what you are fighting for.  This is also the case in our fight for Mother Earth.  It has to be an informed and intelligent fight that should be sustained.  Individuals, organizations and businesses which practice environmental abuse wish that we remain uninformed and ignorant of their nefarious practices.  It is imperative that we know and understand what we are fighting for... and, therefore, be more committed to our cause.  At the end of the day, it is what you stood or stand for that will bring you enemies or friends.

Just my little thoughts…

(Please visit, like and share Pro EARTH Crusaders and Landscape Ecology UPOU on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blodspot.com/)


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