The possible dream
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. ignored warnings, one of them from Imelda Marcos herself, that there were threats to his life if ever he returned to Manila. The former senator saw his beloved nation teetering on the brink of ruin under the Marcos dictatorship, and he wanted to do what he could to set things right. People called him Quixotic, dreaming of the impossible, suffering from boredom in exile. Aquino ignored the warnings and headed to his death, 24 years ago today.In three years his dream of freedom for his country was realized, made possible by the outpouring of public grief and rage over his assassination. In a rare show of unity, Filipinos gathered at EDSA for four days in February 1986, refusing to leave unless Ferdinand Marcos stepped down. Ninoy Aquino’s impossible dream became reality: the dictatorship collapsed and Filipinos relished their hard-won freedom.
But it was just the first step in the tortuous path to a strong democracy. Today little has changed in the culture that allowed someone like Ferdinand Marcos to remain in power for so long. More weight is given to civic entitlements rather than responsibilities. Always, individual satisfaction is placed ahead of national interest.
People power, as we have learned in the past two decades, is no cure-all for the many ills afflicting Philippine society. There is no magic wand that will bring national prosperity. A popular revolt needs to be followed with hard work to strengthen democratic institutions. In a culture where corruption is endemic and there is infinite tolerance for wasteful inefficiency, extra effort is needed to promote good government, public accountability and the rule of law. Ninoy Aquino’s death led to the realization of a part of his dream. The rest of the dream can still be turned into reality.
