The Misinterpretation of EDSA

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita sums it all up for us--forget EDSA two. " The least we talk about it, the better" says one of the foremost beneficiary of the revolution which swept his boss to power. Ermita says Estrada has been pardoned and it would be best for everyone to forget all about the revolution that made Estrada lose his legitimate position.


It may be a good suggestion, but it shows how these people, especially Mrs. Arroyo misinterpreted EDSA Dos. It was not about Erap. No. It was'nt about his misgovernance, nor his penchant for beautiful, young paramours. No.

EDSA Dos was about regaining the dignity and the respect of the Filipino to themselves. It was about the restoration of our Hiya. The people did not go to the streets to install Mrs. Arroyo. No. We went to EDSA because we felt that something was terribly wrong with the way our leaders behave and how our leaders govern our beloved country.

Yes, partly we were aghast at the graft and corruption of Erap and his gang. Yes, we forgot what would happen to us and our families because we felt that Erap was slowly becoming an Imelda, not a Macoy. He was ostentatious. He was a non-performer. It was all glitz and glamour when the times require serious work. And he was portrayed as an underperformer, worst, without any vision when we need one.

EDSA Dos, for whatever it is worth, is not a revolt against personalities. It was an attempt by the Filipino People to again redefine their future. It was a conscious act to build a society on their own terms, on their own ideas.

EDSA Dos was an attempt to rediscover the essence of being a Filipino. We lost it when we forgot how it is to feel hiya. It was in essence, a rediscovery of our moral values, our ethical foundation.

So, when Mrs. Arroyo and her bunch of lapdogs prevent us from remembering EDSA, they were actually telling us to forget how it is to be Filipinos. They are afraid that if we rediscover our strengths again and regain the will to unite for decency, order, justice and truth, not one second longer will they stay in power.

For those who still feel hiya. For those who still feel decency, never, ever, forget EDSA. Damn those who want us to forget EDSA Dos. We went to EDSA not because of Gloria.

We went to EDSA because we are Filipinos. And we will go to EDSA once again, damn the trucks, the tanks, the truncheons, the water cannons, the arrests, the bullets, even death, because we need to feel being Filipinos, true Pinoys, once again.