August 11th, 2009 by iyahthought
I woke up so late the morning of August 5. It’s already 10 but I’m still groggy. Maybe because I slept around 11. I woke up with the sound of my tito’s television. I heard a guygiving a speech about someone, then I realized that this day is the interment of the former president Corazon C. Aquino. I immediately rose to my feet. And when I went to our home just few steps away from Nanay’s, I saw my mother is crying and our television is on. Everyone’s eyes are fixed on the program. Kris is giving her speech. And the speech was like an onion had sore my eyes. I used the remaining tissue that I saw on top of the computer table to wipe my tears. I’m really crying. I know how it feels to lose the one you very much love. I know how hard it is to accept that you lose someone dear to your heart. And it really (excuse my French) damn hurts!
I had goosebumps and became teary-eyed again when Lea Salonga sung “Bayan Ko”.The crowd outside clapped their hands upon hearing the song. For sure some were teary-eyed too, just like me. I don’t know why every time I witness things about someone’s bravery of fighting for the country and for the people, I always had goosebumps and become teary-eyed. Maybe even if I do not show it, I’m proud to be a Filipino and proud of those Filipino.
A friend of mine, who happens to work abroad, told me that he is proud to be a Filipino whenever he is with other people of different nationality. But there’s a but on it. If he is with his kapwa Filipino, being proud to be one doesn’t even sink into him. I could not blame him for being like that. Maybe he has experiences that involve other Filipino people wherein being proud doesn’t fit to be felt.
I barely knew President Cory. I was only 7 years of age when she became the president of our country right after Ferdinand Marcos was forced to flee into exile. I knew her as the yellow lady because I seldom see her not on a yellow dress. I knew that she is the wife of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, who was assassinated. And I was only 4 years old then. I knew her as the mother of Ms. Kris Aquino. I knew her as the Grandmother of Josh. What I didn’t know are the things she has done for the country. I didn’t know the things she has done that had changed the life of the many Filipino people.
It’s a shame on me.
It was only days after President Cory’s death that I found out that she was labeled as “immaterial and irrelevant”. If having been given with respect and honor she is worth of having by hundreds of thousands of people. Maybe the word “immaterial and irrelevant” should be given different meaning.
“immaterial and irrelevant”. Now it’s a shame on the one who said so.
My sister let me read an article wrote by her favorite columnist Mr. de Quiros. It is about how Pres. Cory has changed him. He was once asked by Ms. Kris why he was so mean to her mom. And when President Cory went to the wake of Mr. de Quiros’ mother, he thought of asking her why she was so kind to his mother. The irony of life.
Why do the points of realization arrived on one’s mind when it was too late? Why does a person’s worth just being recognize after he/she dies? Masakit isipin na kailangan pa na may mawala para lang maramdaman ng isang tao kung ano ang mga mali niyang nagawa o ginagawa. Ilan pa ba ang kailangang mawala para lahat ng tao ay magbago? Will we let that still happen?
That day was indeed labeled as a yellow day for almost everyone else was on yellow. You could see some holding the Philippine Flag and waving it to the crowd. And what a big crowd it was. I could not describe the feeling when I saw them on television. What more if I was really there. All the Filipino people were once reunited for one purpose.
Even if President Cory is now buried near her husband Ninoy, yellow ribbons are still visible almost everywhere even on the internet. I just hope that those people who patiently waited for the internment will be now inspired to do good deeds and forget those evil doings. I hope that they are still willing to continue what Pres. Cory has started. I hope that Filipino people will not be united only if there is death. I hope that they will still show the whole wide world that Filipinos are really worth living for. I hope that what the yellow ribbon symbolizes will still be in our hearts forever. I am a proud Filipino and I am with you.
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