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Kabayanihan 22 August 2008 |
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The other day the
entire Filipino nation remembered the 25th anniversary of the death of
Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. While for some of the younger generation, Ninoy is just a face in the 500-peso bill, those old enough to remember acknowledge and recognize his heroism which was pivotal in enabling the Philippines to have a new beginning – one firmly rooted in democratic principles and the rule of law. Ninoy’s heroism, for me, springs from his pursuit of reform through non-violent means. It is an approach that has immortalized other reform firebrands in local and world history, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and our own Jose Rizal. A more recent example is Nelson Mandela, who overcame odds and successfully dismantled the apartheid system, which promoted racial oppression, in South Africa. The fact that through Ninoy’s sacrifice, Philippine democracy was eventually restored in 1986 with minimal bloodshed and continues to function 22 years later stands as an enduring testament to the efficacy of the non-violent approach to pursuing reforms. While the Philippines has been freed from a dictatorship, enemies to Philippine democracy – indeed – to the common Filipino, in particular, remain to be conquered and defeated. Although, this time, defeating these enemies is not so easy as storming the fortress of tyranny and ousting errant figures of authority. No, today’s enemies require a more intelligent and sustained approach, albeit still non-violent, if we are to achieve lasting victory. There is poverty, which has for far too long enslaved a vast majority of our countrymen. The Arroyo Administration has declared war against this enemy, using education, employment and livelihood support, such as microfinance, as its arsenal in pounding this enemy. The Administration has also taken an offensive stance, taking an active role to ensure the availability and accessibility of food and other basic necessities. There is underdevelopment, which has tied the country to third world status. The Administration combats this enemy primarily through infrastructure development, under the Superregional development strategy. The Administration attempt to achieve fiscal balance is another tactic to sustain the development momentum. There is the enemy of misguided ideology, which even now threatens to pull the country back to an age of endless conflict, with the common Filipino caught in the crossfire. The Arroyo Administration fights this enemy through dialogue, towards the achievement of mutual understanding and agreement – based on justice, equity and the national interest. The Administration pursues this course of action knowing that the decision to be made is not in favor of any one group of people, but for the entire Filipino people, in general. This is in fact the guiding framework for all the decisions and actions that this Administration has taken and will take in the future. Ninoy shared the view of the paramount importance of the Filipino people, and this I have no doubt, strengthened his resolve to go back to the country of his birth, even at the risk of assassination. The Filipinos of today do not move or work under such a threat. This condition does not lessen the need for heroes, for there is no shortage of enemies to be overcome. And we need not be politicians or government officials to be heroes. Just as we are, we can be heroes, by framing all our actions for the greater good, by eschewing what is easy in favor of what shall be beneficial in the long run, by obeying the law and cooperating with government. Come August 25, on the celebration of National Heroes Day, let us all be like Ninoy. Let us all be heroes. |
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