White hair chronicles XL - EDSA@25 Parang kailan lang

At EDSA's silver anniversary we will relive the stories that made the event an international icon. Parang kailan lang, I was a young government employee, part of the hakot brigade ferried to support Marcos in the Batasan canvassing. Partly as childish mischief, I transferred from the silent hakot wing to the noisy and boisterous anti-Marcos side. Our delegation head mildly chastised me for endangering myself and his job if government agents (he said there were many) were taking photos. But more than mischief, I felt it was my Filipino duty to show whose side we were on. We have found our voice and it was rising to a deafening crescendo. It is now time for us to speak that one voice again.

Parang kailan lang. The images I remember are juxtaposed to today's realities -Jim Paredes' hair are all white now. Joker Arroyo now a grumpy old man. Enrile is still at the center of government after jumping from side to side. Kris Aquino has gone from sweet to sour (may asim pa?). Gringo from Rambo to hiding to Senate. The Marcoses from bitter to bittersweet, back in the power center. Ferdinand Marcos from heel to hero (malibing kaya sa Libingan ng Bayani?). I have gone from black haired mischief maker to white haired mischief maker.

If VP Binay decides to allow Marcos' burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, I propose to change the name of Libingan ng mga Bayani to LBM (Libingan ng mga Bayani at Marcos), to express dissatisfaction at an  excretably sh*tty move.

Parang kailan lang. The generals now in the controversial military fund scam must be young captains or majors then. Presumably they were reformists but one of them went from Ligot to limot, I hope he goes straight to Lagot.

Parang kailan lang. Our iconic revolution has become a model that many nations will emulate even 25 years after. Myopic historians will use what happened to us two and a half decades after as counter arguments for similar uprisings. It is our duty to make the spirit of EDSA matter. It is a positive development in history despite the many negative events that transpired hence.

Parang kailan lang. Many will argue that we have not changed at all. Maybe! But even with perceived failures or unfulfilled promises, we should not forget what EDSA was all about, lest we drift back to silent apathy.