Unfinished revolt

PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino said “the fight to progress is not yet over” 27 years after the Philippines was freed from the shackles of a dictatorship.

Eddie O. Barrita

Small bites

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He was referring to the bloodless 1986 Edsa People Power revolt that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Edsa I achieved its purpose of toppling a dictator. It must be declared finished.

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After 27 years, Filipinos must have realized that prosperity does not automatically follow democracy.

But some are luckier to have been close to the leaders who followed the dictatorship or smarter to have gained the dictator's friendship and became wealthy.

As always, some are luckier or smarter than others.

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PNoy said attaining the promise of Edsa is within reach of the Filipino nation, citing his government’s commitment to achieve inclusive progress.

“We have risen and we can take pride of our triumph from the potholes of history,” he said.

These historical potholes must be covered so we don’t run the risk of falling into them again.

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PNoy signed into law Republic Act No. 10368 or the “Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013” to mark the 27th Edsa I anniversary.

The law will pay some 10,000 human rights victims during martial law to be sourced from P10-billion worth of ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses recovered from the Swiss banks.

The new law also requires schools to teach the youth about the abuses of the Marcos regime as well as the heroism of those who opposed the authoritarian rule.

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That should prevent a repeat of the institution of a dictatorship.

Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, however, advised the people to elect leaders who will uphold the “rule of law” and will not put the city as if it is under martial law.

He respected Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules against early campaigning, otherwise he would have said, “Reelect me.”