Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Ninoy, in the eyes of twenty somethings By Jay G. Malaga
THIS is not your usual ode to a hero. Ninoy. A name unlike any other name. When we hear the name, we usually associate it with money. The 500 peso bill. A symbol of a working man’s struggle to be on the playing field may it be in the corporate world or in a marketplace somewhere. 500 is more than 100, right?
So, is Ninoy better than the guy on the 100 peso bill whose name we can’t even recall?
One can say Ninoy signifies a working man’s struggle to be average.
Not much but just enough. (We are talking about the money not the person.) There is still the thousand peso bill to aim for but the Ninoy is just about right. Ninoy. Noynoy’s father. This guy has a lot to prove considering he is the son of the great Ninoy. He is a neophyte but who knows what he is capable of. After all, it’s in his genes.
Ninoy. Cory’s husband. First lady president (not the stockings). She was a poster child for girl power even before Spice girls became hip. Even if there were minor screw ups during her administration, it is fair to say that Cory created a sense of normalcy after 20 or so years of dictatorship.
Most importantly, he is Kris’ daddy. My gosh! Thank God for this man who had the power to produce such interesting daughter. Thanks to Ninoy, our life became more colorful because of Kris. She is an enigma. A persona of living life to the fullest without apologies (okay, the apologies came after).
For some who were six years old during the time when EDSA people power happened, Ninoy is a figure of a distant memory. Like a lolo you know but are just not sure why. Coming from an age of slight apathy, it is foolish for one to say that we know what this guy is all about. We cannot give his full biography at an instance, nor can we recite a litany of his good works. We are but a simple observer and have no authority in history.
Be that as it may, we still have a desire to see a better Philippines.
Ninoy was a person who had that dream too. He was a spark that triggered the burning desire to fight back and move forward. He was just one man who had a big dream, to witness the birth of a new era, an era free of oppression.
Is Ninoy’s death in vain? Is he currently turning on his grave wishing he was alive so he can see his new grandson, Baby James, instead of being a dead hero? We hope not. Some makibaka group surely would say that Ninoy died in vain (that is why they are still in the streets carrying their megaphones and banners) but we dare say not. Ninoy’s legacy will live on if the working people who braved the historic EDSA in 86 continue to work hard and make this country a better place.
All we need are baby steps. We need to be better Filipinos. Instead of complaining all the time, why don’t we just work our asses off to be better and responsible citizens.
Ninoy is our modern day hero. Unlike Rizal, we saw him. We had a glimpse of what he was like, as a brother, a husband, a father and most importantly, a Filipino trying to make a difference. Let’s keep the fire burning.(With reports from The Weekend Writers)
