Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Editorial: Missing the cue
THE country listened to every word Kris and Noynoy Aquino uttered during Monday night's news as they admitted to the public that their mom, former President Corazon C. Aquino, has colon cancer and they spoke of their mom, her wishes, and theirs in exactly the same manner, position, and background in every network that carried their interview.
It was disconcerting to see that the interviewer's face has changed depending on which channel you're watching. But we're digressing.
The point here is the prevailing sadness upon hearing such news, and at the height of a growing unrest at that.
And then we recall the same sadness when the country bid goodbye to Jaime Cardinal Sin and movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. We were all saddened, and we heard their close friends vowing to carry on what they were fighting for.
Madam Cory is very much alive, but will no longer be joining the protest rallies while she tries to win her personal battle with cancer. Her yellow clad figure and bespectacled face that has spurred Filipinos to fight for their ideals since Ninoy Aquino was killed will be surely be missed. The question, however, is: What now?
We've all felt saddened when the stalwarts of protests have bid goodbye one by one. Who wouldn't miss Don Chino Roces and his small and frail body marching arm in arm with bigger rally leaders? Who wouldn't miss Cardinal Sin's red cap? After all, we have rallied behind them and took courage from their voices and presence.
While we are not giving up on Madam Cory, we know how difficult it is to fight cancer. We know that her respite from all the rallies will take some time. One more comforting figure will be missing, as we hear friends vowing to continue what she has stood for. But will they?
There will be tears now; there will be promises and declarations. But we've been through these before as well and we're still out there in the streets shouting for the ouster of the dictator and demanding for true reforms.
Will we, the Filipinos, miss our cue once more as we become bogged down with personal agenda and bickering with others who have their own agenda as well just as we failed to hammer in tangible reforms when Don Chino, Cardinal Sin, and everyone's hero, FPJ, bade goodbye. We hope not.
