EDSA Too

There was no ambivalence in the resolve of the Arroyo government to NOT celebrate the anniversary of People Power II or EDSA II, as there was no ambiguity in the reasons it put forward to explain this resolve.
In an ambush interview, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita stated that the Arroyo administration has embarked on “reconciliation efforts” in order to hasten the “healing” of the wounds caused by EDSA II. He says “one of the legacy agenda of the President is healing the wounds of EDSA and we thought that maybe by not celebrating it will be one of the steps toward healing any hard feelings brought about by EDSA II."
He then adds that since “[former] president Estrada had been given his freedom, so the lesser we talk about it the better.”
Clearly then, the reason behind the government’s decision not to celebrate the popular uprising that removed the corrupt government of Joseph Estrada, was due to the need to reconcile with a resurgent “opposition” camp. The decision was due to the desire to heal the wounded egos of Estrada and those perceived be able to mount a serious threat against Arroyo’s regime.
Thus, this decision was prompted by none other than the base motive of political survival at any cost. Even at the cost of having to turn its back on the one event that legitimately propelled Arroyo to the presidency.
If only for the “depths” to which Arroyo’s government is willing to plummet just so it can maintain its hold on power, one would find such tenacity admirable. Alas, it has only come to typify the desperation and decadence of that regime. It is perhaps, because of this, that EDSA II’s anniversary needs to be commemorated more than ever. At a time when political opportunism, corruption, and repression of human rights have become rifer than that time when People Power 2 took place; the need to remember carries more urgency and significance. Lest people forget, to the minds of those who joined it, EDSA II was never about putting anyone in power. It was about removing someone who plundered the nation and had proven himself morally unworthy to govern. Similar to the first People Power revolt in 1986, EDSA II was about people expressing their desire for social transformation.   To decide not to commemorate this event because of the desire to reconcile with threatening political opponents is to decide to ignore this sentiment of the people. And in the case of Mrs. Arroyo, it is to disregard the very condition on which the privilege of governing the country was allowed her in 2001.   Good governance, public accountability, transparency, justice, these were the people’s aspirations behind the 2001 uprising against Estrada. Seven years after that event, the same aspirations remain as we confront excesses and deficiencies of Mrs. Arroyo’s regime.Comments: