Our Love of Democracy

We celebrate 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution every year to commemorate our recovery of democracy from the Martial Law imposed by the late President Marcos in the 21th day of September 1972. We often reminisce how our countrymen gather together in EDSA to protest and to remove dictator from the office. Every year local TV channels are airing a documentary programs that tells the success of the what we so-called peaceful revolution. Almost 41 years ago today, the spirit of democratic ideals and our love for democracy is still life a wild-fire that burning our heart. They say it was a successful political reformation and rehabilitation, but is it? Yes, the succeeding administration changes all officials but it doesn’t last long. Today, same old names can be seen our government and those who was rid during the Cory Administration successfully back into action.

The 1986 EDSA PPR is not really a successful paradigm shift, but the Martial Law is. When Marcos announced to the public the Proclamation No. 1081, the whole Philippine Archipelago was under Martial Law. Few weeks later, the new draft of the constitution that contains almost everything that the late president wanted including the right to legislate for the duration of the emergency, that emergency lasted long enough to become the New Society. The newly implemented constitution was amended to enable the president to continue issuing presidential decrees that intended to reform the Philippine Society. It was known as the “Bagong Lipunan” movement that aimed to modernize the Philippines.

The Catholic Church and the US Government is silent during that time. That was the church way of disclaiming any participation and association to its members that joins in growing number of protesters. The US government seems to be in favor to the Martial Law due to its silence.

It was during the Martial Law, series of major changes in our foreign policies was implemented. Greater liberalization of foreign investments was made and implemented that would let foreign investors to establish their business inside the country easily. After the expiration of Laurel-Langley agreement, the supreme court ordered the turn-over of American nationals own lands to the Filipinos as part of the reforming the Philippine society.

In short, Martial Law was born in a society that was thought to be resistant to authoritarianism. Martial Law made a great impact to us that strengthen our love of democracy. We may be a victim of the abuses that have been done during that what we called dark years of our country, but it serves as a bridge to have a true meaning of paradigm shift, that was not really happened after EDSA revolution, that was simply disregarded as we became paranoid to protect our democracy.

We always think that authoritarianism was bad and abusive but we forgetting the simple truth that democracy may not be felt by the majority of the people living in poverty line as it in favors to the well-off citizens and the few elites who ran the economy.

Martial Law is now part of history, as well as what we so-called Peaceful Revolution” the 1986 People Power.  Both have a great contribution to our history but were the People Power really succeeds to get its primary goals in resetting our Political System?