Many public affairs programs on television and radio today have been discussing the relevance of people power in today's generation. we have been subjected to two such outward expression of unity and show of force (Edsa 1 and Edsa 2). I thought i'd throw my hat into the ring adn give my two cents worth on the subject.
People power (for me, that is) has lost its mystic, its magic, its relevance to today's generation. The tendency of pinoys to abuse what they think is a good thing has caused our culture some serious damage. This scenario is prevalent in almost all aspects of pinoy life. In music and television, there is over-exposure. Look at tha song Hawak Kamay. Initially, the song really was good, but pinoys over-exposed the song and now some, if not most people find themselves close to puking whenver they hear the song. This goes with tv (look at the phenomenon pinoy big brother). Sadly, this cultural flaw has been seen in people power as well. People no longer see "people power" as a force for good, but an instrument of politics that is sadly overused by those in the opposition. They tried it many times. Edsa Tres, the Malacanang Siege, and even in the failed Oakwood Mutiny where they tried to muster people to rally behind coup plotters. It is no wonder that people are fed up with the so-called people power.
there is no dictator to oust now. Freedoms are still protected (even if Allan peter Cayetano and the rest of the opposition believe otherwise). The opposition claim that people pwoer is needed because freedom is being threatened. But the mere fact that they can say this out load in the tri-media is a perfect example that no freedom or right has been curtailed. Sadly, people are fed up by false or imagined scenarios by the opposition. Before 2004, Erap's cohorts have already been "warning" the people that Gloria will declare Martial Law. Aba! Its been 3 years since 2004, nasaan na ang martial law?
Let's face it. No decent filipino in their right mind would join another call for people power. The personalities, for one, are long gone or forgotten. Cardinal Sin is dead and no one seems to even take a backward glance at his contributions to society, Ramos is not the power broker he used to be or protray to be, Cory has lost the support of the people who once elevated her to the presidency. In fact, People power proved to be a failure for most filipinos. Why? The people we ousted are still weilding their Marcoses are back in politics, Erap and his family are still around as well, and most of Marocs' cronies are still weilding power in the corporate world. So people power must be a failure. There was no real change from Marcos to Aquino. The tenant farmers are still tenant farmers, regardless of the so-called Comprehensive Agrarian reform program of Cory. Hacienda Luisita is still Hacienda Luisita. These oligarchial family once argued that if we give the tenant farmers land, they won't have money to maintain the land. Sure, but at least the land is still theirs. They enjoy the fruits of their hardwork and not some paltry token of thanks from the oligarchy.
People power is not only irrelevant now, but is plain dead. We have overused people power, and now people power is being shunned as a political tool -- lacking in sincerity and lacking in genuine unity.
This blog also appears on my column "Random thoughts of a Mapangurirat" at
Until next week. Happy Panadbenga!
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