I Wished to be Part of History

The only part where I felt quite involved with President Cory Aquino’s death was when I rushed my boyfriend to the Makati Medical Center (MMC) on Saturday dawn. There were media people at the hospital entrance and I had to clear them to get inside. I did not know that that time, the former president just passed away. I just found out when I got home and read the news.

I felt quite awful since Dave and I were there without knowing that one of the greatest Filipino leaders just passed away in the very same hospital, and that while Dave was in the emergency room, Senator Noynoy Aquino was giving a statement.

That’s the only part I felt I was involved with. But not even close I now think.

Last Monday, the funeral cortage of Pres. Aquino passed by Ayala and Gil Puyat where I used to work. My office mates saw the truck pass by and admitted that they were in tears after witnessing such sad moment. They became part of history by seeing the cortage; while I was home working for a client, unaware of what was happening.

My parents were never part of the EDSA Revolution but they were always tuned-in to the television that time. I was a year old when Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by the Filipinos. My sister (who was five that time) and I only recall singing “Magkaisa” with our right hand waving an “L” sign without knowing what it actually meant.

I grew up not appreciating every president this country had, but Pres. Cory is different according to my parents. They told me what she did to the country, and that she and her late husband Ninoy Aquino restored freedom in the country. I had to learn how horrible the Marcos regime was before I was able to appreciate her. Nevertheless, I appreciated her, and I still do.

My ignorance made me feel like I am not part of history.

Right now, her remains are being brought to the cemetery and yet, I never actually saw it. My dad and I were tuned-in to the television to watch the funeral rites. Just like in 1986, we had our television set to keep us in track and make us feel that somehow, we are part of the history.

Then I thought “when do we become a part of history?” Is that when we joined a mob and ousted a president? Or is that when we witnessed a very important part of Philippine history? I cannot give a definite answer but one thing is for sure: not witnessing an event or contributing to the downfall of an unwanted icon does NOT exclude us from history.

The fact alone that we are Filipinos makes us part of history. It is about how we view it.