Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
The lady in the simple yellow dress, stood at the podium, addressing hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. They were gathered on a highway between two military camps in Manila in a festive, carnival-like uprising. This stirring display of "people power" on 21st September 1986 had ousted dictator Ferdinand Macros and brought Corazon Aquino to the presidency. She had been pushed into the whirlwind of politics after her husband, Benigno Ninoy Aquino, had been ruthlessly shot dead in August 1983, the very moment he landed at the airport to challenge Marco’s rule. Just like in the song, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" where the guy requested the girl to tie a yellow ribbon in the oak tree to indicate that he was still welcomed by the girl, all around Metro Manila yellow ribbons had been tied on trees to welcome him back. After his tragic death, yellow became the colour of opposition movement, the colour of Corazon Aquino and the colour of a revolution that spread like wildfire but simmered into ashes all too quickly.
The historic 1986 EDSA People’s power revolution occurred after Aquino called for massive civil disobedience against former strongman Ferdinand Marcos who had manipulated votes in his favour in the 1986 Snap Presidential Elections. She was the first female President in Philippines, and was chosen as the face and symbol of the opposition movement against Marcos. Martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino became the rallying point for the huge and diverse groundswell of revulsion of those who had become disgruntled by fourteen years of martial law. As the crowd chanted “Cory, Cory”, it appeared that the whole nation was behind her.[1] The promise of democracy and popular reform won her admirers from all over the world. However, within months her administration had collapsed into a din of coup attempts, assassinations and political intrigue. Reid calls her presidency a bushfire revolution; just like dry weed which catches fire but burns out hot
The lady in the simple yellow dress, stood at the podium, addressing hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. They were gathered on a highway between two military camps in Manila in a festive, carnival-like uprising. This stirring display of "people power" on 21st September 1986 had ousted dictator Ferdinand Macros and brought Corazon Aquino to the presidency. She had been pushed into the whirlwind of politics after her husband, Benigno Ninoy Aquino, had been ruthlessly shot dead in August 1983, the very moment he landed at the airport to challenge Marco’s rule. Just like in the song, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree" where the guy requested the girl to tie a yellow ribbon in the oak tree to indicate that he was still welcomed by the girl, all around Metro Manila yellow ribbons had been tied on trees to welcome him back. After his tragic death, yellow became the colour of opposition movement, the colour of Corazon Aquino and the colour of a revolution that spread like wildfire but simmered into ashes all too quickly.
The historic 1986 EDSA People’s power revolution occurred after Aquino called for massive civil disobedience against former strongman Ferdinand Marcos who had manipulated votes in his favour in the 1986 Snap Presidential Elections. She was the first female President in Philippines, and was chosen as the face and symbol of the opposition movement against Marcos. Martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino became the rallying point for the huge and diverse groundswell of revulsion of those who had become disgruntled by fourteen years of martial law. As the crowd chanted “Cory, Cory”, it appeared that the whole nation was behind her.[1] The promise of democracy and popular reform won her admirers from all over the world. However, within months her administration had collapsed into a din of coup attempts, assassinations and political intrigue. Reid calls her presidency a bushfire revolution; just like dry weed which catches fire but burns out hot
Bibliography: Mark.R., ThompsonFemale Leadership of Democratic Transitions in Asia Author Pacific Affairs, Vol. 75, No. 4 (2002-2003), pp. 535-555 [34] Sheila S Sandra, Burton., The Center Holds Foreign Affairs, Vol. 65, No. 3, America and the World 1986 (1986), pp. 524-537 Walden Bello and John Gershman John Electronic articles and websites Greenwald, John., 1990The Philippines Cory, Coups and Corruption.15 Jan Marco Garrido., 2003.The evolution of Philippine Muslim insurgency. Online Asia Times. March htttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/EC06Ae03.html (accessed date 6 November 2009) The Phillippine Daily Inquirer, 23 January, 1988 in “Cacique Democracy in the Philippines: Origins and Dreams” Anderson, Benedict New Left Review, vol.169( May/June 1988): 3-33 ----------------------- [7] Greenwald, John, 1990The Philippines Cory, Coups and Corruption.15 Jan. (accessed date 3 November 2009) [8] Rosenburg David., The Changing Structure of Philippine Government from Marcos to Aquino [12] Thompson Mark.R., Female Leadership of Democratic Transitions in Asia Author Pacific Affairs, Vol. 75, No. 4 (2002-2003), pp. 535-555 [13] Greenwald, John., 1990The Philippines Cory, Coups and Corruption.15 Jan [14] Thompson Mark.R., Female Leadership of Democratic Transitions in Asia Author Pacific Affairs, Vol. 75, No. 4 (2002-2003), pp. 535-555 [15] Anderson, Benedict [18]Thompson Mark.R., Female Leadership of Democratic Transitions in Asia Author Pacific Affairs, Vol. 75, No. 4 (2002-2003), pp. 535-555 , 169 [19] Ibid,,Thomposon [20] The Philippine Daily Inquirer, 23 January, 1988 in “Cacique Democracy in the Philippines: Origins and Dreams” Anderson, Benedict New Left Review, vol.169( May/June 1988): 3-33 [21] Burton, Sandra. The Center Holds Foreign Affairs, Vol. 65, No. 3, America and the World 1986 (1986), pp. 524-537 [22] Reid, Robert H., Guerrero [23]Reid, Robert H., Guerrero. Eileen., Corazon Aquino and the brushfire revolution . Louisiana State University Press : London ,1995p.p 191 |[24] Garrido,Marco., 2003.The evolution of Philippine Muslim insurgency |htttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/EC06Ae03.html (accessed date | |6 November 2009) | [33] Kristine Aquino to the Manilla Times, November 7, 1989 Corazon Aquino and the brushfire revolution. in Reid, Robert H., Guerrero. Eileen., Louisiana State University Press : London ,1995179