Twenty years ago, relived

February 20, a Monday, sees the launch of yet another book on "EDSA." This refers to the original, one and only, EDSA People Power Revolution of 20 years ago, which has been somewhat devalued by subsequent attempts at replication, so that it’s now qualified as EDSA I or EDSA Uno.

Has it been 20 years since? Opo. We’ve all grown older, perchance wiser. What we may claim is hindsight vantage, which usually helps when one reckons with contemporary history.

The book’s title is Heroes, published by Alay sa Bansa, an organization established by Fr. Carmelo A. Caluag SJ to address his avowed concern, which is youth formation. I’m plugging it rather early: apart from my involvement in its production, as editor and intro writer, I really think the book will be an important keepsake.

Co-sponsored by the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Center for Leadership, Time/Life of Filway Marketing Corporation, and Pioneer Group of Insurance Companies, the launch will be conducted at 6 p.m. at The Loft in Rockwell Center, with no less than former President Corazon C. Aquino as guest of honor.

Expected to be on hand are some of the subject personalities written about, and the 20 distinguished writers involved, who will sign copies of the elegant coffee-table book during the launch. The contributing writers to this landmark anthology of essays on 20 representative "heroes" of EDSA 1986 are the following, in order of essay appearance in the book:

Tess Dumana, Butch Dalisay, Raul Rodrigo, Rina Jimenez-David, Vergel O. Santos, Manuel L. Quezon III, Paulynn Paredes Sicam, Naya Valdellon, J. Albert Gamboa, Sylvia L. Mayuga, Lakambini Sitoy, Mario Taguiwalo, Lorna Kalaw-Tirol, Ruel de Vera, Gabe Mercado, Maribel Ongpin, Jaime A. Bengzon, Joel Salud, Susan Lara, and Jessica Zafra.

Now that’s quite a line-up of contributing writers, each of whom wrote an essay on the following subjects, respectively:

"Lorenzo M. Tañada (Ka Tanny): Nationalist at Heart and in Deed"; "Jose W. Diokno: The Scholar-Warrior; Francisco ‘Soc’ Rodrigo: A Knight in A Great Company"; "Doña Aurora Aquino: Faith and Principles"; "Chino Roces: Resonating with the Nation"; "Jovito Salonga: Revolutionary Re-creation"; "Cecilia Muñoz Palma: The Valiant Woman"; "Evelio Javier: The Impossible Dreamer";

"Joe Concepcion & the Namfrel Volunteers: Vanguards of Democracy"; "Linda Kapunan & ‘The Marvelous 35’: Accidental Heroes and Heroines"; "Sr. Mary John Mananzan & the Nuns: Warriors for Peace"; "Renato de Villa, the Constabulary, & the Might of a Righteous People";

"Eugenia Duran Apostol: Unlikely Hero"; "The Ballad of Fr. James Reuter SJ"; "June Keithley: The Voice of a People"; "Jimmy Ongpin: The Long Journey"; "Alran Bengzon: An Ordinary Citizen"; "Joker Arroyo: Living to Tell the Tale"; "Rene Saguisag: Reluctant Hero"; and "Teodoro Locsin Jr.: The World We Wanted."

Why these 20 subjects? What process led to their selection as 20 representive EDSA heroes in a book that celebrates the 20th anniversary of that national event?

The introduction to Heroes may provide a valid reply:

"Our choices have not been made at random. We passed up on the central characters in this dramatic story of upheaval, and selected men and women for whom the four days in EDSA only proved to be a culmination of personal efforts begun long ago or immediately preceding that grand, climactic unfolding of history.

"And this is what separates these heroes of a season from the heroes of the day, or four days. Not a few of them waged battle with malign forces long before fate decreed that February 1986 should provide glorious drama, cathartic release and valiant recovery. They then represent steadfast heroism, the kind that required a litany of choices to be made in and for the long run, manifesting determination. Theirs was no spur-of-the-moment decision, but a continuing defiance that was wielded constantly, for love of honor, country, and the idea of freedom.

"They took the choice early, and didn’t run headlong for, or jump willy-nilly with, any instant prize. They made continuing, dedicated choices. Rather did they stride, purposefully, edgework inch-by-inch, into the bright pages of history."

In his afterword, Fr. Tito Caluag asserts that the defining principle that attended individual participation in EDSA in those four historic days in February 1986, as well as the struggle in the years preceding and following that milestone, is one of continuing determination.

"The operative word is choice. The stories we share with you in this book are stories of the choices people made, choices that led to the heroic because they created something larger than themselves, a story larger than life.

"We hope this book can show that such stories that are larger than life, as well as the very story of People Power, are nothing more – or less – than the stories of people like us who made choices, such as those that became the slender threads that made up the magnificent tapestry of People Power….

"The choices we make in our lives are the stories that will make up the slender threads of the tapestry of a story larger than life.

"These stories of heroes, recalling that one shining moment 20 years ago, are what we hope will help you, especially the Filipino youth, to make choices that will make up another story of heroism – a story that will provide hope now and complete the unfinished task of providing true freedom that People Power 20 years ago had hoped to win for our people and our country."

The book is meant to address the youth, most of whom may have cognizance of the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986 as just another fairy tale enshrouded in the dim past, a past that does not seem to have affected the present much, that is, in a very positive way.

The book’s subjects and writers offer different takes on the value of that collective heroic effort of 1986; what their insights have in common are cautionary words on assuming the right proper perspective.

Jaime A. Bengzon writes of his father: "Alran continues to carry in his heart and live out in his life the true spirit of EDSA – that of persistently and courageously breaking new ground by always asking: "Why not?" And more significantly: "Why not me?"

Mario Taguiwalo poses revived questions and fresh aspirations: "In one possible narrative about the 1986 EDSA revolution, the military made itself the might of a righteous people by denying the dictator’s wish to stay in power despite the loss of the people’s support. But when other leaders misused the power granted by the people, the nation, including its uniformed defenders, lost the path of righteousness.

"It may again be time to raise the people from demoralization and despair, to gather again the energies and aspirations apparently confused and thwarted, and to reconnect these to new reform impulses and clearer revolutionary initiatives."

Joe Concepcion, per essayist J. Albert Gamboa, sticks to his assessment stressed 10 years ago: "The revolution at EDSA led to a change in leaders, in our Constitution, and even our economy. But it did not bring about a change in the individual.

"… Let EDSA evolve to be the foundation of steady and quiet vigilance of the barangay, and a continuing spiritual trans-formation of the entire nation. From the EDSA Revolution to the Barangay Revolution, anything is possible if there is first a revolution from within."

Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. says to writer Jessica Zafra: "You should understand something about People Power. Only the people can decide when to wield it. When they take to the streets in those numbers, you’re finished. You cannot use it for your own ends. It’s exactly as President Cory Aquino said. People Power is when you do it for others."

For his part, Senator Joker Arroyo is quoted: "That the leaders over the years have failed to make the country great has absolutely no connection with EDSA as an event."

On Arroyo, essayist Joel Salud writes further: "EDSA was all about the overthrow of the dictatorship and the restoration of democracy. He stressed that the people did not trek to EDSA in droves so that the Muslim and communist insurgencies would stop altogether, or for the economy to turn bullish, or for poverty to finally be alleviated.

"Notably, in Joker Arroyo’s view, EDSA happened not to create a string of miracles for the country; it was in itself the miracle.

"It would be incorrect to assume that EDSA happened to make this country great. Why, that would be like saying that graduation assures a student of getting rich. The proper view is that a door has been opened to every Filipino – to go through and to build for self and family a bright future. What we do when we step through that open door is entirely up to us."

How true. This view is what Heroes hopes to inculcate, especially among the young, albeit all generations stand to gain in reliving and relearning from the experience.

Yet another book on EDSA? Well, this one has 20-year hindsight backing it up. For interested parties, Mitch Dauz and Rick Olivares of Alay sa Bansa may be reached at 634-8545 or fax number 634-0249. E-mail address is info@alaysabansa.org and the website is at www.alaysabansa.org.