People Power People

People power isn’t just about marching on the streets to demand reforms in government.

People power is using the strength of your numbers to effect change in the lives of the poor, the disadvantaged and the marginalized. Passing the hat for the orphaned children of a colleague is people power; protesting against art that serrates our sensibilities and core beliefs is people power; fighting to address the injustice of losing one’s home, as the residents of the West Tower condominium are, is people power.

The late former President Cory Aquino knew that people power wasn’t just for toppling dictatorships. It is also for toppling poverty.

Last Aug. 1, the second death anniversary of the former President, representatives of various “People Power People” (PPP) organizations shared with the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) what they have done in line with their pledge at La Salle Green Hills last year on Cory’s first death anniversary to sustain her legacy.

• The PinoyME Foundation, which has released close to P3 million in loans out of its growing social investment fund, benefiting 33 primary coop members and over 50,000 marginalized individuals, has helped in linking microenterprises into mainstream value chains through People-Powered Markets;

Pinky Abellada in an AGAPP-sponsored project, the Pinamungajan Central School, Cebu, on July 19, 2011.

• The Center for Community Transformations (CCT) has released P1.8 billion in loans for 130,000 micro-entrepreneurs and to give 260,000 rural and urban poor families access to social security benefits, health care, education and disaster relief programs;

• The SPARKS for Change, whose medical mission volunteers have braved the elements, crossed 11 rivers and bucked tough terrain, has served close to 19,000 Filipinos in far-flung areas in 12 provinces;

• The 57-75 Movement has been consolidating diverse private initiatives — ranging from classroom-building to teacher-training, to boost the education sector; it is consolidating the private sector to push to build 10,000 classrooms in two years;

• The Aklat, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP), one of the allies of 57-75 and spearheaded by Pinky Aquino-Abellada, has built one classroom every three days by setting up 109 classrooms in 30 provinces.

“We are sure that there are hundreds — maybe, thousands — of other People Power People groups doing equally outstanding work out there to empower marginalized Filipinos,” said Rafael “Rapa” C. Lopa, NCAF president and executive director. “NCAF and its partners are striving to link up with more of these groups, which can inspire others to do similar work.”

Another highlight of the ceremony was the formal turnover of more than P1.2 million raised by nine running groups last February to support the classroom-building effort. The iamninoy-iamcory Runners and People Power running groups from Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Pampanga, Bicol, Davao, Dipolog, Zamboanga and Zamboanga Sibugay turned over the proceeds of the simultaneous runs, held in celebration of the 25th anniversary of EDSA 1, to Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

Rapa Lopa noted that this was just one of the many initiatives by diverse private sector groups to help the education sector, in the spirit of People Power. Many of these efforts are being undertaken under the umbrella of the 57-75 movement, which is consolidating the private sector to push to build 10,000 classrooms in two years.

The funds needed for this P6-billion initiative can be raised systematically through a campaign called The Entire Nation (TEN) Moves, explained Mario Deriquito of the 57-75 Movement. All it would take is for two million Filipinos to commit P10 a day for 10 months, he said: “Sampung piso, sampung buwan, sampunlibong silid-paaralan.”

Ballsy Cruz at the Obrero Elementary School, Iloilo City on July 21, 2011.

To close the short program, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz thanked all the guests for continuing to keep the memory and legacy of Cory Aquino alive and urged them to sustain the effort to build a nation we can all be proud of.

Ballsy once told me in the years before her mother died that helping the poor was Cory’s paramount mission, and she did this with her all-out support to micro-lending institutions and groups.

Cory’s legacy of people power isn’t just enshrined in a monument on EDSA — it’s a living legacy, perpetuated by those who believe, like she did, that when people put their shoulders behind the wheel for a cause, things are really going to get moving.

(The Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation may be reached through tel. nos. 892-5360 and 892-2950.)

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