The triumph of hope ... and of experience

Dubai's Philippine expatriates recall the momentous 1986 EDSA revolution with mixed emotions

Compared to many in the 20th century's lengthy roll of tyrants Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos was almost benign. One of his last official decisions - to stop the military firing on unarmed demonstrators - snatched a happy ending from a situation that had teetered for days on the brink of tragedy.

"I can't explain my feelings. It was like being reunited with your loved ones after so many years," says Bessie Salomon, a Dubai-based professional and one of many Dubai-based Philippine expatriates to experience the joyful conclusion of a remarkable and - in the final count - almost bloodless revolution.

Bittersweet

Today, the repercussions of "people power" can still be felt. But the events of 20 years ago left a bittersweet aftertaste. Certainly, the day's high expectations have yet to be fulfilled.

"People were looking forward to the future. They felt that change would come," says Jefferey Amparado, a Dubai-based brand manager. "We got freedom, but we didn't know how to handle it. Freedom should come with responsibility."

The trigger

The EDSA protests began on February 22, 1986. The trigger was the defection of 2 key military figures of the autocratic Philippine regime in the aftermath of a snap election.

Amid accusations of violence and fraud, the official result of the February 7 poll was a narrow defeat for opposition candidate Corazon "Cory" Aquino, widow of assassinated senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino.

But Marcos's Minister of Defence and the Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces declared Aquino the rightful president. They then retreated to military camps facing each other across Manila's EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) highway.

Immediate response

"The revolution broke out in the early morning. When Cardinal Sin called for the support of the people I went straight away," says Nhel Morona, a Dubai-based systems supervisor.

Morona joined a crowd that is estimated to have grown to between 1 and 3 millions.

He was motivated by a determination to protect the rebel troops. But over the coming days the demonstration took on a life of its own.

Curiosity

"I joined the rally out of curiosity rather than a rebellious motivation," says Myrna Anderson, a marketing executive. "It was the first time it had happened and I went and joined for fun. I didn't think about the danger."

"Most of the highschool students had formed an underground group," says Lourdes Igmidio, a Dubai-based customer service professional.

"We were really against the government. We wore yellow tee-shirts and we didn't care what was going to happen."

Once the government shut down radio and television stations, the street was also the only place to find out what was going on. In fact, the situation was heading towards a potential bloodbath.

Gunshots

"There were gunshots - I heard them myself," says Amparado. "But people from the Philippines, instead of running away, stay back as if we are watching a movie."

"Every time we heard gunshots we checked out where it came from and everyone looked for some hiding place," says Morona.

On the second day of the protest government tanks and marines arrived, to be met by protestors who prayed and linked their arms to block their way.

"Our group was in front of a military camp. Women were offering flowers and food to the soldiers," says Igmidio.

Victory

Finally, after the repeated threat of a crushing military response, Aquino was inaugurated on the morning of February 25. At 9 that same evening Marcos abandoned the presidential palace.

"We went to the palace and I saw a lot of people were stealing and destroying," says Igmidio. "I saw the bathroom full of big bottles of perfume."

The crowd was also astonished by the vast collection of shoes amassed by President Marcos's wife, Imelda - although Igmidio feels this was overplayed.

"The shoes were a very small thing," she says. "Women nowadays really love shoes. I have also now got a large collection of shoes."

Disappointed

Dubai's EDSA veterans - whatever their current political standpoint - recall the revolution with pride and nostalgia. Yet sadly, they are also united in their disappointment at its legacy.

"The main reason we are here in Dubai is because until now we didn't get what we were looking for," says Morona.

?My father was devastated'

Hear about the day from Bessie Salomon:
I was a young student and very politically involved. I was at the University of San Carlos in Cebu, the Philippines opposition city.

My dad was a member of Marcos's party. He was a very diehard supporter, but all of his 11 children were against his involvement in politics.

Students at the university would skip classes when we heard about political gathering in the plaza. Everyone wanted to be where the action was - it was 50% politically motivated, 50% just for the kicks.

We would go to university in jeans and a shirt, so that it was easy to skip classes. In the plaza the atmosphere was like a party.

The typical getup was a rattan backpack and a bandanna. We collected money to buy bamboo sticks and cartolina to make banners. I would walk to university so I could contribute my fair share.

Rejoicing

The moment we heard Marcos had left the palace, there was so much rejoicing. But there was also a tinge of uncertainty.

At the end of the day, people didn't actually know what was going to happen. My father was devastated. My mother wouldn't admit it, but I think he cried. She wouldn't want us to feel so sorry for him.

?Women gave roses ...'

Hear about the day from Nhel Morona
During that time I was in high school and a member of a youth group. We were in the middle of our monthly meeting when we heard there was a coup d'état. Later Cardinal Jaime Sin called on the people to come to the aid of the rebel leaders.

I went without hesitation. At mid-afternoon we heard from the radio that marines were massing. We decided to stop them by making a human barricade. Some lay down in the roads.

Nuns and priests prayed. Women gave roses to the soldiers. In the end the troops retreated without a single shot fired.

At the dawn of February 24 there was the first serious encounter with government troops. They fired tear gas. We were frightened. We believed this would be the start of a huge war.

The situation became more pressured. Around midnight on the 25th there were rumours that Marcos had fled. The next morning the newspapers had only one headline "It's all over. Marcos flees."

The essence of the EDSA revolution has been banished. They changed the people but the style of government remains the same. The rich become richer. The people who are poor become poorer.

?In Manila it was a festival'

Hear about the day from Jeffrey Amparado:
I was studying in Dubai and I was back in Manila for a week. It was my birthday on February 26.

On the outset, the communication wasn't there. No one knew if it was really a revolution or just another rally. There was a great sense of euphoria - let's go out and do something even if it was not clear what. The radio was out and the only way you could get news was on the street.

My parents were in Dubai. They were frantic because the news was of a coup d'état. My mother wanted me out of the city. But in Manila it was a festival.

In people power it wasn't just the masses that turned the tide. It was when the middle classes joined the opposition - that was the day Marcos gave up. Without middle class support he would have called in the troops.

I think there are both positives and negatives. The positive is that we gained our freedom. The negative is that it took so long that we didn't know how to handle our freedom any more.