It was February of 1986.

This was the devastating scenario of the political atmosphere that Ive seen at a young age of 13. (I was a graduating elementary student then). The New Peoples Army (NPA) movement were infiltrating schools in order to recruit possible members, even in the farflung barangays of the country. Oftentimes, they replaced our teachers in order to brainwash our young minds about their objectives in order to topple down the Marcos Regime. The dormant longing of Filipinos for freedom erupted on February 25, 1986, the first-ever People Power EDSA revolution, a bloodless revolution thats been witnessed by the entire world. We proved to the world that we can attain positive change in our country, without shedding innocent bloods of our people. You see, here in the United States, where the changeover of presidential power is quite a seamless process, in the Philippines, whit Marcos in power for 2 decades, even just the possibility of a changeover meant public tension over the possible political upheaval. As the days got closer to Election Day, repeated rallies and demonstrations were going on, day after day. From the extremists to the die-hard Marcosites, and including those who never had been to a political rally before in their whole lives, were participating in some sort of march or rally that they believed in. The television and radio broadcasts had been wrought with Pro-Marcos campaigns and propaganda and many Laban (Opposition) people were outraged by them. I used to shout to the television when I would see Marcos Presidential Campaigns broadcasted. Laban motorcades were roaming the streets at random in the cities all over the country and people were being harassed or arrested for being part of it I remember feeling safer at home Though the reality was that there were many NPA in our place. The NPA were militant communists very anti-government, and most of all, very anti-Marcos. Most of them were located in the rural areas, but for some years already, NPA graffiti was being boldly painted all around buildings and walls in our city. You could feel their presence creeping in on the city and I kept on wondering if they were planning to start a revolution against Marcos. I even imagined them taking over the elections, declaring it null and void, and an outbreak of civil war in the Philippines would follow. What would happen to my family and our homes? What would happen if there was a civil war? This dark thought had been with me for some time. Almost everyone in my extended family was in a car and somewhere in that motorcade. Honking horns merrily in rhythm, gesturing the L with our hands to cheer for Laban! and Cory! My cousin, an outgoing and popular fellow was at the front of the slowly moving procession of car. He was wrapped up in yellow crepe streamers looking like some sort of mummy. Prancing around, a whistle in his mouth, the night before or that very same day. Nevertheless, in the middle of the happy honking and shouts of laban, there was a soldier, ready to fire. He, of course, didnt.

I still have images in my mind of soldiers riding in and on top of buses coming to and from the countryside. It made me think of how poor the Army was that it couldnt even send its soldiers to their assignments in their army vehicles. It made me think of how the government was so squeezed of its funds by those in power that these poor soldiers had to travel that way. There had been a big Laban motorcade at the Plaza, in front of the cathedral. That was the evening that the elections had ended. People were celebrating the victory of Corazon Aquino as president. It was too early to tell, of course, but people were so sure she would win.

-Mayeth Navarro