For hopeful EDSA attendee, activism can be expressed in peaceful manner

Rose Marie Laird and several other women from Barangay Sta. Lucia in Novaliches, Quezon City were gathered in front of a mall in Ortigas, Pasig early morning on Wednesday.

Just a few steps away from the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) Shrine, the group was hoping to participate in the 29th anniversary celebration of the 1986 People Power revolution that ended the authoritarian regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. But at around 11 a.m., just an hour before the start of a Mass commemorating the event, Laird’s group was approached by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in full battle gear.

“Sorry, wala kayong permit to assemble dito. Dun na lang po muna tayo sa may barricaded area. Pakiusap lang po para hindi na tayo magkagulo,” one of the uniformed police officers told the group.

Though disappointed, Laird and the other members of the women’s group, Alona International, were quick to comply with the police force’s order.

“Nung mga nakaraang taon, nakakalapit kami hanggang mismong sa Shrine. Ewan naming kung bakit mas mahigpit ngayon. Pero okay lang sa amin kung dito lang kami sa malayo, kung ano sabihin e di susundin namin. Bakit namin ipipilit kung hindi talaga pwede,” Laird told GMA News Online while walking to the barricaded area designated for the militant groups.

The barricaded area was just a few meters from MRT Ortigas Station.

A mother of five, Laird has been attending People Power anniversary events at the EDSA Shrine for the last five years together with the other members of Alona International, a Novaliches-based group for women's empowerment.

Laird, a native of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, can still remember the fateful three days of the 1986 People Power Revolution. At the time, she was pregnant with her second child and monitored the events on television and radio.

“Gustong gusto naming pumunta ng asawa ko noon, pero buntis nga kasi ako kaya hindi kami nakapunta. Pero kahit nakikinig ka lang sa radyo, ang saya nung pakiramdam, lalo na nung nabalitaan mo successful na, na umalis na sa Malacañang si Marcos,” Laird said.

“Parang part ka ng history, part ka ng generation na iyon. Kaya ang sarap lang balikan ngayon…Kaya kami pumupunta dito sa EDSA ay para gunitain yung moment na yun,” she added.

Laird opined that unlike those days, when the masses called for Marcos to step down after years of oppression under martial law, people are now tired of supporting mass protests calling for the resignation of the President.

“Gusto lang talaga naming gunitain yung nangyari noong araw kaya pumupunta kami dito. Hindi namin ninanais na magkagulo o manawagan sa pagbaba ng Presidente. Nakakapagod na ang ganyan e,” Laird said.

She said that though there are some calls for the Aquino to step down following the bloody Mamasapano encounter that led to the death of 44 police commandos, all that she longs for are peace and improvement in the economy.

“Hindi ganyan ang diwa ng EDSA. Lahat na lang ng Presidenteng umupo ganyan ang ginagawa, kapag hindi nila [militant groups] nagustuhan, ipapanawagan na magbitiw. Ang kailangan natin ngayon pagkakaisa at pananalangin,” Laird said.

She said that their group empowers women and the youth through livelihood programs, relief operations and other church-related activities.

“Kaya hindi umunlad-unlad ang ekonomiya natin dahil sa mga gulo. Ang kailangan natin ngayon ma-empower ang mga community, yung mga kababaihan mabigyan ba ng livelihood program, yung mga kabataan mapag aral at maiiwas sa droga. Tama na ang mga destabilisasyon at rally-rally na yan,” Laird said.

“Ang diwa ng EDSA hindi lang pagsisigaw ng mga pinaglalaban kundi pagtutulungan, pananalangin. Hindi puro galit, hindi puro pagsigaw.” — BM, GMA News