Revolution and Democratisation: Democracy and Freedom in Philippines

Introduction

Philippines is known as a beautiful country, it has more beautiful beaches and clean island that caught the attention of the other foreign country. The country marked in the history of world Philippine politics when they have successfully overthrown a two-decade repressive regime by peaceful means and claimed what was the rightfully theirs: which is Democracy.

The Philippine Revolution of 1986 are also known as the “People Power Revolution “and “EDSA Revolution”, it was Four-day nationwide Protest that happen on February 22-25, 1986. It is a campaign against the atrocities, corruption, fraud that committed by the administration of the former President and Dictator Ferdinand Marcus. Over Two Million Filipinos was participated in this revolution that held in the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). Because of this movement Marcus failed to prove his genuine control over his people and constituents and strained to quit to his position and leave the country. When Marcus leave the country the wife of his main political rival Benigno Aquino is the one who become a president and bring back the democracy in the Philippines.

The goal of EDSA revolution is to remove Marcus from his presidency and replace by Corazon Aquino as a president of the Philippines. Because when Marcus became a president and declared Martial Law by virtue of Proclamation no.1081 Marcus exercise his full authority, he minimize the media and also the press by closing establishment that will criticize his administration and also he suppressed the freedom of speech by ordering to arrest those people that unconformable to him. Martial law is the reason why Marcus extend his Presidency, the freedom of speech still suppress, Disapproval against atrocities of the administration is remained silence. The assassination of Benigno Aquino on August 21, 1983 awakens the long-harbored oppression of the Filipino.

The death of the Former senator Benigno Aquino during Marcus administration is the beginning of that said revolution that would bring back the country from the dictatorship to democracy. EDSA Revolution is the true empowerment of Democracy because of the efforts of the Filipino to impels the revolution without committing violence and bloodshed. Prayers, Rosaries, faith to each other’s specially to the almighty is their only weapons that they used to overcome and recover their freedom from the President Ferdinand Marcus iron hand.

On February 25, 1986 Corazon Aquino took the Presidential oath of the office that administered by the supreme court, Aquino was the 11th president of the Philippines, she was the first lady President of the country. People rejoiced because of the victory and success of the RDSA People Power Revolution. The bloodless People Power revolution in EDSA was modify the power of the people, strengthened the meaning of democracy and also Returned the Democratic Institutions.

The Democracy was start on June 12, 1898 when the leaders of revolution declared the country as a sovereign state and announce the first republic of the Philippines, which is the first constitutional democracy in Asia. It became an Authoritarian and dictatorial under of Marcus Administration and Aquino administrations was bring back and restored the democracy to the Philippines.

Democracy and Freedom are the two misguided to describe power. Democracy was the Government structure that formed and constructed by the people of the society. The Philippines adopt the democracy as the pole of administration in the American colonizers. Since then, the people of society given opportunities to choose the leaders and exercise power through their elected representatives. And until now the democracy is still alive and active, the constituents still able to choose and elect their officials by the electoral voting, and Philippines continued exercise the liberty and freedom of speech that strong emphasize by the Aquino’s Administration.

This paper will be tackled about the reason of forming EDSA Revolution, the Advantages and Disadvantage of the People Power Revolutions, the effects of EDSA Revolution and the importance of the democracy in the Philippines.

Body

The People Power Revolution was also known as the Yellow revolution because the presence of yellow ribbons during revolutions was symbolizes the assassination of Benigno Aquino. When Cory Aquino become a President of the Philippines, she Promulgate the 1987 constitution which is the power of the Presidency was limited only and she also re-establish the bicameral congress. In her Administration she provides the strong emphasis and concern for the liberties or personal freedom and human rights, and also she have a peace talk to the communist insurgency and Islamist movement to avoid the conflict to the Government.

The success of the Bloodless people power revolution and the ascendancy of Corazon Aquino to the Philippine Presidency signaled the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines and the rearrangement for the Nation. During her first month of Presidency the Philippines experienced radical changes and adjustment for democratic reform. One of her first moves was the creation of the “Presidential Commission on Good Governance” (PCGG), which is tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of Marcus. Corazon Aquino is become a Revolutionary President by the Goodness of People Power, nullify and abolish the Repressive law, bring back the civil liberties, and also she abolished the 1973 “Marcus Constitution” and she also dissolves Marcus allies, loyalist and supporters. She also creates the Constitutional Commissions so that she can drafted new constitution for the Philippines. The Aquino’s Administration made an important role in bringing back democracy in the Philippines, restoring investor in the economy and propose legal and constitutional reform.

Every Year the EDSA People power Revolution is being celebrated to remember this important event of our history which after of this revolution people get the freedom that has been taken away from them. The people power Revolution has motivated and encouraged other countries in the world, to change and influence government by the nonviolent protest or revolution just like in EDSA revolution. In 2001 it has another EDSA revolution, which is known as the EDSA 2 revolution. This another EDSA revolution was against by the former President Joseph Estrada, which is his administration is become tarnished and damage by the rampant corruption and controversies.

But what are the exact reasons why EDSA revolution came about? People that under of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcus is not happy with what happened to the Philippines. In Marcus Administrations was uneasy among people, discontentment, poverty, lack of peace, political unstable, polarization of the society, the rich is become more richer and the poor becomes poorer and remains under the hungrier and dissatisfaction. The people desired and seek freedom, they used the revolution to fight the evil and injustice in the government system.

The revolution emerged because they want changes. One of this is the Philippine revolution that lead in positive change since it brings back democracy. The revolution carries the greatest achievement in social changes. People can speak through their mind without thinking the possible consequences unlike before. After possessing their freedom, they had a time to be want they want to do, to be free because in Marcus administration there is no such things. But still just like in Marcus Administration The poor will still poor and the rich people is become richer and in charge with the power. The revolution shows that if every Filipino will become united all struggled problem can be solving immediately.

However, it has a positive and negative Democracy which is the positive democracy is concerned to the freedom and rights, opportunities and entitlement of the people which is includes education, health, security and safety, the transparency of the government. While in the negative democracy implies freedom from savagery and EDSA revolution is one of the example or events that belong to the Negative Democracy. We still get the freedom that we want before but sometimes those freedom we used it with nothing, we abuse the freedom that we have, more people become not responsible they do what we just to satisfy their self. We can see now too much freedom they do bad things even though it is against the law.

People Power Revolution, This Revolution lead us in freedom and changes but we know that it is just a beginning and not the end because we know in future our country will encounter more problem they need their people to support them just like what the people did to get their freedom, they help each other to become successful. But at the end more people asking their self if they really have freedom or not, they want something but at the end they can’t get. And until now we can see that still those have a capable in life have a power to do what we want; they have access to the authority so that when they process some papers, they become a VIP people. But about those people who have no access there’s many processes that they will encounter to finish the things or papers. There’s a time that the Government become unfair to the other people that why many people makes some move to be notice of the public officials and also to make policy that will protect the right of every people. We should not surprise if people make something like groups or movement to pursue their interest, it means there’s a things or event that doesn’t like. Just like what happened in Marcus Administration, they don’t want the leadership of Marcus that’s why the people Power revolution happened to removed Marcus in his positions.

The revolution had an impact to the economy because after the EDSA revolution the economic growth was noticeable rising even though that it did fall because there’s a time that they have an economic crisis. The people’s life after revolution was better, they are not scared and become stable. After the revolution the Philippines GDP per capita started to increase but the crisis happened that lead the Philippines in a long term of consequences and lose of two decades of economic growth. And not only the economic growth is not unstable before the revolution- the consumers price become inconsistency. Year on year the consumer price become higher so those so many supporters of Marcus declared that the prices of foods, rice and other important goods is affordable when martial was in placed. After Revolution the inflation was remarkable higher compared before and also indicating the faster increase in price. And one of the arguments of Marcus supporters is the “golden age of Philippine infrastructure” during martial law. because in Marcus time they are many bridges, roads and infrastructure and projects were developed.

In Marcus administrations there are many dept n other country because of the infrastructure spending but after the revolution the country’s depts started to decrease but the amount of depts by the Marcus administration was really big the country struggle to pay it for years. And because the other loans of country were not productive and stolen instead of infrastructure spending the country’s Gross fixed capita was stayed relatively steady after the EDSA revolution.

The EDSA become success because to of citizens that come and fight together with courage and hope, so they can get what the changes that they aspire for the country. And the strength of Democracy is the ability of people to become part of the country to fight and support it. The EDSA revolution restored the dream of the people to the become free, protect the right and liberties and specially it brings back democracy.

When the Revolution happen, there are many changes happened except democracy it has got also new curriculum that all student has a right to study that until we still we experience it. People have right also to experience their opinion, freedom of speech and but the greatest contribution of EDSA revolution is the spirit of freedom. Freedom that they always dream when they are still in Marcus administration. People’s can choose the leader that they want for the country which they know that they can really trust, protect and help them in times that people need their help.

But we can see now that those freedom that we have we used it in a bad way, we always abuse those freedom that we have, we used it to make crimes and sometimes the first one who made crimes is the one who have a position in the government like vote buying, money spending, fraud, and corruption. Just like what happened during the time of Marcus administration those crimes and bad things that happened before it still happened today because we can see that until now the corruption is one of the problems of country.

When Marcus create martial law, he said that he created new society that will on the social and political value but instead of reducing crime it frightens people and his any political opposition that cause of their exile. It just only changes when Marcus is the one who get exiled. Corazon start democracy for every Filipino.