This is my observation and my opinion, born in the 60s, raised in the 70s and 80s sharing “panahon namin”. I’m sure there are many lessons in the “Edsa Revolution”, but I am only sharing one specific observation that I think is wrong. A culture of entitlement (as defined as having a right to something) has been passed on by parents, teachers and clerics that participated in Edsa86 to our youth is now happening again. It is again the majority of parents, teachers and clerics in Metro Manila influencing our youth/students.
I don’t regret joining the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. I was there to observe, but this 2022 Election Period has brought freedom of speech into the stratosphere, and I don’t anymore recognize the humongous ugly heads rearing from there.
From finding faults in the rally of the opposing party and knocking them into laughingstocks, falling trap in the abyss of disinformation, calling people disrespectful monikers, and a son dishonoring his mother because of dissenting political beliefs. How worse can we get from here?
They were morphed, I believe, by peer pressure bolstered by an educational system turned activist hubs, eventually molding students into vociferous demonstrators.
Hear me out.
In my budding years as a student “panahon namin”, I never felt stifled of freedom of speech. When I spoke, I was respectful and have reverently exchanged ideals with family and elders, as I equally respected their takes on the subject in discussion.
On the days of EDSA Revolution, most of the cornerstones that formed its picture were students, those in their twenties, and thirties, and mostly studying in academic edifices located in Metro Manila. I was in my dynamic early years as a secondary student at that time.
Students have had only brought dissent in the streets in the late 1960s. They remained politically passive in the previous parts perhaps because of an education system that promoted consonance among citizens.
These days, I observe that our youths speak freely, without the counsel or guidance of elders and/or parents. They have become fervidly opinionated. They don’t wobble babbling their opinions without proper research and are quick to hurdle prejudices and speak recklessly as if they were long devoid of freedom to speak.
If there is one thing the People Power Revolution went grimly wrong, it is the creation of a class of Filipinos whose suppressed voice was given a chance to be heard in 1986. Thirty-five years later, this voice was passed onto their children who are now grown adults and as few as they are, these “woke” few actually believe that they are the saviors of the Philippines. And that they, along with their children must move to preserve this “democracy” they stood for in the 80s “revolution”. These kids grew up with their “dauntless” parents, imbibing that a protest is still of whacking significance as if it was the 80s.
I’m sure by now these feeling heroic parents have strongly opinionated children. Congratulations! It’s 2022, however! Please trust that as a country we have evolved and have conceived individuals with independent thought patterns – more logical, and more open to changes in the political spectrum.
I guess only good governance will change this mentality. Let’s make this happen, and move on as one – as Filipinos, as countrymen functioning in unity aimed at sculpting a first-class Philippines.
With more and more Filipinos pulled into utilizing all available public spaces, let us be responsible for the words we hurl. Read, peruse, and understand before brewing conclusions and statements. Not just the children and parents but also the professors. Classrooms must not be the recruitment center for your cause. Thanks to Professor Clarita Carlos, we have much to learn. As scholars of the National Defense College of the Philippines, we were taught by then NDCP President Dr Carlos the value of reading books written by scholars, validate, verify information and to be responsible for our words.
Further, choose sources carefully. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube could be alternative sources of information, but those profound works done by scholars are way better and more prudently written. Learn to critique your biased thought patterns, to validate, and to verify.
Again these are personal observations – others may see differently, and I don’t disagree.
Joseph Fabry once said, that “freedom without responsibility leads to anarchy.”
With this, I could only agree.
Dr. Paul Chua is an advocate of continuous learning both local and foreign. He finished “Essentials of Policy Development” at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore; “Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies” at the Harvard Kennedy School; and “Leadership and Management for Integrity” at the Central European University.
Originally published by The Manila Times on May 19, 2022.
View the original publication at The Manila Times ↗