Why It Wasn't People Power 3
(The first three paragraphs were written during the supposed People Power 3)
The people in Edsa protesting in favor of the former president Estrada are claiming what they are doing is People Power 3. It isn’t.
The distinguishing parts of the previous People Powers, what stood our country apart from the others and made a mark for the Philippines on the other countries, is that they were bloodless revolutions. People weren’t getting hurt. As it is, the demonstrators have already hurt several media people, and that can’t be smart. They claim they receive bias against ABS-CBN and GMA because of their “lack of coverage”. How are the other stations going to cover them if they keep assaulting and driving away the reporters!
Also, without support from other organized groups, they won’t go far. Of course, theoretically it’s possible; the Filipino people are so empowered in this country. But realistically, they don’t even have a united want, and worse, even if they did, they don’t have the means to get it, because they don’t have the people to get it. In People Power 1, we saw the hands of Ramos, Enrile and Honasan. In People Power 2, there was even a negotiating team from the then opposition, now administration. Now the only people who could back them up are the people in the Puwersa ng Masa party. Yes, they still have Enrile and Honasan, but we know their political power now is so much less; Honasan, I think, has probably even been kicked out of his leftist group. Of course they have a strong support in the form of the Iglesia ni Cristo church/religion, but without the support of the Catholic sector, not even of the El Shaddai charismatic movement, with Mike Velarde shying away, they have less power than they may need. Remember, in People Power 2, Cardinal Sin and the catholic sector (except El Shaddai), various Christian Churches including the Jesus is Lord church/movement led by Eddie Villanueva, and various independent and even leftist groups practically fused by focusing on one goal: the ouster of then President Estrada.
(The above three paragraphs were written during the supposed people power 3. I finish this three years after)
More importantly, unlike the previous two people power revolutions, no change was made in the government. The previous two revolutions rooted from terrible national leadership, the supposed third one was based on indignation; they couldn’t say Arroyo was a bad President, she was just recently placed there! And after the two bloodless revolutions, Marcos and Estrada were oustered, the supposed people power 3 ended with Arroyo still seated.
What’s bad about this is that it messes up our history. What if another president proves to be a mess up, and we need to oust him again, will we call it People Power 4? Can anyone just group together and gather enough publicity and then call it People Power 5? Are the teachers supposed to teach this event to their students? If we have another people power and call it People Power 4, do we explain to the students what happened with 3? It depreciates the essence of one of those things that make our country great.
The people in Edsa protesting in favor of the former president Estrada are claiming what they are doing is People Power 3. It isn’t.
The distinguishing parts of the previous People Powers, what stood our country apart from the others and made a mark for the Philippines on the other countries, is that they were bloodless revolutions. People weren’t getting hurt. As it is, the demonstrators have already hurt several media people, and that can’t be smart. They claim they receive bias against ABS-CBN and GMA because of their “lack of coverage”. How are the other stations going to cover them if they keep assaulting and driving away the reporters!
Also, without support from other organized groups, they won’t go far. Of course, theoretically it’s possible; the Filipino people are so empowered in this country. But realistically, they don’t even have a united want, and worse, even if they did, they don’t have the means to get it, because they don’t have the people to get it. In People Power 1, we saw the hands of Ramos, Enrile and Honasan. In People Power 2, there was even a negotiating team from the then opposition, now administration. Now the only people who could back them up are the people in the Puwersa ng Masa party. Yes, they still have Enrile and Honasan, but we know their political power now is so much less; Honasan, I think, has probably even been kicked out of his leftist group. Of course they have a strong support in the form of the Iglesia ni Cristo church/religion, but without the support of the Catholic sector, not even of the El Shaddai charismatic movement, with Mike Velarde shying away, they have less power than they may need. Remember, in People Power 2, Cardinal Sin and the catholic sector (except El Shaddai), various Christian Churches including the Jesus is Lord church/movement led by Eddie Villanueva, and various independent and even leftist groups practically fused by focusing on one goal: the ouster of then President Estrada.
(The above three paragraphs were written during the supposed people power 3. I finish this three years after)
More importantly, unlike the previous two people power revolutions, no change was made in the government. The previous two revolutions rooted from terrible national leadership, the supposed third one was based on indignation; they couldn’t say Arroyo was a bad President, she was just recently placed there! And after the two bloodless revolutions, Marcos and Estrada were oustered, the supposed people power 3 ended with Arroyo still seated.
What’s bad about this is that it messes up our history. What if another president proves to be a mess up, and we need to oust him again, will we call it People Power 4? Can anyone just group together and gather enough publicity and then call it People Power 5? Are the teachers supposed to teach this event to their students? If we have another people power and call it People Power 4, do we explain to the students what happened with 3? It depreciates the essence of one of those things that make our country great.
