Yellow ribbons for Cory
Take note, mga ka-barrio. Reyna Elena was first on the blogosphere, launching yesterday afternoon the call to tie a yellow ribbon for Cory Aquino, sending her a message of love from a grateful people. Kumbaga, yoohoo Cory, you’re on our minds, you’re in our hearts!
Someone may have tipped the Binays off, or naunahan lang sila ni Reynz, but last night, according to the news, the Mayor’s people had started tying yellow ribbons around the Makati Medical cCenter and along major thoroughfares, promising to do the same citywide.
The first time I tied a yellow ribbon to our car’s antenna was back in ‘83, in the wake of Ninoy’s assassination. I was working for the Ministry of Human Settlements’ Sesame Street project, based in the University of Life (now Ultra). Of course hindi pinapasok ng guards ang kotse kasi may yellow ribbon. Rather than remove it I walked in na lang. A month later I quit.
I was defiant then, I am just so sad now. My heart goes out to Cory, and her children, who are suffering great pain in what may be Cory’s final days. And yet, true to our culture — or is it a universal thing — we are not allowed to say she’s dying, we’re not allowed to say goodbye, we’re only allowed to pray, pray for her recovery, pray for a miracle.
The idea is not to speak of death because, according to the old folks, to speak it is to attract it or to bring it on, which is a superstitious notion really, along with crossing fingers and knocking on wood to ward off bad luck. But again who knows , ‘no?
Anyway, Gil Grissom’s line in CSI keeps running ’round my head : “I wouldn’t mind dying of cancer. At least I get to say goodbye.” Or something like that.
This is not to say that I don’t believe in miracles, but the kind of miracle we’re praying for, which would find Cory suddenly getting better, recovering, has very slim chances of happening, no matter how hard we pray. And then, again, yeah, malay natin, baka nga magmilagro ang langit, so, okay, I’m leaving that door open while praying praying praying that the suffering ends, one way or another.
But if what’s keeping her here pala, without hope of recovery, are the prayers and the holy masses that we’ve been storming heaven with, well, then, I say, it’s time to let her go, please. If we really love her, we’ll let her go. Let heaven take her.
So long, Cory. Love you, Cory. Salamat, Cory.
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angela is a freelance writer who has written for all media -- print, television, documentary film, stage, and now the internet. A sometime astrologer for family and friends, she has an abiding interest in psychology which she studied at the U.P. She has authored two books on the EDSA revolution -- Chronology of a Revolution 1986 published in 1996 and Himagsikan sa EDSA--Walang Himala! in 2000 by the Foundation for Worldwide People Power. She blogs @ www.stuartsantiago.com
my former boss went through the same thing. colon cancer. i was not allowed to see him during his last days, but i found out that there were times that he would scream from pain. that was the story. but i knew when i did not see him no more for a week that something went terribly terribly wrong.
you’re right. death is such a taboo topic to talk to. honestly, deep in our minds, to lessen the pain and end the suffering maybe its really time to for her to go. but that’s how much we were touched by this woman. we all can’t let go off of her. maybe that too is what’s keeping her. tough… but i still dream of miracles and i want her to win this last fight…
Hooray Barrio!
Salamat Angela sa post na ito. Baka someone nga have tipped the Binays off. Hahahhaha.
My prayers and yellow ribbons for Cory. Mayroon naman siyang naiambag sa society natin kahit papaano.
hi silver, actually malamang na nag-iinternet yung anak ni binay, junjun ba yon, na councilor. and i would bet na asar na asar sila na hindi sila ang unang nakaisip, and the same with margie juico, mwahaha!
on the other hand, there’s such a thing as “synchronicity” — yung nagkakataong halos sabay na merong makakaisip ng isang idea. posibleng the binays and juico didn’t even see reynz’s yellow ribbon but because the time was ripe eh naisip din nila bigla.
this is not to belittle, not at all, the fact na si reynz ang unang nakaisip. nakakaintriga nga. na it was reynz, an ofw na malayo sa pinas, ang unang nakaisip. naitanong ko na nga sa sarili ko, bakit hindi ko naisip? i think, kasi i associated yellow ribbons with ninoy, as in the song, “it’s been three long years, do you still want me…”
pero as it turns out, swak na swak rin kay cory, not as a sign of welcome but — nag-evolve na ang yellow ribbon — as a sign of pure love gratitude respect. the audacity of love. salamat reynz
This is a test to the Filipino people, in how we have to show up our oneness to ask and pray from the Lord for Miracle of healing for Mrs. Cory Aquino.
Walang Imposible sa Diyos, ang taimtim na panalangin ay kanyang dinidinig, kung hindi man ay mayroon siyang nais iparating na mensahe sa bawat mamamayang pilipino.
Ang pagkakaisa, pagbubuklod-buklod para sa panalangin.
And most of all our “Faith” in God.
I lost my job in 1986 because of this yellow fever, i am working with the administration but opt to wear yellow t-shirt during fridays, i am really very vocal about my disgusto sa gobyerno, so ang resulta natsugi ang lola, nawalan ng hanapbuhay, pero ok lang, at least naipakita ko sa sambayanan na ako ay nakikiisa, hope our former president will recover soon, she is always in my prayers
Cool momsy,
Ang trabaho e napapalitan pero ang prinsipyo at paniniwala sa tama e hindi, di ba?
Tunay kang isang ISKA, cool momsy. Heheh.
Thank you for this post Angela, i really appreciate this entry.
salamat jeri!
Nung marinig ko sa news, kala ko din effort pa ng Barrio. But anyway, prayers for Cory are always welcome. Tama ka, hirap sabihin na hinihintay na lang talaga na makapaghinga siya.
if its really time for her to rest, then by golly, sana wag nang pahirapan nang ganyan. i might not feel how painful it is, but my boss mike suffered the same way and i know how he felt… and his family…
Let’s just pray na hindi siya masyadong makaramdam ng sobrang pain.
that’s all that the worse that we can ask for…
it hurts to hear that she’s in so much pain. i just pray na mawala na ang pain. sana may milagro pa.
tita cory is an inspiration.
i still believe in miracles kahit kakarampot na pag-asa, sana meron pa. to me, it’s not fair. it should not be her! sana yong isang nag-berdey na lang!
yung nag-berdey! hahaha! ay sorry, no offense meant.
grabe, kanina pa ko paiyak-iyak. saw on tv the news on the false alarm kaninang tanghali about cory passing away and the people at the mass where it was announced, puro mga naka-dilaw, were all breaking into tears. ako na rin, kahit alam kong hindi nga totoo, but just the thought… tells me how torn i am. i want the suffering to end, but i don’t want to lose her. how much more terrible it must be for the family.
eto nga angela, paalis ako to attend an early morning breakfast meeting di ako makaalis alis sa mga cheezmaks pati phone ko dami text nanginig ako when i woke up, check agad barrio just in case i see a comment about it then check wid my other ka-chika!
reynz! sikat your TOUCH A BLOGGER: TIE A YELLOW RIBBON… pinakita someone’s webpage sa anc evening news! one millisecond lang naman, haha!
wow angela! that’s very nice to hear!
i hope more blogger put on the yellow to show respect to Cory! many many thanks for the update, nakakataba nang keyboard hehehehe! It was not just on ANC but also on GMA News.
YAY!
Exposed ang name mo mudra!!! Hahahahaha.
Teka, kaninong site yan?! The template looks familiar to me. Parang kay Snow ata yan. Am I right?
Ang galing galing naman! Go Barrio Siete go!!!!!
Exposed na exposed na talaga tayo! Hahahaha.
Thanks angela for mentioning na nahapyawan ang ating tie a yellow ribbon campaign!
Napanood ko rin ito Silver kaso ang bilis mahirap marecognize kung kaninong site. Kay Snow ba? Ang galing naman. Hanep talaga Barrio, very popular na. At worth mentioning ang campaign-for-a-cause ni Reynz. Congratz!
yes, that was Snow’s blog entry on her Dear Bloggery! hehehe! nasapawan tayo nang Snow! hahaha! Here’s the video!
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Kudos Reynz for starting this campaign! Honestly, ngayon ko lang nakita itong news na ito magdamag kasi ako sa opisina tambak ang trabaho.
Dear Kapitana, isa pong malaking karangalan na mapasama sa Barrio Siete, a blogosphere leader and advocate for worthy cause. ^_^
iba pa yung nakita ko sa ANC ha
Di ba ganyan nga yung ni-request ng Aquino family thru Kris -yung prayers daw kung pwede, yung kung ano ang will ng Diyos. Na kung mahihirapan din lang si Tita Cory, sana kunin na siya at wag nang pahirapan.
Pero ako Im still praying for a miracle…. pero yun na nga kung di pwede, wag na siyang makaramdam ng sakit…. mahirap sa kalooban yun ng mga nagmamahal sa kanya.
I remember this one line from a movie – “when it comes to the end, you just have to let go.”
[...] Blogger Reyna Elena of Barrio Siete collective blog has urged Filipino bloggers to post yellow ribbons on their blogs as a sign of support for former President Corazon Aquino, who continues her fight against colon cancer. More [...]
Mudra mudra,
Meron po ba tayong parang grab me-logo for this yellow ribbon thingy na katulad dun sa logo mo sa Reyna?
It will be better kasi di ko alam kung pano ilagay ang litraks as widget sa aking sidebar.
ok, i’ll try to make one. nawawala kasi yong ating kebigang si kk! hahaha
At saka para marami ang makaharbat ng yellow ribbon sabay salpak nila sa mga balay nila to show support for tita cory (feeling close?! heheh)
silver, i don’t know how to but i emailed you the codes. di ko alam gawin hehehe
Sige mudra,
kunin ko nga sa email ang ribbons at maitali sa aking balay. Weeee
Wow na wow talaga…. ke Snow yung site na yun ano? sa dear bloggery yun eh,, Kapitana raragasa na naman ang barrio, marami na naman masasagasaan. beep!…beeepp! tabi..tabi.. he he he he he
isang malaking karangalang mai-represent ang barrio siete’s campaign for tita cory. kudos to reynz for being the leader in the blogosphere! la kapitana isa kang henyo. ^_^
Many thanks kamo ki Angela who alerted us hahaha! Thanks to your blog entry Snow, kundi, di nila malaman ang Barrio hahaha
jeri,
in fact, if you check the latest Alexa rankings hehehe it jumped to 557,700 na. hehehe!
WEEEEEE! MUDRA! SUCCESS ANG CAMPAIGN! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!
for Cory, in truth i don’t know if i want her to survive, i’ve been with cancer patients and its not fair on them. if she’ll be very very well and as in WELL, then good, but then if she’s just surviving and bed ridden, honestly i would pray that she’ll have peace instead. its not fair on her to suffer. She’s suffered enough.
Chi,
I was… hehehe! I was truly happy na bloggers are picking it up. It’s a small show of love and respect to Cory. If you read Mike, an entry I made about my boss, you’ll know that I had a “Cory” experience already. Masakit ateng…
Congratulations kapitana! I truly thought that it was a very inspiring effort na magsimula nito. Although I was younger nung times ng Marcos and even nung time ni Cory I believe she was a great woman.
I also lost my father to cancer and I feel for the Aquino family. And yes angela, maybe it is our prayer na, let the Father’s will be done.
Monique,
I had the experience, with Mike, my former boss who I became very close with. When I read na Cory was already taking morphine to ease the pain, nalungkot ako. Dahil parang alam ko na… Mike had that too…
Great post. I enjoy the cultural nuances of sealing our lips over death talks…It will come to her in her appointed time just as it will come to you and me…
salamat dfish ! and speaking of “cultural nuances” i’m not sure this falls into the same category but when people dear to me die, i find i feel worse pag hindi ako nakapagbabay at nakapagpasalamat nang ayos.
Even though I really don’t know the exact happening in the term of Tita Cory’s presidency, still, I understand what she really gives us and it is our freedom against the regime of marcos. She turned our country from a dictatorial country to democratic country and it’s a big thanks.
Tita Cory, without you, I don’t know what would happened next if you’re not given to us by our Lord. You are a gift from God.
If I will be a president, I would rather serve our country first before my own self.
You’re my NUMBER 1 fan.
Saludo ako sa’yo at sa pamilya mo.
Mabuhay ka.