Tie a Yellow Ribbon

Today, is the day President Corazon 'Cory' Aquino will be laid to rest. I think this was the first time a Philippine President ever had a state funeral this grand. It's pouring cats and dogs and still there are people lining the streets, carrying yellow ribbons waiting for Cory's funeral procession to pass by.

Last week, as people got word of Cory's worsening condition, yellow ribbons started to appear everywhere as a sign of solidarity with the former president. And when I mean every where I mean from Luzon to Visayas and even to Mindanao.

Cory was a symbol of democracy in the Philippines, the person who helped realize democracy from a dictator. She's been that way as long as I could remember.

My first memory of Cory was during the anniversary of the People Power Revolution, she was wearing her signature yellow dress, her glasses, hand flashing as she made the 'L' sign of the LABAN political party and I remember most of all, her stinging snarky comments against Imelda Marcos, the surviving wife of Marcos.

Cory's death is still something I'm trying to process especially with the way I learned her death, I think it was around 5 AM and I was sound asleep suddenly my brother started screaming: 'MOM, CORY'S DEAD!'

Not really one of the best ways to learn and I guess that's why its taking me a while to process it.

I'm not out in the crowd, even though her final resting place is only 15 minutes away, mostly because as I'm watching the TV now the crowd is stretching from the Manila Cathedral to Manila Memorial Park (Paranaque City) and that's... really, really far. This is a testament of Cory's magic. Her ability to bring people together at moment's notice.

I feel like I'm missing on history, just sitting here.

Cory's body is being carried in a float filled with yellow flowers with a reprsentative from the police, the armed forces, the navy and the airforce on each side and that's not counting all the people following along on foot. In the pouring rain.

I don't think Cory ever expected this when she first married an up and coming politician, Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino that she'd ever have this much impact on the Philippine history, much less become the first female president of the Philippines.

I'll be the first to admit that her administration wasn't perfect, it had a lot of missteps and it was constantly plagued by coups from a military used to getting its way. But she was the symbol for change at that time, the one who brought hope to a hopeless Philippine scene.

Now, the APO Hiking Society are singing, one of the popular singing groups active during the revolution.

Looking at the people now, with yellow confetti streaming down and everyone in their yellow shirts, with their yellow ribbons and flashing the 'L' signs it's a familiar scene from the old days.. Almost all cars have yellow ribbons tied on the cars, our cars even had one (unfortunately my dad's not very good tying ribbons and the ribbons were lost).

Rest in Peace, Tita Cory, you changed history.