WE ARE ONE WITH YOUR FIGHT, FPCCA

Monitoring FPCCA's state of health is a very painful experience for me and my family mainly because it brings back the memories of our own family's battle with the Big C.

Watching my late uncle being slowly eaten away by cancer back in 2007, was one of the toughest battles our clan ever faced. It is not something I would ever wish on anyone, not even on my worst enemy.

Now, more than ever, I feel a special kinship with our country's Former President. Our family has been, and will always be, a fan of the Aquino legacy--so much so, that we named our son after the late senator; so much so, that like millions of Filipinos, we have been knocking on heaven's door for a miracle for "Tita Cory".

Our family has been blessed with serendipitous Aquino events too--having the opportunity to call some of FPCCA's nephews, our friends; having been able work with them on special projects as well; and the most recent of all, having been able to meet and interview her youngest, and most popular daughter. Icing on the cake, of course, is the fact that we even share the same surname!

But more than the meets and greets, I give credit to what they call as the "Aquino magic", for giving me my first and most meaningful experiences of patriotism. You see, I was born at the heels of Martial Law, and I graduated from grade school, the same year as the Edsa Revolution. I remember being reprimanded by a teacher back in fourth grade for filling every nook and cranny of my uniform straps with Ninoy Aquino button pins--my first and only disciplinary citation during my stay at the hallowed halls of SSC Manila. And back in February 1986, we braved the tanks and militia, and celebrated my father's 40th birthday in the streets of EDSA.

Walking from Ortigas all the way Camp Aguinaldo was no picnic for my and my sister's 12-year-old and 10-year-old pairs of feet, but I remember with fondness, that sharing a smile, a prayer, a high-five with any and every Filipino we met at EDSA, made the long journey on foot, well worth it. More importantly, it truly made me feel proud to be Pinoy, even at such a young age.

While the spirit of EDSA remains just a memory to most Filipinos, and maybe just an entry on history books, to the younger generation, I will forever hold it in my heart, as one of the best battles ever fought and won in Philippine history. And it is our family's fervent wish that THIS battle will be won as well.

You are always in our prayers, FPCCA.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH