Yellow ribbons are tied on lampposts and trees along Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City. CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO
Members of the Akbayan Youth tied yellow ribbons on trees and lampposts located on a stretch of Osmeña Boulevard from the Cebu Provincial Capitol to the Fuente Osmeña Circle on Tuesday.
Bon Luzon is confident that the sight of the ribbons will awaken the sense of nationalism especially among the youth and help them remember what Benigno Simeon “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. stood for.
“We still believe that the youth are very willing to stand up and engage themselves in discussions on social developments. When they see this ribbon, we hope that they (will) remember and understand the cause for freedom that Ninoy Aquino fought for three decades ago,” Luzon said.
Aquino was assassinated 35 years ago shortly after he arrived at the Manila International Airport (Mia) from a self-imposed exile in the United States and before he could unite the opposition block against the Marcos regime.
Cause-oriented groups consider Aquino’s death as a symbol of human rights violations committed during the dictatorship of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Aquino, Luzon said, continues to be an inspiration in their effort to defend democracy.
Luzon and two other Akbayan Youth members gathered at the Fuente Osmeña circle as early as 5:30 a.m. to tie yellow ribbons on trees and lampposts in the area.
They also did the same on a portion of Osmeña Boulevard located near the Capitol building.
“What we are targeting is an impactful activity just to remind them (the youth) that we have a hero who devoted his life for us,” Luzon said.
Ben Alpuerto was doing his morning exercises at the Fuente Osmeña Circle when the activists started to tie the yellow ribbons.
Alpuerto, who is in his 60s, said he is happy that there are still a few young ones who remember Aquino.
“I had the opportunity to interact with him (Aquino) during his stay in Boston sometime in 1980. We had a very casual conversation about what was happening in the country,” Alpuerto said.
“That was when I really admired Ninoy. He believes that the Filipinos are worth dying for and his ideas did not only live in words but much more in his deeds,” Alpuerto added.
However, Alpuerto said he is disappointed that not so many Filipinos remember the sacrifices that Aquino made for the country.
Alpuerto, said that the youth of today are preoccupied with social media use and their gigs that they barely care about what is happening in the country now.
“Perhaps, (Filipinos are) not (worth dying for) anymore. The perceptions of the people has changed. Most of them, as I see it, only want to have money. Just money and power, social media and their vices,” he said.