The Ever-changing World
The world is a constantly changing environment of which our influence on it can predict the outcome of our future. Through benevolent means, our world will achieve innovation, then again, through malevolent means we can ensure its destruction. We can see this in our history as a country; a war-torn Philippines rebuilt itself from the ground up and rose as one of the prominent powerhouses leading in innovation in Asia during the mid-19th century but what followed was a malevolent force which destroyed the country during the 70s and 80s of which we still have not recovered.
WORLD EVENTS BEFORE I WAS BORN
Martial Law: A Cold War Saga
On September 23, 1972 the late President Ferdinand Marcos formally declared on national television that the country was being placed under Martial Law. Citing the threat of Communism as the justification for the declaration, President Marcos believed that Martial Law was necessary to combat the looming and growing threat. Through this declaration, Marcos firmly consolidated all powers into one man, himself. He was to lead the entire country and direct the operation of the entire government. He ordered the armed forces and law enforcement agencies to suppress any and every acts of rebellion. This led to numerous human rights violations and the suppression of civil liberties and freedoms. The country had once again been under the rule of an oppressive regime, but this time, it was a fellow Filipino running the show.
source:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/martial-law-explainer-victims-stories
Post-Marcos Era
The beginning of a new era for the country was spurred by the EDSA Revolution which ousted the dictator and installed Corazon Aquino, the widow of the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., as president. The overthrow of Marcos, ushered in the return of democracy in the country and a bright future for generations to come. However, the lingering effects of Marcos’ dictatorial rule were still prevalent during Aquino’s reign. The country was bankrupt, there was civil unrest, mass corruption, and the president danced around multiple coup attempts; all of these are results from Martial Law. However free we are from bondage, the wounds are still fresh and will scar for a long time.
source:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1987/11/a-damaged-culture/505178/
WORLD EVENTS WHEN I WAS BORN
9/11 And The War On Terror
The September 11 attacks shook the entire world with its ferocity and the scale of the death and destruction brought by it. To date, this event is still the largest and deadliest terrorist attack on US soil. It killed thousands and forever changed America and the world. The threat of Communism died in the early 90s and a new threat emerged: global terrorism. This influenced American foreign policy as it it was now dedicated to rooting out foreign and domestic terrorists in the new War on Terror. The Philippines was among the countries which participated in this war as the southern islands of the country was a hotbed for terrorists. The war in Mindanao was given a new light and the entire region was again plunged into conflict. Despite the improvements in peace talks during the 90s, the War on Terror brought back war and destruction to the region as the government, in its role of combatting terrorism, set its sights on Islam Extremist groups such as Abu-Sayyaf, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front (BIFF). During this era, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became notorious for the rampant corruption in the country during her terms. This led to many protests and outrage by the Filipinos to which even military personnel mutinied against the president in the Oakwood Mutiny.
sources:
EVENTS THAT WILL IMPACT MY FUTURE
The Coronavirus Pandemic and The New Normal
The Coronavirus Pandemic will go down in history as one of the deadliest events in the 21st century. It has achieved global status with almost every country being affected. The whole world ground to a halt suddenly in 2020 when the virus spread uncontrollably. Economies will crumble, societies will change, cultures will adapt, and many more changes brought on by the pandemic will occur. The Philippines in particular, has one of the highest COVID-19 cases in Asia owing to the inept government response in travel restrictions and quarantine measures as the cause for the further spread of the virus. The pandemic has brought too much death in the country which is only made worse by the incompetency and aimlessness of the government and is policies. A major news outlet was shut down, numerous human rights violations occurred, new laws which suppress freedoms and civil liberties were passed and many more idiotic projects were done. The prolonged exposure of the country to the pandemic has changed the way we live. The “New Normal” as its called, has silently crept up in society and embedded itself without us even noticing. We were forced to reluctantly accept our situation as a means to survive and adapt and we will live and act differently for years to come as a result of the worldwide event of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
