Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A Ninoy Runner Then and Now

As I was going through my clutter, I chanced upon this old photo of me taken during one of the ROAR runs in the 80s (that's my excuse for my confused Cure/Flock of Seagulls/Rick Springfield hair).



The ROAR runs were weekly weekend runs which start at the Baclaran church and end at Luneta. This was one of many the protest activities against Marcos and his senseless killing of Ninoy. I was running then because I was pissed off!!! I hated Marcos!!! It was personal as much as it was political.

It really brought back a lot of memories in as much as it made me realize that much of what we fought for then are same struggles that Auntie Cory sacrificed so much for and to this day continue to plague us all.

The problems and issues are overwhelming. I believe they can't be solved during my generation and I fear my children's generation. Where does one begin or do you even bother to start anywhere at all? I used to say to myself forget it! I'll just live my life oblivious to all these problems as long as my family is happy and healthy.

It maybe divine intervention, or my dad and mom (possibly with Uncle Ninoy...GOD rest their souls) banging my head, that led me to be more involved with working with my brother Rapa in iamninoy. The idea of small "heroic" acts or being a hero in your own small way was a big eye-opener. A tiny act of goodness and kindness can impact many many lives in a huge way. And I guess, or I'd like to believe, this may be the same force that led my friends and I to form the iamninoy Runners.



The thought that by the simple act of running together we get to help kids have an education and a better crack at the future. This is why I'm running now. This time it's not political but what I consider as my personal stake at making a difference.

Run with me. Run with us!!!