Let the healing begin…

President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos’s remains is finally interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Now, the healing process of a fragmented nation can begin. Or so, claimed the former president’s family and most vocal and ardent supporters.

The Marcos family interred the former president on November 18, 2016 with “honors befitting a soldier.”

Expectedly, anti-Marcos forces did not take this peacefully. Protests began as soon as the burial was confirmed. The unannounced plan only stoked the flames of protests.

The Marcos family, in justifying the “surprise” burial, said they want the internment to be a “private, family affair”.

It was the wide belief of the Marcos family and their supporters that the burial would start the healing process towards real unity in the country. President Duterte, himself, said the burial would signal the end of the “great divide”; and that the country would move on from the issues of Martial Law and all other inconveniences that occurred from 1972 to 1986.

But if the reaction of Martial Law victims is to be gauged, the healing process would take a longer time—after all, the burial seemed to have opened old wounds.

Though time was said to have the ability to heal all wounds, those psychological and physical lacerations may take more than time to fully heal.

And it should be at this situation that the Marcoses should try to really understand the causes of those wounds and to try their best in truly healing them.

For after all, a healing process should include those were really wounded; otherwise, it is not a healing process at all.

…Or not

But the healing process seems to be the farthest from the minds of both sides of the “great divide”.

From sources of silly—at times, awkward—snap shots of people, social media today is full of venom, vitriol and just plain, unadulterated hate.

If the Marcos loyal supporters are really sincere in their belief that the burial would start the healing process, they are certainly not showing it by ridiculing those who are protesting the burial.

And though it is understandable that the other side felt betrayed by the “lightning quick” burial, they should also stay within the bounds of decency.

But above all, the Marcos loyal supporters should now take the high ground—after all they got what they wanted. And that they should really start defusing the tense situation by not reacting negatively and violently on the protests against the burial.

If it is healing they are sincerely after, then they should start acting it.

Comments

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog