My Travel to Hawaiian Island of Oahu #Honolulu #Throwback – 1986
Reposted for the coming Anniversary of EDSA Philippines People Power Revolution #Throwback-1986
In Honor of the late President Corazon Aquino, I have renamed my blog as,
“EDSA Philippines People Power Revolution #Throwback 1986″
This blog is one of those travels that I’ve promised to cover. Our travel to Honolulu, Hawaiian Island of Oahu where we went on a family vacation that was unplanned and a spur-of-the-moment decision when we all agreed that we had enough of the winter weather here in Canada and it was time to go and escape to a warmer climate on the island of Oahu and Honolulu was the paradise chosen for that escapade. Yes, we all agreed to pool our available funds from our own savings into an overall travel fund. Since our travel fares (everyone’s round trip tickets from Toronto to Honolulu) were complimentary from Philippine Air Lines where my sister works that entitled us to a yearly one round trip ticket for each member of the family to any country that PAL have direct flights.
Years have come and gone, later on our trip to Honolulu, Hawaii trouble was brewing again in our motherland, the Philippines. On that day we checked in at the O’Hare Chicago Airport from our inbound Toronto to Chicago flight, they were all so busy at the PAL check-in counter and all the telex machines were clicking away, something was obviously being transmitted urgently. We found out later that there was a people’s revolution that have just started taking place at the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) that stretches about 54 kilometers, where the peaceful demonstration was being held on that fateful day in February of 1986.
The airplanes destined for Manila International Airport were detained in Honolulu including the one that we boarded (our issued boarding pass read as Manila when we only had tickets for Honolulu) and changes were made in a hurry at the PAL counter thinking that we were going to Manila because of what was going on in the news. We found out about the urgent matter at hand and that a revolution have just started in Manila and as soon as we boarded the plane and everyone was seated ready for take off, the pilot announced that the airport in Manila was closed already for incoming or outgoing flights so Honolulu was our last destination not Manila. The TV crew members and reporters from the US and Canada (ABS, NBC, FOX, CTV & CBC) were all stranded in Honolulu so they had to make use of their affiliate TV Stations to report directly and broadcast on TV News Live.
While we were on vacation, we found out later on that the incumbent political tyrant president of our motherland was seeking asylum from the US government and they were granted permission to stay, of all places in Honolulu. The military plane that they maneuvered to take them out to the military airport in Honolulu have landed there. No wonder the military base airport was closed to the public and lots of guards were posted at entrances to the airport when our rented car passed by it from the Honolulu airport where the PAL flight landed.
The 25th Anniversary of the Philippines People Power Revolution and the Statue of the Cardinal of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin
All these news event we saw a live coverage on all TV stations as the breaking news of the Philippines People Power Revolution have started when the Cardinal of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin, have summoned every Filipino together with the religious order to gather and pray with all the people already assembled along the EDSA-Epifanio de los Santos Avenue from one end to the other. Having witnessed all these momentous events happening live before my very eyes looking at the Live coverage on TV made me wish that I should have been there in person to bear witness to this historical event that was happening and experience it, then savor the glorious moment of gaining back our real democracy as a free nation at last.
The EDSA 25th Anniversary in Manila Attended by President Benigno Aquino III
Watching our beloved country take back its freedom from a fallen dictator and get rid of martial law rule was a great relief. The wife of the assassinated presidential hopeful (Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.) and who was rightfully elected president, Corazon Aquino took the presidential oath of office, administered by the Supreme Court Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee on February 25, 1986 and did in fact mark a very significant national event in the history of the Philippines to become the first lady president of the country. It was the moment of true democracy in action, now our motherland is free again from the claws of that tyrant’s martial law rule. She was the best choice that the people have to lead them back to a real democracy and proclaimed as the 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Long Live the Philippines! “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!”
About Oly Trinity
Oly is the travel blogger, documentarian on lakbaypilipinas.ca, also a writer-poet, photographer and artist whose work constitutes a blog-documentary in many aspects of life, people, places, arts, culture and traditions, even architecture. It's about trips at home and abroad, also flashbacks of trips on years gone by, reminiscing memorable experiences then back to the future and now, all these in the new blog. You will see, hear and read about the travels, feasting on foods around the globe, meeting people in places that she visits and sharing their traditions and goodwill, who visits countries that others only dream about and who wants to share with you all of her experiences never to be forgotten in this lifetime. From her old hometown to her new home she will marvel you with stories, and show you how small the whole world really is; if you love to travel. Now, let's start that wonderful journey together.