A Filipino was gunned down, assassinated, 25 years ago. His name was Ninoy Aquino, and he believed that The Filipino was worth dying for, and those words would eventually materialize into his death.

25 years since, we are still standing at that crossroad in our nation’s history, wondering, agonizing, why our leaders, why we as a people, have failed miserably to secure the dream of the man who died on that fateful day, as he came home and breathed The Philippine Air one last time.

We have had our share of bad luck, but most will agree, that it is because we never truly have come out of the shadow of the martial law days, the shadow of corruption, and the shadow of selfish governance, that has led us to stand still, stagnant, and not knowing a prosperous reality.

Whether you are a supporter of Ninoy, or a believer, or maybe not, the fact is that a man’s death sparked a revolution, which the entire nation squandered. We are waking up to reality, that our existence today, is partly owed to this man, but what we have done with that event has put us all to shame.

This, of course, is not a blatant attempt to put blame on the general public, but to let us finally take responsibility for a nation that we call ours. Let us take responsibility and move forward. To remain engaged in our own politics, because like it or not, we have the final say as to whether or not we pave the way for a brighter Philippine future.

A nation is under attack, not only by armed terrorists in Mindanao, but from an Administration keen on holding on to power, from government officials with selfish motives, from murderers and kidnappers who thrive on instability, and of course we are under attack by poverty.

So many obstacles, issues, and problems to tackle. We can take this and shy away from the challenge, or we can remain steadfast and welcome this opportunity to prove ourselves wrong, and finally take as our own, a better future for our youth and the youth of tomorrow.

May we remain active in public policy, local issues, and national issues. It is by remaining engaged that we can show honor to a Senator that died for his nation 25 years ago.

I believe all too often, that there are those, not as gifted as Ninoy, but can do as much good as the man himself. With that thought, must now come the belief, that maybe, just maybe, it is in life that we can do our best for our country. Ninoy Aquino said that The Filipino is worth dying for. We must continue, and say to ourselves that indeed, The Filipino is also worth living for. And living must entail a sense of national engagement, participative action, and focus towards economic and social prosperity and accountability, if indeed we are serious about a better Philippines.

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