A Yellow amid Red

One of my bosses underscored our sore lack of 'close encounters' with former President Corazon C. Aquino. Only had one such encounter with former president - during the campaign for the 1986 Snap Elections. I never had the chance to write this singular memory down, save for now.

There are some childhood memories that remain vivid, even as we age. It was a Saturday morning and there was a truck that was being set up to be a makeshift stage in the huge vacant lot in front of the old house (where a Petron gasoline station now stands). I remember watching by the window a bit annoyed that the preparations outside were getting in the way of my Saturday morning cartoons. And then we saw her - wearing her signature yellow and being helped up the truck. I do not remember anything else, save that she glanced in our direction and smiled.

It would have been an ordinary campaign scenario - save that it was in 1986 and the lady in yellow was in the heart of Ilocos, where red reigned supreme. I still do not understand history – perhaps I may never will - but to a child then, seeing a Yellow amid Red taught her lessons she hoped to be worthy of one day.