Soon after taking her oath as President of the Philippines at the Kalayaan Hall of the Club Filipino on Tuesday, February 22, 1986, President Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino, proclaimed a Revolutionary Government.

What Could Have Been if Cory…? (First of a series)

On January 13, 1971, and August 21, 1971, I had close calls with death. The former was when the PC Metrocom Police Intelligence Service (MPIS), the predecessor of Col. Rolando Abadilla’s Metrocom Intelligence and Security Group (MISG) followed, chased and fired upon me from Plaza Miranda until the Ateneo Law School campus in Padre Faura, both in Manila. The latter was during the bombing of the Liberal Party’s Proclamation Rally at Plaza Miranda during the campaign for the mid - term elections in November 1971. At that time, the bombing was perceived as the handiwork of then incumbent President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos.  Later, the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army was exposed as the real perpetrator of the crime.

59/58/55 years with Baby! (Second of a series)

After EDSA I, President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino appointed me as BUTEL Acting Assistant Director and NTC Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner. Although media relations and public information were our forte and expertise when we were in activism and the political opposition, I knew that Baby and I would not be good and effective, apologists for the incumbent administration. Therefore, I advised Baby to look for another line of work in the new Cory Administration. She became a protocol officer in the Office of the President from 1986 - 1989. On March 18, 1987, Baby escaped death when a bomb intended for Cory during the PMA graduation on March 22, 1987, exploded four days ahead during a practice parade and graduation. It was her function to act out Cory’s role in such practices. Fortunately, she was not free to go to PMA at that time.

59/58/55 years with Baby! (Third of a series)

I have my own personal experience of the alliances and political parties that I participated in and supported (although juvenile and vicarious in my younger years) in November of 1953, 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1965 (and would have supported in November 1973 if Martial Law had not been declared and the 1935 Constitution had not been replaced by the 1973 rump “viva voche” Constitution.). The above included the “Magsaysay for President” Movement (MPM), the 1957 and 1965 PPP’s and the 1959 and 1961 Grand Alliances.

What Could Have Been if Cory…? (Third of a series)

Baby was Maria Fe “Baby” Ahorro y Ramos married to Jose Luis “Linggoy” Alcuaz y Araneta since December 19, 1970. She was born on August 22, 1948, to the then, Philippine Army 2nd Lt. Hermilo “Milo” Ahorro y Noriega and Conchita “Chit” Ramos y Lim, both from Meycauayan, Bulacan. Baby was delivered by a “comadrona” in her paternal grandparents’ house.

59/58/55 years with Baby! (First of a series)

Meanwhile, both Baby and I deteriorated in health. Since Baby had a long history of hypertension and I had diabetes and was overweight, our common doctor was a cardiologist, Dra. Esperanza “Espi” Icasas Cabral, Director of the Heart Center. Unfortunately for us, GMA appointed her Secretary of Social Welfare and, later on Secretary of Health. Baby and I were deprived of medical advice for about two years from 2005 to 2007.

59/58/55 years with Baby! (Fourth of a series)

Among all vacation destinations that are two hundred fifty kilometers from the National Capital Region (NCR), Baguio City is the most popular. It is even more popular than many places much nearer to the NCR. The closest competitor may be Tagaytay City (founded as a city on June 21, 1938) nestled between Cavite and Batangas in the Southern Tagalog/CALABARZON Region/Region IV – A.

Baguio in My Mind! (First of four parts)

Looking back forty years and beyond, was there anything anybody could have done to prevent or abort the EDSA People Power Revolution of February 1986?

Aborting the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution

My mother did a little landscaping on her portion. In the process, she recruited an Igorot worker, William Catanes. Eventually, we brought him and his family down to our farms in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan (1956 to 1958) and Pililla, Rizal (1958 to mid - 1990’s. He died three decades ago. His widow, Irene Catanes, only died last year, on October 1, 2025. Their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren still live in Pililla and other towns of Rizal as well as in Metro Manila.

Baguio in My Mind! (Second of four parts)

On January 3, 1992, Ramos, Pangasinan Congressman Jose “Joe” Claveria de Venecia and Agusan del Norte Congressman Edelmiro Atega Amante Sr., launched the Partido Lakas ng Tao (Lakas) at the Club Filipino, Greenhills, San Juan. The Lakas merged with the National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD), a successor of the PPP (Progressive Party of the Philippines in 1957 and Party for Philippine Progress in 1965), led by former Senator Raul S. Manglapus, to form Lakas – NUCD.

What Could Have Been if Cory…? (Second of a series)

59-58-55-years-with-baby-fourth-of-a-series

The Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow column by OpinYon News columnist, Linggoy Alcuaz.

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

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