The Power of Text

While watching the funeral of Mrs. Aquino on television, I got to reflecting on how communications always is an important component of any mass movement or gathering. In the 1986 revolution, one particular radio station, I believe DZRJ, kept the people informed of all the events transpiring at EDSA, Without this valuable information, the revolution would have probably fizzled out and we probably would have Bongbong Marcos as our life-long president.

As a matter of fact, EDSA I was an innovation in conducting revolutions. For the first time in the history of the world, a forcible change in government occurred without the attendant violence. Hence, the usual blood shed that attends such a forcible change was avoided. Historically, such changes involve deaths and destruction. The Philippines became a model for others to emulate. People power was born. People in communist ruled eastern Europe followed suit. Hence there was peaceful transition from Communism to democracy. This would not have occurred if the experience of the Philippines was not reported in all newspapers in the world.

EDSA 2 was probably another first in the history of political change. I would like to believe that this was the first time that another peaceful change in government was made possible through the power of texting. Another innovation introduced by Filipinos to the world. A lot of protestors gathered at the EDSA Shine because of this pass forward text message.

The advance in communications brought about by technology has revolutionize even the way governments are toppled nowadays. We see from news reports coming out from Iran that protestors there are using extensively cell phones and computers to communicate with other Iranians and to bring to the attention of the world press the atrocities and brutalities being committed by the Iranian government on their own people. We shall know soon enough whether the Iranian people will prevail or whether an authoritarian regime can survive the onslaught of modern communications.