Opposition dad unhappy over Edsa plan rejection

Talisay City Opposition Councilor Romeo Villarante was disappointed yesterday morning during the regular session with the majority for blocking the approval of his proposal which urges teachers and parents to educate their children on the history of the Edsa Revolution.

“I forewarned them that this will reflect badly on their side. This is a very good resolution,” said Villarante in an interview with the media.

Villarante said his resolution’s purpose is to educate the children on the essence of the Edsa Revolution, and “forewarn” them about the different propaganda which he claims has twisted the real story.

The councilor said his resolution stemmed from what he saw in his children’s Facebook walls wherein a video made by some “revisionists” about the popular people uprising was posted.

In this video, the late President Ferdinand Marcos was depicted as the “good guy,” while the Aquinos and the Cojuangcos conspired to cause chaos in the country.

“( The video) appears that Marcos is a good guy, and that there was a conspiracy between the Aquinos and the Cojuangcos. It also appears that the meaning of Edsa was twisted,” he said.

Villarante’s children are still in grade school.

“When I saw the video, I was alarmed. Nanglimbawot akong balhibo. That’s why I’m making this resolution in the hope nga ma- publicize in the media that there’s such a revisionist video in the social networking site,” he said.

Villarante said the video is “endangering democracy in the long run,” especially that a big bulk of users of the social networking sites comprise children who have no connection with the Edsa Revolution.

But Councilor Dennis Basillote, chairman of the council committee on Education, told the council that there is already a curriculum in school which teaches children about the history of Edsa, hence approving Villarante’s resolution makes it “redundant.”

For his part, Villarante said there may a curriculum on it, but it is not frequently discussed in classes.

Villarante’s insistence, however, failed to pay off when the majority agreed to divide the house.

In a 9-3 vote, there are only three opposition councilors in the council with Villarante being one of them (the rest are Val Ylanan and Danny Caballero), the council rejected his proposal.