The Power of Photographs

Pulitzer Prize winner reminds us of our fight for democracy

Kim Komenich

For those of us who were there, and those among us who were too young to remember, one vivid way to look back and learn about the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986 is through the lens of renowned photo journalist Kim Komenich. 

Komenich was assigned to cover what was to become the historic bloodless revolution on EDSA by the San Francisco Examiner. 

In an interview with The Manila Times, he revealed, "It is the only story in my career that I felt had such a sense of witnessing history."

His photographs are currently on exhinit at the Ayala Museum. Titled “Revolution Revisited,” the exhibit will run until March 5 together with the first leg of “Looking Back: 1986 People Power at EDSA.”  that features items from the Aquino Museum in Tarlac.

The 54-year-old Komenich’s collection of black and white photographs date even before People Power specifically in 1984 and 1985, when as he recalled “things were getting worse and worse,” under the leadership of then-President Ferdinand Marcos.

“What I saw [in those three years] were people living in a democracy that was being abused. And there was a point with [the assassination of] Ninoy Aquino that caused these people collectively to become angry enough at their 'democracy' and what their president has done with it to take to the streets. And that was powerful,” Komenich stated.

By his count, Komenich used a total of 800 rolls of film--equivalent to 22,000 pieces of photographs--during his assignment in the Philippines. Together with reporter Phil Bronstein, he covered the manipulation of sugar prices in Negros, the National People’s Army and Father Conrado Balweg, the Smokey Mountain, poverty, malnutrition and of course politics—"things," that according to the photographer, he never saw back home.

Pultzer prize

Komenich’s coverage of the EDSA Revolution won him the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography. He was able to produce effective pictures that later on, he realized he could enter to Pulitzer Prize in 1986.

“But while I was working with the story, I wasn’t out to win it," he clarified. "I was just to do a very thorough job. That was my goal. And I couldn’t get enough of it. I was in a stage of my life that I was so driven to take pictures.”

He felt strongly then that the events were "coming together as a very important part of Philippine history." And as a journalist, he was on a high and his instinct was to shoot it from every angle to capture every story. 

The icons' son

President Benigno Aquino 3rd graced the opening of Komenich's exhibit on February 21. He said in his speech saying “From the People Power monument to the EDSA shrine, the images that fill the Ayala Museum today remind us of that time in our history: a time of hope, of miracles, of the power of the people.”

Komenich told The Times he believes President Aquino couldn't be more prepared for the job for the very fact that hes is the son of the icons of People Power, Ninoy and Cory Aquino, and because he witnessed EDSA firsthand.

Komenich was also happy to note that when the President saw one of his photographs of his mother, the former President working on a desk inside Malacañang. Mr. Aquino remarked that the same desk is now in his office. To which Komenich said, “The desk is still alive and well.”

Beyond EDSA

Komenich also disclosed that following the exhibit, he will also release a book, an iPad application and a movie version of Revolution Revisited. The film will show subjects he captured during the lead up to People Power 25 years ago and where they are today. 

He started searching for these subjects in 2009 and has since located 15 people. One farmer is now a barangay captain; a 7-year-old girl who was living in a cemetery still lives in a cemetery, now with three children; the parents of a boy that died from malnutrition; and a little girl from a sakada farm.

Of the more prominent faces in the movie are former First Lady Imelda Marcos, former President Fidel Ramos and the President's sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada.

The movie's date of release is on August 21, Ninoy Aquino’s assasination.

Komenich, who is now a professor at San Jose State University, shared that the driving force behind his Revolution Revisited projects is his desire to “give back” to the people whose lives he caught on camera. Even if a journalist's role he described, is to "keep on moving to the next story," he is taking this time to look back as his way of thanking those he met towards the journey to EDSA.

Elaborating he said “It’s about being grateful on how this country helped me grow as a photo journalist.”

And in turn, through his photographs, generations to come will hopefully grow as well in giving importance to the freedom that was won on the streets of EDSA 25 years ago. 

*Article was first published for The Manila Times, February 25, 2011.

Generation 'Laban'

Before Gleeks made viral the "Loser" sign, Filipinos made symbolic (to the whole world) the "Laban" sign. That was 25 years ago when most of the generation "Loser" weren't born yet. 

Let's sit back in retrospect, we the generation "Loser," and ask ourselves, what do we know of EDSA 1?

These are the answers my mind COULD muster: It took place in EDSA. It happened during the fateful days of February 22 to 25, 1986. Filipinos rallied to the streets and made big protests against the iron-fist ruler, late President Ferdinand Marcos. The Church participated too in the protests. All flashed the "Laban" sign associated with former President Corazon Aquino, wife of assassinated Ninoy Aquino. His death, which happened three years before the People Power movement, is believed to have triggered the people's uprising because Ninoy is one of the bravest opposer of Marcos' leadership. The people also held hands to block the Army and put flowers on the tanks' nuzzles. Then the ruler stepped down from his Malacañang chair to "avoid bloodshed." Thus EDSA 1, indeed, brought back to Philippines its democracy, and it was its people's doing.

 

That's about what I can remember from my history lessons in early school. 

We all probably can talk more about Facebook/Twitter, Glee, Lady Gaga, cosplaying, American Idol, K-Pop, etc. I could go on naming things that consume most of our young life, but do these things really matter to us as Filipinos?

I don't say that let's all be masters of EDSA 1. After all, we were born in this age. But most definitely than not, EDSA 1 matters more than the above mentioned. 

So at the very least, let's be thankful for the Filipinos during those times, because if not for them, who knows, rights might still be abused, Filipinos still vanished and killed, elections postponed, media restricted, etc. We could have been born to a Philippines that had no democracy, no freedom.

I wish somehow we could be like the Filipinos back then and there. The Filipinos who placed in their own hands the will to change. But this time, it doesn't have to be the darkest days to demand for change. 

Always, lets make it a point to have the power in our hands because 25 years later, even without martial law, there's still corruption in the government and the country remains a poor country. BUT we have our freedom. We are free to change the system. It's not an easy thing to do. But are we not the same people who showed the world that when working as one, we could do great changes. 

Let's always remember, we the young generation, that no matter how distant EDSA 1 is to us, we are still the Filipinos who won a peaceful revolution through "people power." We should be proud of that. 

Then prove we're not generation "Loser," but generation "Laban." 

Sa pagitan ng damo, langit, musika at saya

Pinaka-masaya talaga ang paghiga sa damong mabasa-basa mula sa hamog ng madaling araw at ang pagtingala sa kalangitang nagyayabang ang maliwanag na buwan. Ang tugtugan ng mga banda nasa background lang. Umuugong sa malayo ang tinig ng bokalista, tinatangay ng ihip ng hangin. At 'yong mga tawa at biruan namin ng aking mga kaibigan, 'yon ang mahalaga, 'yon ang bida. 

Hay eto na naman ako, mga tagpong pa-deep, nakaka-syet! Samantalang sa UP Fair lang naman ako nanggaling. Inilaan ang madaling araw sa musika at mga kaibigan. :) 

(Sayang wala ka Julie, mahal, ang kaibigan kong nagsimula ng tradisyon sa UP Fair.)

Pinasaya ako ng lubos nina Kim-Joy Javier at Xerlyn Joy Lanaza (not Brinces). Pinagpasensyahan nila ako sa kabila ng panghaharot, panunutil at pananakit na ginawa ko. Kagabi ko lang ulit nabuhos 'yong pagka-hyper kasi sila 'yong mga taong tanggap na tanggap na pagka-baliw ko.  

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Tumugtog sa huling pagkakataon ang Sugarfree sa UP Fair. Sila talaga ang dahilan ng pagpunta ko sa fair. 

Ano pa bang masasabi ko? May simula at may katapusan. O mas tamang--may katapusan at may simula. Tapos na 'yong paglalakbay ng Sugarfree. Magsisimula na ang panibagong musika. Kagabi natanggap ko na rin sa wakas ang katotohanan. Paalam Sugarfree. 

Maiiwan pa ang inyong musika. Kapag narinig ko 'to sa radyo, makakanta ko pa rin ito ng buong puso. 

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Sinubukan namin ni Lyn ang wall climbing. Masaya. Fulfilling makarating sa tuktok. Alas-kwatro na ng madaling araw noon, mahamog at madulas na 'yong pader pero tuloy pa rin. Exciting and thrilling and tiring! 

Sayang nga lamang at hindi ko na natapos 'yong "harder climb." Pagod na ako nung umakyat doon kaya hirap na akong iangat yong bigat ko. Pero natouch pa rin ako kay kuya na nagsusuporta sa harness ko. Ang sweet nyang magcheer. "Kaya mo yan ate," "Sige lang ate di kita bibitawan," at ang pinakapaborito ko, "Suntukin mo yong pader ate, murahin mo!" na malugod kong ginawa. 

Pakiramdam ko lang na sweet sya pero protocols lahat ng sinabi nya. Kyut nya, kras ko sya! :D

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Okay din yong pagpiknik namin (ako, Lyn, Kym, at new friend Maget). Panira lang ng moment yong bandang Toyo. Pota Toyo talaga. Sa sobrang banas namin, nagwala kami at nagpaulan ng mura kahit ang layo layo namin sa stage. Muntanga lang. 

Samantala, hindi rin makaget-over sina Elvin, Paul, Kuya Carlo at Ayban sa bandang Toyo nung pauwi. Nahawa ata sila sa toyo! (Speaking of getting over, naka-getover na kaya si Kuya Carlo sa nadukot ng CP?)

Mabuti pa tatag na lang tayo ng HATE Club- "Toyo and bandang sabaw! Este sawsaw! Este sablay!" or something like that!

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At dahil epal 'yong Toyo, nabanas na sina Cabring ng Datu's Tribe matapos mag-antay ng tatlong oras mula sa takdang oras ng set nila. Tatlong araw ng late ng tatlong oras tugtugan nila. Di ko tuloy narinig "Feelings."  

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Lyn, turuan mo akong manipa sa mga lecheng nag-slam at nanggugulo sa harap natin. Hanga talaga ako sa pagkabrusko mo kahit na lagi ka pa ring bugbog sa akin. 

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Till next year UP Fair.

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Ayoko nang mag-isa.. Ayoko ng mag-isa! Ayoko ng mag-isa!!! Ayoko na, na, na, na yeaaaaah!!!!! Woooohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! Yeaaaaaaaah!!!!!! ^^