Veteran journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdes recalls 1986 Cory Aquino speech

Veteran broadcast journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdes took her followers on a journey back to one of the most defining moments in Philippine history — the year 1986, when democracy was restored through the People Power Revolution.

In a poignant social media post, Cruz-Valdes recalled her experience covering then-President Corazon Aquino’s historic address before the United States Congress, where she received a rare standing ovation from lawmakers across party lines.

“When Cory Aquino addressed the US Congress in 1986 and was given a standing ovation by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, Cheche Lazaro and I had the unique honor of covering it for ABS-CBN,” she wrote.

For Cruz-Valdes, the moment was not just a professional milestone — it was deeply personal. She remembered how, during that coverage, she and fellow journalist Cheche Lazaro were embraced with admiration and respect for being Filipinos.

“Throughout our coverage, we were being congratulated everywhere for the peaceful People Power Revolution that put an end to a dictatorship. I never felt prouder being Filipino!”

“Ordinary Americans asked, ‘Where are you guys from?’ And we gleefully declared, ‘From the Philippines!’”

The Pride and the Passage of Time

Nearly four decades later, Cruz-Valdes reflected on how that immense pride has faded with time. “It’s now almost 40 years hence and the pride has long since dissipated. But we forge on. We simply must.”

Her post resonated with many Filipinos who remember the optimism that swept the country after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship — a time when the Philippines was seen as a beacon of democracy and peaceful change.

Cruz-Valdes’ reflection serves as both a remembrance and a challenge — to recapture the sense of unity, accountability, and hope that defined the People Power era, especially at a time when the nation continues to navigate through political, social, and moral crossroads.

A Legacy of Truth and Integrity

Known for her fearless journalism and integrity, Luchi Cruz-Valdes has spent decades chronicling the stories that have shaped the Filipino nation — from the euphoric dawn of democracy in 1986 to the complex realities of the present.

Her recollection of that moment in Washington, D.C., is more than nostalgia; it is a quiet reminder of what journalism stands for — bearing witness, telling the truth, and upholding the spirit of the Filipino.

In her words, “We forge on.” And in that perseverance lies the same courage that once made a nation stand tall before the world.