"It is true you cannot eat freedom and you cannot power machinery with democracy. But then neither can political prisoners turn on the light in the cells of a dictatorship"

In this quote, Corazon Aquino is highlighting the restrictions of flexibility and democracy. She acknowledges that while these concepts are important and valuable, they can not meet all of our standard requirements. Liberty can not satisfy our physical cravings, and democracy can not offer the essential energy to power machinery. Nevertheless, Aquino also mentions that these things are not the only things that matter. She reminds us that in a dictatorship, even one of the most basic rights and needs are rejected to political detainees. In this way, she stresses the value of fighting for freedom and democracy, as they are essential for a simply and reasonable society.