Holiday or not, people gathered once again to commemorate a shining moment in the Filipinos’ struggle for genuine freedom and democracy that happened 38 years ago.
Dubbed as People Power Revolution, the highlight happened in a span of four days – Feb. 22 to 25, 1986 – when people gathered around Camp Crame on Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) to protect members of the military and defense officials who staged a coup d’etat against then-president Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr.. Nuns praying the rosary stopped military tanks sent to crush the rebels.
It was an exhilarating event that reverberated all over the world.
With the Marcos family back in power, it was not surprising that EDSA was not declared a holiday this year.
Former senator Leila De Lima, who was recently released after almost seven years of imprisonment under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, recalled in her speech before an ardent crowd: “Thirty-eight years ago, the Filipino people rose not as a single entity, but as a chorus of voices demanding change. This wasn’t just a movement; it was a symphony of hope, courage, and unwavering faith in our collective power.”
Today, she said, that symphony is threatened by a cacophony of distortion.
“Disinformation and historical revisionism don’t just try to diminish EDSA; they attempt to rewrite it as the root of our present struggles. They twist narratives, painting the People Power Revolution as a naive misstep instead of the courageous act of self-determination it truly was.”
“Isa ‘tong malaking kawalang-hiyaan, “ she further said.
“Hindi lang ito tahasang pagsisinungaling; harap-harapan itong pagtanggi ng mga may sala sa kanilang pananagutan. Sa paglilipat ng sisi sa dakilang pagbibigkis ng mamamayan, pinalalabas nilang lehitimo, imbes na makasarili, ang kanilang mga agenda.
“At ano’ng nagpapalala sa ganitong manipulasyon? Isang krisis sa edukasyon, kung saan pinababayaang lumabnaw ang kakayahang mag-isip at umalala ng ating mga mag-aaral. Sa ganitong konteksto itinatanim ang mga binhi ng misimpormasyon, upang mas mailayo ang bagong henerasyon sa mga aral na itinuro sa atin ng EDSA.”
Slogans and placards at the rally showed strong opposition to attempts to change the Constitution that was passed in 1987 following the 1986 restoration of democracy in the country.
Photos and videos by Bullit Marquez for VERA Files.
