More than ever, we need to unite Filipinos toward a future that upholds human rights, good governance and zero tolerance for corruption
Proclamation 368 listing the regular and special holidays in 2024 excluded the Edsa People Power observance on February 25 on a rather flimsy reason: that it falls on a Sunday.
But previous celebrations of regular holidays were always held the next day—Monday—and what is so different from this particular case that it was unceremoniously dropped from next year’s calendar?
Two current and former lawmakers – Sen. Risa Hontiveros and former Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III – believe there are deeper reasons for the Malacañang decision.
Hontiveros has described the removal of the Feb. 25 event – the ouster and exile of the elder Marcos in 1986 to Hawaii – part of what she called “historical distortion” that seeks the “rehabilitation of the memory of the dictator.”
It appears, she said, that Marcos Jr. wants to “forever bury into oblivion the courageous battle of Filipinos to restore democracy, their struggle against human rights violations and corruption, which are among the most serious crimes under the martial law dictatorship.”
The opposition lawmaker lamented: “We should not surrender our memories, our history…The anniversary of Edsa People Power should not be removed from among the significant days of Filipinos. Whatever the day is, regardless of it being a Sunday, it is a very important date in our history. We should continue retelling it.”
For his part, Tañada said he was surprised by Proclamation 368 as the removal of the Feb. 25 event seemed to be a step to “erase the ouster of the late strongman from power…It should not be erased because it is a historical fact.”
People Power, he pointed out, marked the start of the restoration of democracy in the country.
Yet another lawmaker, Albay First District Rep. Edcel Lagman, wanted to go a step further and make the commemoration of February 25 compulsory, that is, by making it part of the law of the land and not merely subject to presidential fiat.
Lagman has filed a bill seeking to declare February 25 of each year as a regular, national and public non-working holiday in commemoration of the Edsa People Power anniversary.
Under Lagman’s proposed measure, the Edsa Commission, which was created in accordance with Executive Order 82 issued in 1999, will be reconstituted for the planning and implementation of appropriate ceremonies across the country for the celebration of the Edsa People Power anniversary.
Apart from government officials, the commission will also consist of one representative each from the private sector and the academe.
At least P10 million will be appropriated to the commission each year under the General Appropriations Act for its operation together with private donations.
“Ever since, the Philippines has marked February 25 as a day of national celebration, irrespective of whether or not it falls on a Sunday,” he said.
We concur with the views expressed by these lawmakers that the annual commemoration of the Edsa People Power every February 25 was a pivotal event in contemporary Philippine history that should be remembered with appropriate ceremonies.
Edsa People Power showed that Filipinos want democracy, not authoritarian or iron-fisted rule.
We expect from our leaders good governance and its key components, transparency and accountability,
We also want our leaders to uphold respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.
People power is a valid option when government institutions are nonfunctional and leaders have clearly failed to perform their duties or ignore the public interest completely.
It can be a powerful tool to strengthen Philippine democracy, rather than to weaken it or undermine its very foundations.
When the avenues for change or redress of grievances within the existing political system are blocked, then People Power is entirely possible, or perhaps even inevitable.
As an alternative to a bloody civil war that pits one section of the population against another, People Power is a much more preferable alternative, because it holds the prospect of a bloodless and peaceful transfer of power.
Thirty-seven years after Edsa People Power in February 1986, how far have we gone in upholding the ideals of justice, freedom and democracy that it embodied?
Our political system offers little hope for ordinary citizens to have any meaningful participation in governance.
Worse, political dynasties have become more entrenched despite a Constitutional ban.
The economy is growing, but the unemployment rate is high and the ranks of the poor have not decreased at all.
The number of Filipinos has increased to 114 million with one-fourth up to one-third of the population now living on the edge of poverty.
More than ever, we need to unite Filipinos toward a future that upholds human rights, good governance and zero tolerance for corruption, while giving the poor and the disadvantaged sectors every opportunity to improve their quality of life.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
