Forty years after the Edsa People Power revolution that restored democracy in the Philippines, the historic highway was once again filled with similar voices, chants, sentiments and hopes, but largely from a new generation echoing the story that triggered an uprising known to it only through books, testimonies and challenged historical distortions.
The simple slogan “Sobra na! Tama na! Palitan na!” (Enough! It’s time for change!) was ample motivation for hundreds of thousands of Filipinos enduring Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s brutal martial rule to gather at Edsa on Feb. 22–25, 1986.
This time around, the demands and chanted slogans for accountability, an end to corruption and political dynasties, the return of ill-gotten wealth, and the imprisonment of big-time crooks were heard not only by the late dictator’s son and namesake but also by others responsible for the plunder of public coffers.
Bryan Binuya, a manufacturing engineering student of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila who joined the Feb. 25 commemoration of the uprising, said that “the youth of the 21st century are better at discerning what is right or wrong because those who came before us in that peaceful revolution actually opened our eyes to what reality is after what happened in 1986.”
Binuya, 22, emphasized the importance of the older and younger generations’ shared participation in keeping the legacy and spirit of the Edsa revolution alive.
But anti-riot police erected barricades and formed human barriers to stop a march by thousands of members of other progressive groups heading to the Edsa Shrine—one of the two main venues of the commemoration activities. The youth-led groups, including Anakbayan, Kabataan Partylist and Kampilan, among others, pressed forward, breaking through the road blocks.
The authorities reported that seven officers were injured and two marchers were arrested in the scuffle.
Police also stopped a truck transporting loudspeakers and other equipment and a makeshift stage to be used for a program at the Edsa Shrine. Organizers from the International League of Peoples’ Struggle used smaller vehicles to move their sound system and mount the program.
Colors
In the context of the People Power revolution, color was never merely for decoration. From the beginning, the various hues that colored the scene outside Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame in Quezon City each served as a visual language through which people communicated defiance, grief, hope, and moral conviction.
Three main colors emerged not by any institutional decree, but through the collective expressions of ordinary Filipinos. Forty years later, these colors remain, but deepened by time and the ongoing work of remembrance.
Yellow was more widespread at the People Power Monument on Edsa corner White Plains, in the banners, flags, ribbons, and the shirts worn especially by the survivors and witnesses of the 1986 revolution. Yellow became the defining color of resistance to the dictatorship, and was closely associated with Corazon Aquino, who became president, and her husband, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., whose assassination in 1983 jolted many Filipinos into joining the struggle against the dictatorship.
Also at the People Power Monument, white was worn or displayed as a symbol of the resistance to corruption and the demand for truth, accountability and transparent governance. The white apparel of the nuns and priests in attendance reinforced the peaceful and moral character of the commemoration.
Black was also visibly present to symbolize protest, mourning, resistance against injustice, and remembrance of pain. It also served to create a unified, anonymous, and strong presence.
Frustration
Febee, 19, a member of Kabataan Partylist who did not give her last name, expressed frustration over what she described as the authorities’ failure to recognize the people’s grievances.
“I still cannot believe that they cannot see what the government is doing to us,” Febee said amid the loud chants of demonstrators—“Ikulong na yan, mga kurakot!” (Jail all plunderers!) and “Ang tao, ang bayan, ngayon ay lumalaban! (The people, the nation, are now resisting!)—who took their place at the intersection of Edsa and Ortigas.
In her speech at the People Power Monument, Akbayan Youth national chair Khylla Meneses challenged her peers to take an active role in shaping the nation’s political future and urged them not to be passive observers in a system dominated by political dynasties.
“We should not just be bit players in a movie produced by a single family,” Meneses, 23, said. “So, the question is, will you say ‘yes’ to the antidynasty bill? Will you fight for a future for everyone? The reason we are here today is because we are the future.”
The antidynasty bill is pending in the House of Representatives.
Addressing the mostly youthful crowd at the People Power Monument, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David emphasized the importance of remembering the uprising and urged young people to be actively involved in safeguarding democracy.
“This is one way for you to understand the importance of looking back at the 1986 Edsa People Power revolution,” said David, who was 26 and a priest of two years at that time. “To this we owe a debt of gratitude for our democracy. But it is a work in progress and we need your participation in completing this work in progress.”
Assurance
For Jojo Deles, 74, who was at Edsa four decades ago, the presence of the youth at yesterday’s commemoration offered assurance that the spirit of People Power has not faded.
Deles, a former government consultant, recalled how he felt when he joined the crowds at Edsa in 1986 despite his fears: “We were so happy that resistance prevailed.”
He said that after 40 years, “the challenge is to heighten the spirit of Edsa, and the memories of the events of 1986 should be rekindled.”
He added: “I feel good that we [older people] are the minority here. I think that there are only a few of us who were here in 1986, so I really feel good that change will move very fast.”
Deles underscored the youth’s vital role in carrying on the legacy of People Power, and said the responsibility of shaping the nation’s political and social future now firmly rests on their generation.
“For the youth, choose good leaders. We may not be around when it comes into full fruition, but I think it gives us joy that young people are getting aware. They are ready to take charge and become part of People Power,’’ he said.
Corazon Tecson-Jimenez, a former general manager of the Metro Manila Development Authority, declared her group’s belief: “We are People Power. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, we will still be here with you.”
Ruby year
It was fitting that the Edsa revolution’s 40th anniversary fell on a ruby year.
The ruby is a gemstone that symbolizes enduring love, passion and commitment—a testament to the survival of what was built and continues to thrive. It is formed underground, unseen, before it shines in the open.
In the same vein, much of today’s youth activism is seen in classrooms, group chats, community meetings, campus publications and organizations, and online spaces before it reaches the streets. When the youth finally gather, at commemorations, rallies, or forums, what is seen is only the polished surface of something long in the making.
A ruby does not apologize for its color. Perhaps that is the story of the Filipino youth today: not flawless or untouched by pressure, but strengthened by it. Like a red flame. Capable of throwing light, and reminding everyone that 40 years make up a continuing test of whether the fire remains aflame. CS
Justine Francesca Jesalva and Bea Bianca Nicerio are senior journalism students at Bicol University in Legazpi, Albay, and interns at CoverStory.
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More Edsa commemorative activities
Local government officials, clergy members, and students marched from the Freedom Monument to the Naga City Metropolitan Cathedral in Naga City in a show of unity and remembrance of the 1986 uprising that restored democracy in the country.
Former Vice President and Mayor Leni Robredo shared her reflections on the historic event. She recounted her political awakening as a college student at the University of the Philippines in 1985 when she saw opposition leader Ninoy Aquino in a bloodied casket following his assassination.
She emphasized that good governance should not only be declared in words but demonstrated through actions—from small initiatives to major programs. Governance, she said, must be felt by the people through improved public services and leadership that does not neglect the marginalized.
In Albay, members of Gabriela, Karapatan Bikol, and BUeños Kontra Korapsyon marched in Daraga town and briefly stopped in front of Camp Simeon Ola. They called for sweeping social reforms, an end to the corruption scandal, and greater accountability among government officials.
The rally was originally scheduled to be convened inside the main campus of Bicol University, but organizers were blocked from entering campus gates.
In Iloilo City, hundreds of protesters from various sectors across Iloilo converged in front of the Capitol to call for accountability of the Marcos and Duterte families, and others for the alleged misuse of public funds, corruption, and bad governance.
They criticized the administration of then president Rodrigo Duterte and its bloody war on drugs, and pressed for justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings. They raised concern for the current administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s insufficient support for education and other sectors, including the business community.
JR Flores of Piston Panay voiced the sentiments of public transport operators and sought an end to corruption, the misuse of public funds, and the recent arrests of drivers and operators.
Members of religious groups wore white as a symbol of unity.
The protesters proceeded to St. Clement’s Church for a prayer march to the Jaro Cathedral and a Mass officiated by Archbishop Midyphil Billones.
The event was organized by Kahublagan Kontra Kurapsyon, Pamatan-on Kontra Kurapsyon, and Bagong Alyansa Makabayan Panay.
Similar commemorative rallies were reported in Baguio City’s Malcolm Square, UP Los Baños in Laguna, and Bacolod City. CS | Reports from Antonette Alzaga and Raymond Aldo Mina of BicolExpress.net, and Jaspher N. Encarguez and Chrizzheah Fye Sobusa of PanayTimes.com.
