With the announcements of numerous academic institutions of class suspensions to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986, senatorial candidate Bam Aquino said that the spirit of the peaceful revolution is alive in the country.
The vicinity of Adamson University in Manila is decorated with yellow ribbons a day ahead of the 39th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. (John Louie Abrina/MANILA BULLETIN)
“Mananatiling buhay ang alaala ng EDSA People Power (The spirit of EDSA People Power remains alive),” he wrote in various social media platforms.
He posted the names of the academic institutions and local government units that have announced class and work suspensions to honor the memory of the revolt.
In a separate post on Facebook, Aquino asked Filipinos not to forget the 1986 EDSA Revolution.
“Nakaukit sa kasaysayan natin at sa puso ng bawat Pilipino ang malalim na pananampalataya at wagas na pagmamahal natin sa bayan. Huwag nating kalimutan na may panahon na pinili ng mga Pilipinong maging bayani at pinili ng mga Pilipino ang bayan bago ang sarili (Our faith and love for the country are engraved in our history and in the heart of every Filipino. Let's not forget that there was a time when Filipinos chose to be heroes and Filipinos chose the nation before themselves),” he said.
'Fight is not over'
For Mamamayang Liberal Partylist first nominee Leila de Lima, Filipinos should not just remember the EDSA revolution, they should fight against the tyranny that continues to oppress the country.
“The EDSA Revolution was not a myth. It was not a mistake. It was a moment of collective courage, a moment when Filipinos proved that democracy is not just an idea—it is a fight. A fight that must be waged again and again, in every generation, because tyranny never truly disappears. It merely waits, repackages itself, and returns,” she said in a statement.
A staunch critic of the Duterte administration, De Lima asked Filipinos not to simply remember the revolution because “memory alone is not enough.”
“I ask you to recognize that our fight is not over,” she said, because “We are once again being asked to forget. To look away as history is rewritten, as our institutions are hollowed out, as those who orchestrated suffering are not only welcomed back into power—but celebrated.”
“We are being asked to tolerate impunity, to move on from the crimes of the past, and to accept a future dictated by dynasties and tyrants. I refuse. And I ask you to refuse with me,” she stressed.
Asking Filipinos to “reject fear, lies, and complacency,” the former senator said that the “spirit of EDSA is alive in every Filipino who refuses to bow to oppression.”
“As long as there are those who stand, those who speak, and those who march, EDSA is not just history—it is the future we will claim, together,” she added.
Freedom from hunger
Senatorial aspirant Kiko Pangilinan, who, like Aquino, is gunning for a Senate comeback in the 2025 midterm elections, also reflected on the memories of the revolution and what it meant amid today’s pressing challenges.
“Ang EDSA ay hindi lamang tungkol sa pagpapatalsik ng isang diktador. Ito ay tungkol sa pagbawi ng ating dignidad, ating mga karapatan, at ating kalayaan na hubugin ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa (EDSA is not just about toppling a dictator. It is about taking back our dignity, rights, and our freedom to mold the future of our country),” the former senator, a student leader during the historic uprising, said.
“Hanggang ngayon, patuloy ang laban—hindi lamang para sa demokrasya, kundi para sa isang mas matinding bagay: kalayaan mula sa gutom (Until now, the fight continues—not only for democracy, but for a bigger battle: freedom from hunger),” he added.
Pangilinan, who is advocating for food security and lower prices of goods, asked Filipinos to unite for real solutions regardless of political beliefs, adding that the EDSA revolution was proof that change is possible when Filipinos stand together.
"Huwag nating hayaang masayang ang mga sakripisyo ng nakaraan. Igalang natin ang EDSA sa pamamagitan ng pagtitiyak na walang Pilipinong maiiwan—sa pamamagitan ng pagsulong ng mabuting pamamahala, paglaban para sa seguridad sa pagkain, at pagtindig para sa katotohanan at katarungan (Let us not waste the sacrifices of the past. Let us honor EDSA by making sure no Filipino is left behind—by pushing for better governance, fighting for food security, and standing up for truth and justice),” he said.
Aquino museum reopens
In commemoration of the 39th anniversary of the bloodless people power revolt that ended the dictatorship, the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF) and the Aquino family on Monday, Feb. 24, reopened the Aquino Center and Museum in San Miguel, Tarlac to honor the legacies of democracy icons former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and former president Corazon Aquino.
They also unveiled the “PNoy: Filipino” book to honor the life of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
NCAF President Rapa Lopa, grandson of Ninoy and Cory, underscored the importance of remembering the country’s history and honoring those who have fought for its democracy.
“Today we choose to reconnect with our history, to tie together the stories of those who came before us with the work we continue today. In a time when truth is undermined and history is repeated, we felt the need to enshrine the legacies of those who selflessly dedicated their lives to restoring freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and good governance,” he said.
EDSA celebration
Various activities were laid out from Feb. 22 to 25 for the remembrance of EDSA 39.
Among the activities were the “Yellow Ribboning” from Feb. 22 to 24. It was based on the “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” song that inspired the Yellow Movement in the Philippines in anticipation of Ninoy Jr.’s arrival from exile.
A Mass was also held at the EDSA Shrine on Feb. 22 to commemorate the first day of the EDSA People Power Revolution, when Jaime Cardinal Sin called on the people to protect then Defense Minister Juan Ponce-Enrile and Lieutenant General Fidel Ramos after they withdrew support from former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
On Feb. 23, a revival of the August Twenty-One Movement's ROAR! of the 80s was held; only this time ROAR stood for Run/Ride On Against Revision, a campaign to bring attention to the systematic erasing and rewriting of history, including the legacy of the People Power Revolution.
Other activities included “Nilarong Pinoy” and ” “Hamon Sa Mga Mamumuno” at the Rizal Park Luneta.
On Feb. 25, the 39th year of the fourth and last day of the revolution, organizers set the “EDSA 39 Commemoration” at the People Power Monument, a 20-minute “Panata ng mga Mamamayan,” the “Lakbay Dasal, Diwa ng EDSA” march, and the “Misa sa Huling Araw ng EDSA” at the EDSA Shrine.