Edsa People Power Anniv: Marcos asked to focus on fight vs corruption

FILE PHOTO: Jubilant Filipino floods into Malacañang compound to celebrate after President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who ruled for 20 years as one of the world’s most powerful dictators, fled to Hawaii, in February 1986. PDI PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has opposed proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution and urged the current administration to instead focus more on people’s needs and eradicating corruption.

NCCP’s pronouncements came on the occasion of the 38th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution on Sunday under the rule of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the late Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose dictatorial rule triggered the world-famous bloodless uprising in February 1986.

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The group said today’s government should do more initiatives that will truly benefit the people: “In the spirit of Edsa, our call remains the same and that is for our leaders of the land to be pro-people, urging the government to prioritize people’s needs amidst a time of escalating poverty; to eradicate corruption; boost local agricultural production through genuine agrarian reform, deliver basic social services, and push for the resumption of formal peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the  Philippines,” among others.

“Honoring the essence of Edsa entails a steadfast commitment to safeguarding our sovereignty. As we commemorate the 38th Anniversary of the Edsa, we are confronted anew with a pressing challenge: the elaborate schemes to alter the 1987 Philippine Constitution,” it also said in a statement.

“A claim that every administration pushes for iniquitous reasons posturing to lift the people’s economic situation. We thus invite our people to use this occasion to reflect deeply on the situation of the Filipinos under the government of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr,” it added.

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Edsa People Power Revolt

NCCP stressed that the Edsa revolt taught Filipinos to protect the foundational laws and uphold the dignity and values they fought for. The Constitution was ratified post-Edsa.

“As people of faith, we honor the commemoration of Edsa People  Power by being present in the parliament of the streets, fundamentally exercising our collective power not only in protecting our sovereignty from tyrannical regimes but also in any attempts to jeopardize our 1987 Constitution, undermining people’s decision making, democracy, and liberty,” it said.

“Our hard-fought victories over the years serve as a safeguard against further attempts to degrade, disrespect, or assault our freedom, echoing the painful lessons of past dictatorships that persist even in our current context,” it added.

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The Edsa People Power Anniversary is no longer a holiday this year, as it was not included in list of 2024 holidays in President Bongbong Marcos’ Proclamation No. 368 signed on October 11, 2023.

However, before the issuance of Proclamation No. 368, February 25 of every year was observed as a “special non-working holiday.”

The Office of the President later explained that they removed the event from the list of holidays for this year because it falls on a Sunday.

February 25, 1986 was the culmination of days of demonstrations by Filipinos who had denounced Marcos Sr.’s 20-year regime, which was marred with massive corruption and violations of human rights.