Groups set activities to celebrate EDSA ’86 revolt

MANILA, Philippines — Even if the government has excluded the 1986 EDSA people power revolution in its list of holidays this year, it is not preventing groups from celebrating the revolt that toppled former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

The Buhay ang Edsa Campaign Network – composed of social movement organizations, church leaders, political parties, sectoral groups and non-government organizations – has set several activities for the 38th anniversary of the bloodless revolution on Feb. 25. The group also includes artists, businessmen and individuals who aim to affirm the revolution’s democratic legacy.

Organizers will hold a freedom ride on Feb. 25 at around 7:30 a.m.

Participants clad in yellow attire will converge at the Ninoy Aquino Monument at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas.

The culminating activity is a concert at the People Power Monument where organizers would hold a countdown up to 9:05 p.m. – the hour when Marcos and members of his family, including his son and namesake, President Marcos left Malacañang Palace.

Militant groups are also set to hold separate activities to celebrate the revolution.

Various groups on Wednesday also launched a campaign against efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution.

The Koalisyon Laban sa Cha-cha (Charter change), convened by Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, described as selfish the moves to revise the Constitution.

“Our constitution is robust but not fully implemented and completed with the necessary implementing laws. The leaders we entrusted with power do not fully implement the Constitution and provide necessary implementing laws because of a selfish agenda,” the coalition said in a statement.

The group also refuted claims of lawmakers campaigning for Cha-cha that the Constitution is to blame for chronic poverty and that its economic provisions are too restrictive for foreign investments.

It vowed to uphold the Constitution, particularly its social justice provisions, and to protect the sanctity of processes to amend or revise the Charter so that these will not be used to exploit people.