Lessons from EDSA at 39

Today, February 25, 2025, the country celebrates the 39th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. Like most, if not all, social movements in this country, EDSA remains an unfinished revolution --unfinished in the sense that we have not learned enough from the event to address our country's fundamental problems and systemic flaws.

Reflecting on today's EDSA anniversary in the age of social media, I believe there is much to learn if we listen more than we speak online. The problem is that today's communication ecosystem is muddled and made toxic by both trolls and the self-righteous “woke”.

To illustrate, the Marcos administration is accused of downplaying the historical event by declaring it merely a working holiday. Many private schools, including big universities in Manila, have defied this by suspending classes, while the UP System opted for an alternative learning day.

One self-righteous “woke” individual in an online group chat I belong to commented on how disappointing it is for the UP System not to declare a suspension of classes and instead merely designate February 25 as an alternative learning day (ALD). This is an example of "virtue signaling", positioning oneself as morally superior for "standing up" against what he perceives as injustice.

This stance overlooks the importance of engaging in thoughtful discussion about, say, the complexity of institutional decisions or the purpose of an ALD. The latter, in fact, is designed not as a regular class day but as an opportunity to learn, reflect, and engage with the significance of EDSA through non-traditional means.

That said, what can we really learn from EDSA --something we can pass on to our youth?

I think the foremost lesson is that EDSA’s transformative potential remains incomplete. While it succeeded in ousting a dictator, it did not achieve the broader goals of genuine democratic reform or social justice. It merely reinstated the old yet democratic system of an elitist and oligarchic kind, thus failing to fully address deep-seated social and economic inequalities (Ileto, 1993).

On the other hand, this reality has been exploited by pro-Duterte and pro-Marcos trolls and online influencers to denounce the "yellows" (Aquino supporters) by portraying them as intellectual snobs disconnected from the realities ordinary people face.

Our democracy remains largely on paper. In reality, we are vulnerable to authoritarianism due to the disempowerment of our people. Any leader can rule on a whim and need only "spread the butter" among fellow elites to maintain the status quo while continuing the usual practices that hold back the nation’s potential. The recent survey by OCTA Research showing people’s widespread acceptance of dole-outs, and their desire for more, reflects this sad reality of disempowerment.

EDSA People Power is often romanticized as a peaceful uprising and, in fact, has become an inspiration for subsequent peaceful movements in many countries. But we often overlook the fact that social movements and civic engagement must be sustained to make a lasting impact.

EDSA People Power was a demonstration of people from all walks of life taking to the streets, but its grassroots nature was tenuous. It remained reliant on fleeting moments of public sentiment, which can easily turn into discontent or disappointment—especially when post-EDSA governments largely failed to address deep-rooted issues like poverty and inequality. Yet, EDSA remains an inspiring event, showing the world what Filipinos, when united, can achieve overnight.

I believe that sustained civic engagement is key. But is this even possible in today’s muddled communication ecosystem? There is disinformation from trolls on one end and empty virtue signaling from some progressives on the other. Civic engagement has become increasingly challenging.