“By honoring its legacy, we integrate its lessons into our daily lives. Meaning, we empower ourselves to stand up against injustices, as it is our right as youth.”

By JIAN ZHARESE JOEIS SANZ
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – The spirit of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution resonates among today’s youth. On its 39th anniversary, students from various universities staged walkouts and protests, in defiance to class suspensions—or the lack thereof—to commemorate the movement that toppled the 14-year Marcos dictatorship.  

Filipinos’ resistance remains strong, particularly as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of the very same dictator ousted by the People Power, declared February 25 a special working holiday, a move that many critics see as a blatant move to revise EDSA’s history. 

Thousands of youth joined other Filipinos from various sectors in reaffirming their commitment to remembering the past and defending democracy. Each step taken from the EDSA-Ortigas Flyover to the People Power Monument carried the weight of strength and solidarity. 

Echoing calls to ‘Never Forget’

For Zion Mallari, chairperson of the UP Diliman College of Music Student Council, commemorating EDSA is not just about remembrance; it’s about upholding the truth.  

“This is a clear attempt to revise history. We should be attending events like this to uphold the significance of this day and the essence of People Power in our country’s history,” Mallari told Bulatlat in an interview during the commemoration.  

UP President Angelo Jimenez initially implemented an alternative learning setup, but Diliman’s Chancellor later suspended classes, allowing students to fully participate. Mallari stressed that attending protests is necessary to ensure that the horrors of Martial Law are never forgotten.  

Rhoeddicc Ambubuyog, a student representative from Adamson University, shared a similar sentiment. He sees February 25 not just as a remembrance of the past but as an outcry for the present.  

“By honoring its legacy, we integrate its lessons into our daily lives. Meaning, we empower ourselves to stand up against injustices, as it is our right as youth,” Ambubuyog said.  

Adamson University was among over 100 academic institutions nationwide which suspended classes on February 25. Numerous Catholic schools such as De La Salle University (DLSU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) not only closed their doors but also directly joined the protest at the People Power Monument.  

In a statement, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) encouraged its member schools to mark the anniversary. The association emphasized the role of education in preserving historical truth. 

OneTaft, an alliance of schools along Taft Avenue, highlighted how the Filipino youth are reliving the militant spirit that once ousted a dictator.  

“From our classrooms to the streets, we are learning and acting on our responsibilities as youth and as part of the basic masses in the fight for our future, freedom, and democracy,” One Taft echoed in a statement.  

Walkouts as a form of defiance 

Not all academic institutions suspended classes to commemorate the EDSA uprising, prompting students to take matters into their own hands.  

At the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), over 1,000 students walked out of their classes, criticizing the administration’s refusal to suspend classes. According to the PUP Office of the Student Regent (OSR), the university claimed that it “lacked the authority” to declare a holiday, unlike private institutions.  

During the Martial Law, PUP was one of the hotbeds for student activism. Many of its students were vocal in opposing the military rule, political repression, and human rights violations. The university became famous for its militant and progressive student organizations, underground publications, and protests. 

Similarly, students of the Bulacan State University (BulSU) staged protests and a prayer vigil after the administration junked two suspension petitions. The first, which gathered over 5,000 signatures, was initiated by the Katipunan Student Movement (KASAMA), a student political party in BulSU. The second petition came from the Student Government’s Office of the Student Regent (OSR) and the Local Student Council (LSC) League of Governors. The university administration denied both requests, extending “support” to commemoration activities instead.  

Despite the administration’s stance, students pushed forth, demonstrating their commitment to honor the truth and the martyrs who fought for democracy.  

Repression amid remembrance 

On the day of the commemoration, repression in some academic institutions was reported. Students of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), who attempted to mark the day faced blatant repression. 

Based on Anakbayan-PLM’s alert post, students in civilian clothes who wanted to join the protest were blocked, questioned, and had their names listed.  

Anakbayan-PLM strongly condemned the incident, calling it an outright violation of students’ rights.  “This is an outrage and a violation of our right to commemorate People Power. Respect the martyrs and those who fought during the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, like Liliosa Hilao,” the group stated.  

More than 39 years ago, Liliosa Hilao, a campus journalist from PLM, was the first recorded case of a political detainee death under Martial Law. Anakbayan-PLM demanded that the names of the listed students be removed and that the administration be held accountable.  

The fight continues

Thirty-nine years after the historic People Power uprising, its legacy continues to inspire the youth. 

For today’s youth, EDSA is more than a moment in history, it is a continuing struggle for genuine democracy. (AMU, RVO)