MANILA (UCAN): Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, the Philippines, urged the nation’s young people to continue advocating for social change while seeking out truth, drawing lessons from the People Power Revolution of 22-25 February 1986.
Archbishop Villegas made his remarks in a message sent to Radio Veritas Philippines ahead of the 39th anniversary of the 1986 popular protest, RVA News reported on February 21.
“In February 1986, we, your grandparents, stood for four days at Epifanio delos Santos Avenue [EDSA] in Quezon City, between Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame,” the archbishop recounted.
“We offered food and prayed the rosary to the soldiers who had been deployed to disperse us. We sang Bayan Ko [Our Country] and slept on the streets,” he added.
Archbishop Villegas noted that on 25 February 1986, following a peaceful protest, the “dictator and thief” Ferdinand Marcos Sr. fled to exile in Hawaii.
“We ousted the dictator without violence and bloodshed,” the archbishop emphasised.
In February 1986, we, your grandparents, stood for four days at Epifanio delos Santos Avenue [EDSA] in Quezon City, between Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame
Archbishop Villegas
An estimated two million Filipinos participated in the non-violent People Power Revolution from 22-25 February 1986, which ended Marcos’ 20-year-long dictatorship and restored democracy in the nation.
Archbishop Villegas underlined the significance of standing up for what is right and refusing to ignore the wrongdoings of leaders or those in power.
“Archbishop Socrates loves you. I will not lie to you. I will not mislead you. I was there. I saw the corruption, torture, killings, and illegal arrests. That is what happened,” the archbishop said.
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He pointed out that the revolution was the response of God-loving Filipinos to “evil men and evil deeds.”
“We must celebrate. This day is the holiday of the nameless millions of Filipino heroes of 1986. Do not forget,” he added.
Archbishop Villegas encouraged the young people and students to continue advocating for social change, guided by faith and strengthened by a deep sense of solidarity with others.
He specifically mentioned the Catholic school students in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in his message.
Archbishop Villegas encouraged the young people and students to continue advocating for social change, guided by faith and strengthened by a deep sense of solidarity with others
The archbishop also shared details of his involvement in the protest as the first Rector of the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace—commonly known as the EDSA Shrine in the Archdiocese of Manila—in 1986, RVA News reported.
Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus also urged parishes in his diocese to offer prayers on the observance of the 39th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, CBCP News reported.
“The struggle to depose a dictator was not borne out of some personal interests or any particular political ideology; rather it emerged from a deep commitment in pursuit of liberty, truth, and justice,” Bishop Evangelista said.
“Above all, it was driven by a profound sense of faith in the Lord that constantly seeks what is true, good, and noble, so that future generations will value the Lord’s gift of freedom,” the bishop said.
Earlier on February 20, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines [CEAP], an umbrella organisation of Catholic schools, colleges, and universities, reaffirmed its commitment to shaping students on the moral principles laid out during the 1986 uprising, CBCP News reported.
“The 1986 EDSA People Power revolution shall always be a constitutive dimension of learning of our students,” CEAP said when encouraging
its 1,525 member schools to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the revolution which fell on February 25.
The association said it would “push back all attempts to deny, distort, downgrade, and devalue” the commemoration of the revolution in its schools and communities, CBCP News reported.
Civil society groups have criticised the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator, of downplaying the anniversary of the EDSA people power revolt by declaring it a mere “special working holiday,” The Philippine Star reported.
The “move to downplay this historic event is part of a larger effort to rewrite history, hoping that our people eventually forget their sovereign power,” senatorial candidate, Teddy Casiño, said in a statement.
The CEAP urged Catholic schools to adopt creative ways to mark the event while urging them to “recommit to the EDSA spirit,” CBCP News reported.
“The EDSA spirit is a shining moment in our life and history as a people. It showed the world what is best in the Filipino, how we can transcend ourselves and sacrifice for our country, how we choose peace over violence,” CEAP added.
Catholic schools near the historic protest grounds of the popular revolt suspended classes on February 25 to resist attempts to erase the country’s collective memory, The Philippine Star reported.
