Friday, February 24, 2017

February 24 is true people power: February 25 reminds us of thievery

I ask---was President Rodrigo Roa Duterte given false advise when he decided to declare February 24 as the culmination of celebrations commemorating the EDSA 1986 People Power revolution?

This declaration, stating February 25 as the date of the annual celebrations of this global phenomenon, is not at all an arbitrary decision. It was based on historical events and covered by numerous Executive Orders and possibly even law.

There is a reason why February 25 is the date to celebrate this event. On this date, former president Ferdinand Marcos left Malacanan shortly after Corazon Aquino was sworn in as president at Club Filipino.

February 24, 1986 was simply the date when Marcos attempted to reimpose power thru a declaration of National emergency and curfews which the people opposed. Millions stood up and defied the former strongman. People milled unto the streets and marched towards EDSA to protect the rebel soldiers holed up at both Camps Crame and Aguinaldo.

IN a way, commemorating the EDSA revolt at this date is also accurate, because it was a day of national defiance, a true show of people power. By the way, it was Fidel Ramos, who coined the term " people power" a day before, February 23. February 25 reminds people of the transition of power from the strongman to the representative of the Oligarchs, Corazon "Cory" Aquino.

It is therefore, more accurate, for us to really commemorate EDSA revolution on this day, February 24th instead of February 25 because, if we commemorate the twenty fifth, this exactly reminds us of what I now call "historical highway robbery" because on that date, February 25, we witnessed only a transition of power---from a strongman with his own oligarchic group, to another, who represents a more liberal group of oligarchs.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you very much for reading my blog. You inspired me. But if you intend to put your name "anonymous", better not comment at all. Thanks!