MANILA, Philippines -- Former president Fidel V. Ramos has called on the people to "recapture the spirit" of the 1986 EDSA Revolution not through another people power but through communal reforms.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the austere rites marking the celebration at the People Power Monument in Quezon City on Monday, Ramos said the highest outcome of EDSA I was the rare opportunity to infuse people with a new purpose and that its greatest loss would be the failure to impart the values of this historic event.

Ramos, a major player in EDSA I, has been saying he continues to support President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo despite the National Broadband Network-ZTE corruption scandal "in the absence of a better alternative."

"Our leaders have lost their unity, solidarity and teamwork. It is for us, therefore, the concerned citizens to recapture the spirit of EDSA 1986 because it is still there among our people," he stressed.

Ramos said the calling of EDSA I and eventually of EDSA II in 2001 involved the first step towards reforms -- the "individual conscientization" that took place among the participants of both sides.

He said this internalization of conscience in 1986 caused then General Antonio Sotelo and his helicopter gunships to join the beleaguered military rebels at Camp Crame, and the refusal of then Marine Commandant Artemio Tadiar to roll over Joey Rufino, the priests and the nuns.

He also cited the multitudes, rebel soldiers and civilians alike, who offered their lives for freedom and sacrifice. He also took a dig at some "hard-hearted leaders" who continued to ignore the legacy of EDSA I.

"Out of such massive internalization of conscience came not just actions, but communal reforms which restored our freedom and the rule of law," Ramos said.

He continued : "We're not yet there. We're not yet out of woods because of some hard-hearted leaders but what should ensue out of our conscientization and reforms are national renewal and national transformation."

According to Ramos, Filipinos and foreign residents here are all passengers of the same ship.

As such, he said, each one must not allow the ship captain, or the chief of state, "to falter or deteriorate."

"Neither should we allow anyone to put new holes in our already leaking ship, otherwise, we will all sink together," he added.

Asked if the Filipinos could still rekindle the spirit of EDSA 1, Ramos said they would, as long as there was unity and teamwork.

"Iyong spirit ng EDSA, hindi iyong people power ang pinag-uusapan dito. Reporma muna tayo. Huwag nating palubugin ang ating barko," he said. [We?re talking about the spirit of EDSA, not of People Power. Let?s focus on reforms first. Let?s not allow our ship to sink.]