Ilonggo protest groups to hold EDSA anniversary rallies

Iloilo map

ILOILO CITY—Local progressive groups here will push through with their planned rally to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution on Friday, Feb. 24, even after local police expressed concerns over Iloilo City traffic.

In a February 16 letter, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) officer-in-charge Col. Joresty Coronica told the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Panay that their planned rally would be inconvenient to the public.

“Assessment has been made by this Office shows that such activity will greatly cause additional traffic congestion since the above-mentioned streets are already congested and busy and that it will greatly cause inconvenience to the general public considering that the date requested is a Friday,” Coronica’s letter said.

This was despite a February 12 endorsement signed by the ICPO chief himself to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, stating that BAYAN Panay had complied with their requirements to apply for a rally permit.

The rally had also been given clearance by the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office, the department in-charge of the enforcement of traffic regulations, among other offices required for the issuance of a rally permit.

Rally activities on Friday will be led by BAYAN Panay, and joined by other Makabayan groups including Kabataan and Gabriela Party-list, as well as United Labor, an alliance of labor groups which include, among others the Partido ng Manggagawa and the Federation of Free Workers, and vendors from Iloilo Central and Terminal Markets who oppose current redevelopment plans.

In a press conference on Wednesday, February 22, Mario Andon from United Labor said that they would only find true peace if they are provided with better salaries and better living wages.

“Laborers’ wages went up after the EDSA Revolution, but not given by the succeeding president [Corazon Aquino], but through general strikes that we launched in 1987, 1988, [and] 1989. We laborers believe that we need to join forces to be able to get what we have been fighting for since the time of earlier labor leaders,” said Andon.

BAYAN Secretary-General Elmer Forro stated that the protests are not far from that of the 1986 EDSA People Power, as presidents from that time and today are both named Ferdinand Marcos.

“The essence of [this presscon] was also that of the 1986 [EDSA People Power] when the people ousted a dictator. The former dictator was a tyrant because they wanted to silence the people of the effects of the [economic] crises in 1986, and the crisis continues today. The message of the 1986 revolution to today is to continue the fight,” said Forro.

“The issues then are very similar to the issues now. Our call for this 37th commemoration is to get rid of the crisis that is plaguing the people, and return the [wealth] stolen by the late dictator Marcos [Sr.] and his family, which the people can use to face the ongoing economic crisis,” he added.

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JPV