Marchers: ‘Edsa celebration doesn’t depend on gov’t; we are People Power’

Edsa People Power celebration (Photo from Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net dated Feb. 25, 2024)

BACOLOD CITY – Two rallies were held here on Sunday to mark the 38th anniversary of Edsa People Power Revolution that ousted then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from power.

About 100 Federation of Urban Poor in Negros (FedUp) members staged a protest to call for freedom from the deceit of what they described as a “sham people’s initiative to change the Constitution.”

The demonstration was held in front of the statue of former Senator Benigno Aquino at Araneta Street.

“We insist on celebrating EDSA despite its not being declared a holiday,” FedUp provincial head Joy Jarabelo said.

“Its celebration does not depend on the government, but on us. We are EDSA People Power,” she explained.

The protesters said the deceit is happening, supposedly in the guise of changing the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, when the motive is really political.

“To deserve this freedom, FedUp refuses to forget a historic event in Filipinos’ lives that brought freedom and democracy back to life in 1986,” she said.

“Now, that freedom and democracy is wanting, given the deceptions done by our legislatures to change the Constitution,” Jarabelo pointed out.

“We have lost that freedom and democracy during the Duterte administration with the massive killings and corruption,” she recalled.

“We are again faced with deception by the current administration,” she observed.

“EDSA People Power was never a failure. It is, instead, the leaders whose vested interests are beyond satisfaction who failed, and are trying to kill the values of EDSA,” Jarabelo lamented.

At Bacolod Public Plaza, about 500 protesters joined a rally to keep the spirit of the EDSA People Power Revolution alive.

Bayan Negros chairperson Jimmy Loplip said the assembly was also staged to oppose Charter change.

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, in a statement released at the event, stressed the need to keep the spirit of EDSA People Power alive “to ignite our unity to rise once more.”

“EDSA People Power Revolution 38 years ago was a day for the Filipino people to rise in hope for a more peaceful nation,” he said.

“Today, the nation is again under threat with moves to amend the Constitution,” he warned.