Filipinos Protest Against Marcos Jr. On 39th Anniversary of Power People Revolution
Citizens protesting in Philippines, Feb. 24, 2025. X/ @asiatimesonline
February 25, 2025 Hour: 9:23 am
These protests took place in the midst of the campaign for the midterm elections, scheduled for May 12.
On Monday, thousands of Filipinos took to the streets to protest against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and demand the resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte.
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These protests took place on the 39th anniversary of the peaceful revolution that ended the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, the father of the current president.
“The youth of the Philippines are marching on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, where the revolution took place, to fight for our freedom and for a future that Marcos Jr. and Duterte are stealing from us,” said Mhing Gomez, president of the leftist organization Anakbayan.
The dictator’s son won a landslide victory in the 2022 presidential elections alongside the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Gomez denounced that their administration has been marked by “continuous” cuts to education and negligence in social services, among other issues.
Gomez lamented that “little has changed” in terms of the Filipino people’s well-being since February 22–25, 1986, when around two million people gathered on one of Manila’s main thoroughfares, popularly known as EDSA, during what became known as the People Power Revolution.
At the time, demonstrators, with the support of the military and the powerful Catholic Church, forced the downfall of Marcos Sr. Witnesses still recall the revolution for its peaceful and almost festive nature.
“I joined my parents because I truly believed in the cause we were fighting for at that moment—it was time to end the dictatorship,” said Volt Bohol, who participated in the popular revolution at age 14 and is now the president of the historic August 21 Movement, which was formed after the 1983 assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino.
Around 10,000 people gathered on Monday near the monument dedicated to the People Power Revolution. Thousands more joined demonstrations in different parts of the country on a day that, for the second consecutive year, was not declared a public holiday due to a decision by the Marcos Jr. administration.
“Today is not a holiday—there were classes—but afterward, we took to the streets because we know how important this day is for our children, and they must understand the significance of being part of this people’s movement,” said Ruby Fernando, president of the Manila branch of the Alliance of Committed Teachers union.
Marcos Jr. faced criticism today for allegedly attempting to erase the memory of the revolution that overthrew his father, accusations that presidential spokesperson Claire Castro strongly denied.
“How can history be erased? History is history, so the president cannot erase it,” Castro said during a press conference when asked about the absence of a public holiday and Marcos Jr.’s silence regarding the anniversary.
However, the day of protest did not revolve solely around the president and his late father, who died in exile in Hawaii in 1989. Protesters also chanted against the vice president, who is facing an impeachment trial in the Senate after being accused of corruption and the improper use of confidential funds.
“The removal and conviction of Vice President Sara Duterte will send a strong and clear message that the people are determined to fight corruption,” said Raymond Palatino, secretary of the leftist group Bayan.
These protests took place in the midst of the campaign for the midterm elections, scheduled for May 12, in which half of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives will be renewed. The elections are seen as a referendum on Marcos Jr.’s administration and Duterte’s popularity.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE