Twenty five years ago, Filipinos went to the streets filling Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. By the thousands, they came. Through EDSA, we changed history, democracy and the meaning of revolution forever.
We showed the world that we are a race of warriors ready to brave tanks and armed soldiers with nothing but ourselves and prayers. This battle in 1986, was not a battle of armed conflict but a battle of will, solidarity, conviction, unity and faith. It was the day we choose to stand up for who we believe in, and it was monumental.
The story has been retold over and over again. Even the inside story has been told, the political struggles, the interplay of power to those in position. Still a nation has been moved, a nation has been changed, a nation has chosen. Well, technically...just the residents of Metro Manila and a few from Luzon did.
EDSA now became a symbol of resistance, reforms, and democracy. And also peace. Whenever there's a need for radical change, it is being taken to the streets. Thus a couple more "EDSA's" followed. But those that attempted to repeat 1986, they never came close to the real thing.
The question is, after 25 years, what good did the EDSA Revolution do to our country? Did it just seal the lid on our title as being peaceful revolutionaries?
Our National hero, Dr. Jose Rizal believed in peaceful revolutions. Perhaps the EDSA Revolution resulted partly in his works.
Maybe.
Update: Check another article I wrote regarding EDSA Revolution. Read it here.
Another Perspective of People Power and the EDSA Revolution.
