Youth needs to relate to Edsa’s lessons

02/26/2011 - The Cebu City Council is urging government agencies and civil society to create awareness on the significance of the Edsa revolution as the country celebrates the event’s 25th anniversary today.

The legislative body noted that since it happened a quarter of a century ago, the youth cannot relate to the 1986 people power revolution, which toppled the dictatorship of then president Ferdinand Marcos.

Councilors Alvin Dizon and Maragarita Osmeña sponsored the resolution, which encourages different agencies to embark on activities celebrating the anniversary of Edsa to “expand awareness on the principles and values that the Edsa People Power stands for."

But Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Cebu said corruption in government has caused the promises of Edsa—democracy, peace and better life for Filipinos—to fail.

Poverty

FDC Cebu secretary Jose Aaron Pedrosa said 25 years after Edsa, Filipinos still suffer from poverty, and lack of opportunities in education, employment and livelihood.

The Edsa revolution installed Corazon Aquino, wife of the late Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. and mother of incumbent President Benigno Aquino III, in the presidency.

"The legacy of Edsa teaches us that for as long as we, as a people, remain united for democracy and freedom, we can work together for a better future," the City Council resolution read.

Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal was among those who played a vital role what was described as a peaceful revolution.

He was president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) from 1986 to 1987 when the bishops issued political statements that changed the course of history.

Condemn

The string of events that involved Vidal was documented by the authors of the book Via Veritatis (The Life and Ministry of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal).

Before the 1986 snap elections, the CBCP issued the exhortation, "We must obey God rather than men."

The bishops had condemned the Marcos presidency and called the 1986 snap elections as "unparalleled in fraudulence." It accused the former strongman as "criminally using power to thwart the people's sovereign will."

Then first lady Imelda Marcos visited Vidal at the CBCP office in Manila to persuade him not to sign the bishops’ statement, which declared that “a government that assumes or retains power through fraudulent means has no moral basis."

Godmother

Imelda was one of Vidal's godmother when he was elevated into the College of Cardinals.

Vidal did not heed Imelda’s urgings as he was the one who drafted the statement.

He said the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin had told him to call on the people to be more discerning and level-headed.

After Vidal's initial instruction to the people, Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin made another announcement. He called on the people to march to Edsa.

In his speech during the forum on people power and poverty reduction, FDC national president Ricardo Reyes said the country is “no nearer” to the goals it had transpired to during Edsa.

“Worse, the opposite has transpired,” Reyes said.

He said that instead of equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth, the Philippines is ranked as the most unequal country in Southeast Asia.(Sun Star)