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TUESDAY/ FEBRUARY 26, 2019
PH|LTPPINE DArLY INQU
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The celebration of the 33rd an-
niversary of the Edsa People
Power Revolution on Monday
was a quiet affair: no vIPs, no
crowds.
But an important and timely
message to all Filipinos was is-
sued from the Eucharistic cele-
bration at the Edsa Shrine in
Quezon City: "Seek the common
good" in May's midterm elec-
tions.
Pastoral letter
It came through a pastoral
letter from the catholic Bishops'
Conference of the Philippines,
written by Davao Archbishop
Romulo Valles, president of the
group, and read dudng the
homilyby Fr. Lazaro Abaco.
"ln our country today, the
checks and balances in the gov-
ernment are being undermined.
So far, the Senate is the institu-
tion in the government that is
holding out as our country is
inching toward total contlol. It
is very crucial therefore that we
elect public officials who are
principled, courageous and who
have the common good as their
main concern and not their own
political interests," the bishops
said in their message.
"ln our hands is the direc-
tion of our country, Let the
common good be the aim of our
politicians and let the common
good be the basis or our choice
.. WWW.INQUIRER.NET
QUIETCOMMEMORATION OF EDSA PEOPLE
n ilAY P0Lt$
God to relay the people's senti-
ments to government leaders."
The commemoration of the
February 1986 Popular revolu-
tion that toppled dictator Ferdi
nand Marcos from power has lost
luster and grown dull over the
years as the key figures in the up-
rising that led to the restoration
of democracy in the Philippines
have died or grolvn old.
Gone now are the yellow-
clad crowds who descended on
Edsa with the same fervor ofthe
millions who thronged the belt
highway during those four days
in February 1986 to bring an ig-
nominious end to the iron-fist
lule ofMarcos.
sparse crowd
The sparse crowd that
tumed up for the commemora-
tion on Monday was composed
of government workers, mostly
WE BELONG Members of Liga lndependencia Filipinas join the sparse crowd at the 33rd from the Metropolitan Manila
commemoration ofthe Edsa People Pow€r Revolution at the People Power Monument. Development Authority and [o-
cal governments, and members
of civic organizations.
for our next set of public offi- as an improvement of the 1987 senators in the 17th Congress Theywere notdressed in the
cials," they said. Constitution but is a self-serving have rejected as "dead onarrival." signature yellow of Corazon
The bishops went on to attempt of present politicians to The bishops sought to cor- Aquino, the widow of assassi-
warn against the dangers of remain in power," they said. rect the misconception that the nated opposition leader Benig-
adopting the surreptitiously religious should not be political, no Aquino Jr. who was swept in-
passed Hodfe version of the Campaign in full swing saying "Christians are also en- to power by the revolution.
draft federal Constitution. The campaign for the couraged to engage in princi- They donned red, white and
"lts version of federalism is midterms is in full swing and so pled partisan politics." blue shirts.
vague and it will do away with far neither adminisfiation nor "This," they said, "means For the first time in 33 years,
the 2019 elections. we denounce opposition candidates have dared that they can campaignfor good former President Fidel Ramos,
any attempt to avoid the 2019 push the draftHouse constitution candidates as an exercise of one ofthe key figures in the rev-
elections," the bishops said. that would abolish the position of their Christian faith." olution, was absent from Mon-
"we do not see the propqsed Vice President in a presidential Christians, theysaid, need not day's event.
revised Constitution approved bicameral federal govemment shout to be heard; they can also Pastor Saycon, a member of
bythe lHouse ofRepresentatives] and lift term limits but whiqh the
.\rpff o, the Edsa peopre power com_
t#y?ff;,\."tt
mission, said Ramos, 92
skipped the event because h€
was not feeling well.
Duterte's message
President Duterte, an admir'
er of Marcos, again skipped the
event, but issued a message late
Sunday reminding Filipinos t0
appreciate "what we lost and
what we reclaimed."
He said th€ Edsa Peopl€
Power Revolution had shown l0
the world that "history can b(
rewritten without the need t(l
resort to violent means."
"As the entire nation preparcs
for the upcoming midterm elcc
tions this May, let us always rc
member how this historic revohr'
tion restored our power to collc(:
tively chart our future throu8ll
the ballot " Mr. Duterte said.
Mr. Duterte has not attclrd-
ed a single Edsa celebralior
since coming to office in 20r6,
Presidential spokespersoI
Salvador Panelo said on Sunrlrr!
that Mr. Duterte was atten(lllrl
to "more pressing matters."
Despite waning intercsl it
the event, Bayan Muna R('l)
Carlos Isagani zarate s id llt(
ouster of Marcos was "a vlclol !
of our people already sirlol!
etched in our history."
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarirl
called on the nation to keep lh(
People Power Revolution'!
flame alive and never to relcgat(
the event to "a mere footnote ir
history." -ntrorrs r.oJ ret..t t
GAMI!, JULIE M. AUREIIO, IEANNETTE I
aNDTaDEANDDTYAP rNQ