The
EDSA Revolution
The four
days of February 22 to 25,
1986, known in the Philippines
as the EDSA Revolution, is a Filipino version of a peaceful and non-violent
popular uprising. It was the victory of the national purpose and conservative
values of the nation. It was the outpouring of love, anger and courage which
brought the people into streets against the power of a dictator and the fear of
a communist takeover.
While the
world watched, their eyes glued to their television sets, the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or
EDSA for short, became one stage for a drama: Cory Aquino as the heroine,
Ferdinand Marcos as the villain and the rebel military leaders in the persons
of Fidel Ramos, Juan Ponce Enrile and Gregorio Honasan as sudden heroes. Within
hours of the announcement of Enrile and Ramos’ break up with Marcos in a press
conference, the streets outside of the rebel headquarters became filled with
people.
Men, women
and children descended into EDSA from all directions bringing with them
provisions such as fried chicken, spaghetti, sandwiches and soft drinks, not to
take part in a revolution, but in a family picnic. They came with their radios
and cassettes while the women brought their umbrellas and camped on the
concrete highway with their families and friends. Cars and vehicles were parked
in the middle of the streets.
Soon
the people saw military tanks manned by heavily armed soldiers rolling towards
them. Suddenly everyone ran in the direction of the advancing tanks.
Instinctively, they held on to each other. Locked in each others’ arms – the
praying nuns and priests, the businessmen, students, teachers, laborers, housewives
– forming a strong chain, they all surged forward risking their lives as they
faced the advancing armored tanks.
“Hold
on!” one man shouted.
“Do not let go!” another one commanded, as they held on tightly locked arm in arm.
Holding
a rosary, a nun suddenly stepped forward and sweetly offered a sampaguita
garland to a soldier. Emboldened, a lady offered a second soldier some
sandwiches and cigarettes. Then the crowd offered the armed soldiers in the
tank pieces of fried chicken, soft drinks, other food and cigarettes which the
tired and hungry soldiers could not resist.
“Join us,
the people told the soldiers, let us not kill one other. We are all Filipinos
and brothers.” The soldiers went down and abandoned the tanks and joined the
crowd to the great joy and applause of the people.
At last,
Malacañang fell. All the people stormed its gates and rushed through the rooms
of the palace.
People Power
had won over the dictator’s rule. A long night had ended. It was the break of a
new dawn. The Filipino people had shown to the world that a non-violent
struggle for freedom can be won through the unity and prayers of a people
determined to live the way of peace, justice and freedom.
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