A group of the most prominent schools in the Philippines recently reaffirmed February 25, the date of the nonviolent EDSA People Power Revolution anniversary, as a non-working holiday – despite its exclusion from the Philippine government’s official list of holidays.
Manila Times Article on People Power 1986. The Manila Times covered the People Power Revolution at EDSA Avenue. Date: 28 January 1986. Wikimedia Commons.
February 25 has always been celebrated as the EDSA People Power Revolution day. It was the day when huge numbers of Filipinos gathered at EDSA peacefully, causing former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr, his family, and his closest allies to flee the country. Marcos Sr. ruled the Philippines for 20 years and declared martial law in 1972, granting himself dictatorial powers. The family fled the country in 1986.
Now, his son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is the current president of the Philippines. And, this historical day is not on the list of official holidays.
The participating schools are the Immaculate Conception Academy, La Salle Green Hills, Saint Pedro Poveda College, and Xavier School. They comprise the EDSOR Consortium. De La Salle Philippines (DLSP) announced the suspension of work and classes in all DLSP schools nationwide to celebrate the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
The Lasallian Post, their Facebook page, stated that all of its satellite schools nationwide will also celebrate EDSA and urged members to “resist all attempts to erase from our collective memory what our nation achieved in February 1986.”
Recently, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) also joined them in celebrating EDSA. On their UST’s FB page, they released a statement saying, “The University will suspend classes in all levels and office work on February 25, 2025, as we commemorate the People Power Revolution of 1986. As one community let us participate in religious and academic activities that commemorate our history in this moment as a democracy.”
The EDSA People Power Revolution will be celebrated on Feb. 25, 2025.
An EDSOR statement said, “Recognizing our responsibility as educational institutions, we remain committed to preserving the relevance of the EDSA People Power Revolution, particularly for our current and future generations of students. We will continue to keep the spirit of EDSA alive despite active efforts to undermine it.
“May we invite everyone to join us in remembering that the freedoms we enjoy today were hard-won, and we owe it to the next generation that we protect and safeguard the same. May God bless the Philippines!”
