The Federation of Urban Poor (FedUp) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Negros marked the 36th Edsa People Power Revolution by opposing the return of another Marcos to Malacañang at mass gatherings in Bacolod City Friday, February 25.
About 200 FedUp members clad in yellow gathered in front of the statue of Ninoy Aquino at Araneta Street, while close to 300 from Bayan staged a protest in front of the Old Bacolod City Hall.
The 1986 non-violent revolution led to the departure of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and the end of his 20-year dictatorship, Joy Jarabelo, FedUp Negros head, said.
“If we allow Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to become president in May the international community will laugh at us for allowing the return of the Marcoses after what our country went through,” she said.
“We already know their track record, if we allow a Marcos to return it will be shameful, we will not be respected by other nations,” she said.
People power is vote power, the power to choose good leaders to ensure good government, she said.
“Voting for good leaders will be rebuilding our country that is now in the abyss of division, fighting, untruthfulness, corruption, poverty, skyrocketing prices of commodities, job loss, and misgovernance,” she said.
The people on May 9 have the power to vote for a leader who will rebuild the country, she said.
The EDSA People Power Revolution is a historical event worth celebrating because no one paid, pressured and threatened the Filipino people to finally unite in 1986 to put an end to years of abuse, theft and killings, she said.
She said they celebrate the people power anniversary annually to remind the youth of why Filipinos united against the dictatorship and to protest against historical revisionism.
Ereneo Longinos, Bayan-Negros spokesperson, said their group also gathered in front of the Fountain of Justice to air their opposition to the return of the Marcoses.
They carried streamers that read “Ibalik ang Kinawatan indi an Kawatan (Return what was stolen, not the thief)” and “Never Again to Marcos-Duterte.”
The EDSA People Power Revolution capped a long struggle to end a dictatorship, and the Marcoses want to erase that legacy, Longinos said.*