Four-Day EDSA Commemoration Announced

Malacañan announced a low-key four-day commemoration to observe the EDSA People Power Revolution’s 31st anniversary.

“We have lined up a program for the next four days that would be simple enough but indicative of what we intend to do,” Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said during a press briefing in the New Executive Building in Malacañan.

The celebration, with the theme, “A Day of Reflection: Celebrating People Power for Nation Building,” starts today, Feb. 22 (Wednesday), with a wreath laying and military honor ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig. Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna will deliver the message.

On Feb. 23, Thursday, the Malacañan Library and Museum situated in the Kalayaan Hall will be opened to the youth for a tour.

A morning ecumenical celebration will kick off Day 3 on Feb. 24 to be followed by the Spirit of EDSA Foundation (SOEF) Awarding Ceremony in the Grandstand, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

This year’s EDSA Freedom Awardees are the military represented by DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Lt. Col. Balbas and General Hotchkiss for the military; the religious represented by Sister Sarah Manapol, Aleem Said Akmar Bashir and Bishop Jonel Milan; and the Filipino people represented by Bobby Aquino (son of Butz Aquino), Ms. Ching Montinola and Mr. Uriel Jojo Borja.

Sabrina Artadi and Valiente Namion, on the one hand, are this year’s Good Citizenship Awardees.

The commemoration will culminate on Feb. 25 with a wreath laying and flag raising ceremony at the People Power Monument, along the corner of EDSA and White Plains Avenue.

This year’s EDSA People Power Commemoration is headed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Chairman of the EDSA People Power Commission and Vice Chair Joey Concepcion.

The EDSA People Power Commission is created through Executive Order No. 82 series of 1999 to “institutionalize the legacy of the EDSA People Power Revolution.” It is the agency tasked “to plan, organize and implement the annual commemoration of the 1986 EDSA Revolution and is responsible for initiating activities to expand awareness of the values and principles that spurred the Revolution.” (PNA)JMC/PCO-CONTENT/EBP