THE 1986 People Power revolt remains an unfinished business in the national agenda because it has not yet fulfilled its promise of transforming the nation, particularly from the oppression of poverty, several national leaders said Wednesday on the eve of the uprising’s 30th anniversary.
“I have said this before and it bears repeating: Democracy is nothing if it does not democratize wealth. Democracy cannot thrive in a society whose population groans in abject poverty,” said Vice President Jejomar Binay, one of the leaders of the Edsa uprising.
“We restored freedom and democracy. But the revolution is far from complete,” Binay said. “We have achieved political freedom, yet economic freedom is still beyond our grasp. The fight for freedom from poverty remains.”
He said poverty in the midst of plenty is the country’s greatest shame and it is also the greatest challenge for the next administration.
Binay, the presidential candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance, vowed to work hard to restore the dignity of the poor by redistributing economic opportunity, saying “it is a fight that can be won.”
“As mayor of Makati, we reformed the bureaucracy and restored the trust of the business community and the people in their local government. More importantly, we addressed the poverty of our people,” he said.
“Makati teaches us that political will, transparency, compassion, and the unfettered support of the people can move a community forward. We have seen the fruits of People Power in Makati through a government that serves its people well. We did it in Makati. We can do it for the entire country,” he said.
Binay’s main rival Senator Grace Poe agreed that the fight is not yet over and the enemy is still poverty.
“Thirty years after Edsa, we have a lot of things to do as a nation so that we can get freedom from hunger, poverty, lack of education, repression of our rights to information, and human rights violation,” Poe said. “It will be a big challenge for the next leader to achieve this freedom.”
As presidential candidate, Poe, along with her running mate Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, vowed to continue the spirit of Edsa with the participation of the youth and the whole nation.
“We believe in the reliability of the youth to be our partner in molding a prosperous nation, free and compassionate to every Filipino. We are united, we can be successful in this fight,” Poe said.
Escudero said the 30th anniversary of Edsa is another time to remember with great humility the nameless heroes and heroines of “this shining chapter in our history.”
“So many events have unfolded since February 25, 1986. So many have analyzed and interpreted this memorable part of our contemporary history. History is both beautiful and bizarre, if not ugly,” he said.
The camp of Escudero’s main rival Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also agreed that much remains to be done to fulfill the promise of the Edsa uprising.
Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, Marcos’ campaign adviser, rued widespread poverty, criminality and illegal drugs, lack of sustainable employment, poor basic services and infrastructure.
“Instead of moving forward to face up to the pressing challenges now bedeviling the nation, they are again leading our people towards the precipice of divisiveness and hopelessness,” Dela Cruz said.
“We should not allow the shadows of the past darken the doorstep to a promising future of peace, unity and prosperity for our people. We should not let the prejudices of the past hold back our moving forward as a people dedicated to a better future for all.”