Mass leads off People Power anniversary rites
OPPOSITION leaders on Friday attended a Mass during the National Day of Prayer and Action, which ushers in the observance of the 38th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
The Mass was held at the EDSA Shrine on Ortigas Avenue in Quezon City and was presided over by Fr. Manoling Francisco, Fr. Nono Alfonso, and EDSA Shrine Rector Fr. Jerome Secillano.
The event was streamed live on the Facebook page of the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation.
Among the personalities attending the Mass were former senators Paolo Benigno Aquino 4th and Leila de Lima, current Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Liberal Party (LP) President and Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Tindig Pilipinas convenor and former presidential adviser on the Peace Process Teresita “Ging” Deles.
Kiko Aquino-Dee, a grandson of former senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and former president Corazon Aquino, who is also part of the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation and the #BuhayAngEDSA Campaign Network, also attended and talked about the fight against efforts to amend the Constitution.
“It is still a long fight in fighting against charter change and an even longer fight for our history, but this week is the opportunity to where we came from, to strengthen our service for our future,” Dee said in Filipino.
He detailed the other events that will take place on Sunday, February 25, the actual date of the People Power Revolution.
At 7:30 a.m., an “EDSA Freedom Ride” will be held at the Ninoy
Aquino Monument in Makati City, followed by a 10 a.m. showing of the film “The EDSA Story: A People’s Victory, A Nation’s Glory” at Club Filipino in San Juan City, where Corazon Aquino was sworn in as president in 1986.
A free concert called “EDSA Kahit Saan” will be held at the People Power Monument on White Plains Avenue in Quezon City at 7 p.m., with food and merchandise booths opening at 2 p.m.
Because it falls on a Sunday, there is no official holiday declared for the People Power anniversary, which overthrew the government of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
To mark the anniversary, the transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) will hold protest rallies on Sunday.
In its Facebook post on Friday, Piston announced two rallies on Sunday afternoon, both located in
EDSA, in line with the anniversary commemoration.
The group is calling for the restoration of their public utility vehicle (PUV) franchises, which are being consolidated as part of the PUV Modernization Program.
“Let us celebrate the spirit of the EDSA People Power Revolution by means of our strength and unity,”
Piston said in its announcement in Filipino. “Let us fight against the Marcos charter change! Let us fight for our livelihoods, lives, and independence!”
The first rally will be at 1 p.m. at the Department of Tourism on EDSA corner Connecticut, and the second at 3:30 p.m. on EDSA corner Ortigas.