Why was the holiday removed in the first place, and do Filipinos really care?

One of the great joys of scanning the calendar at the start of the year is finding those little moments of reprieve—holidays that break up the grind, with an extra morning to relax or a long weekend to escape the city. 

But this year, we were reminded (once again) of something missing: February 25, the anniversary of the EDSA People Power revolution, which was quietly struck off the non-working holiday list in 2024 and made a special working holiday. 

For those unfamiliar, the EDSA People Power has never been just another date on the calendar. The peaceful uprising in 1986 included two million Filipino civilians, plus political, military, and religious groups, who took to the streets in a four-day rally to topple the 14-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., along with his regime’s many human rights violations. Ultimately, the revolution restored democracy. 

The peaceful revolution flashed on screens across the world, inspiring countries in a historic moment of peace. 

Yet here we are, with no official pause to commemorate it. 

The disappearance of EDSA People Power day

The decision to remove EDSA People Power from the roster of national holidays was made under the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the very leader unseated by the revolution. Coincidence? Probably not. 

The official reasoning was to streamline the holiday schedule and prioritize economic productivity—meaning fewer breaks and more business as usual.

Malacañang Palace’s official statement in 2024 rationalized that since EDSA People Power fell on a Sunday, it wouldn’t affect laborers. “There is minimal socioeconomic impact in declaring this day as a special nonworking holiday since it coincides with the rest day for most workers and laborers,” said the Office of President.

Although the palace, “maintains the respect for the commemoration of the Edsa People Power Revolution,” the current president has offered “a hand of reconciliation” to critics in a statement on the 37th anniversary of the EDSA People Power. 

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This contrasts with former President Rodrigo Duterte, who continued to declare Feb. 25 as a holiday under his presidency, as well as former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who declared the much longer Feb. 22 to Feb. 25 period as “EDSA People Power Commemoration Week.”

Many have accused the administration of historical revisionism that attempts to “push for the institutionalized ‘forgetting’ of his father’s dictatorship,” said former DSWD secretary and martial law survivor Judy Taguiwalo. 

While this removal of the holiday has raised some eyebrows, it’s arguable that the spirit of EDSA People Power shouldn’t hinge on a holiday. And that maybe true remembrance is based on the proper exercise of democracy instead.

So do Filipinos really mind?

At least our good ol’ teachers still do. 

To mark the 39th anniversary, around 70 schools, universities, and groups have suspended classes and are set to join the rally at the People Power Monument on EDSA.

This includes the EDSOR (Edsa-Ortigas Avenue) schools such as the Immaculate Conception Academy, La Salle Green Hills, Saint Pedro Poveda College, and Xavier School. Also observing the nonworking holiday are De La Salle University and University of Santo Tomas, which have also announced the cancellation of classes, while encouraging students to take part. Meanwhile, UP declared the EDSA People Power anniversary as an alternative learning day. 

Other groups such as the Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (Tama Na) will be joining the protest as well. 

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Already, yellow ribbons can be seen tied around the gate of Ateneo de Manila University. These emblematic ribbons became a symbol of Ninoy Aquino’s homecoming after a long incarceration and exile in the US after his critique of the dictatorship, with supporters tying yellow ribbons in Manila to welcome him home. It was also the suspicious assassination of Aquino that sparked the anti-dictatorship protests and ultimately led to the EDSA People Power Revolution.

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So, do Filipinos really mind that EDSA People Power is no longer a holiday? 

The farther away from EDSA People Power we get, the more the significance seems to fade. While I didn’t experience People Power myself, I have noticed the younger generations don’t hold it in the same regard. And while it’s not entirely forgotten, its meaning has certainly evolved.

But maybe, removing the EDSA People Power as a holiday has only drawn more attention to its importance—evident in today’s upcoming rally, where the date remains a symbol marked by protest, with an aim to bring that same reverence for the peaceful revolution back.