Numerous celebrities and social media personalities took to Twitter to express their frustration regarding the exclusion of the EDSA People Power commemoration from the list of public holidays for 2024.
On Friday, October 13, Malacañang unveiled the roster of regular and special holidays for 2024. However, social media influencers promptly highlighted the absence of the customary February 25 holiday that marks the 1983 EDSA People Power Revolution.
Journalist Barbaby Lo, in a tweet, characterized this decision as a facet of the Marcoses’ endeavor to cleanse their tarnished legacy from Philippine history.
“Anniversary of 1986 EDSA People Power that ousted late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., father of current President Bongbong Marcos, prominently missing in the 2024 holiday calendar released by Palace. Studies show the Marcoses benefiting immensely from historical disinformation.”
Anniversary of 1986 EDSA People Power that ousted late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., father of current President Bongbong Marcos, prominently missing in the 2024 holiday calendar released by Palace. Studies show the Marcoses benefiting immensely from historical disinformation. https://t.co/NnuWNOxRtO
— Barnaby Lo 吳宗鴻 (@barnabychuck) October 13, 2023
Singer and activist Leah Navarro also responded, stating, “No matter what they do, the 1986 People Power Revolution can’t be erased from history. They can try, but they will fail. The true story of EDSA 1986 has been indelibly written into world history. The revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship will be spoken of forever.”
No matter what they do, the 1986 People Power Revolution can’t be erased from history. They can try, but they will fail.
The true story of EDSA 1986 has been indelibly written into world history. The revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship will be spoken of forever. https://t.co/Md3o9wujt7
— Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro) October 13, 2023
Economist JC Punongbayan expressed his evident disgust and shared his sentiment through the hashtags #NeverForgetMartialLaw and #NeverForgetPeoplePower.
https://twitter.com/jcpunongbayan/status/1712676028475437368
@pmjamilla also voiced anger regarding the news, pointing out that the Marcoses are no longer concealing their intentions to revise the country’s history.
“The “diktaduryang Marcos” erasure in the Matatag curriculum, and now, the outright removal of the EDSA People Power uprising as a national holiday. They’re no longer being covert about their plans to whitewash and distort history.”
The “diktaduryang Marcos” erasure in the Matatag curriculum, and now, the outright removal of the EDSA People Power uprising as a national holiday. They’re no longer being covert about their plans to whitewash and distort history.
— Philip Jamilla (@pmjamilla) October 13, 2023
In the wake of the immediate backlash over the exclusion of the EDSA People Power anniversary from the 2024 holiday list, the Office of the President clarified that while they uphold respect for the commemoration, February 25, 2024, falls on a Sunday, leading them to deem its inclusion unnecessary.
JUST IN: The Office of the President explains the non-inclusion of the EDSA People Power Anniversary in the list of special non-working days for 2024. | via @pia_gutierrez pic.twitter.com/7Xz3GQ0Kf9
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) October 13, 2023
However, this explanation failed to appease netizens, who viewed it as a feeble excuse. Journalist Raissa Robles tweeted that Malacañang was being disingenuous, citing the example of Araw ng Kagitingan, which also falls on a Sunday this year but was included in the 2023 holiday list.
“I’m sorry Malacanang, you’re lying when you said you didnt include Edsa People Power as a holiday bec it fell on a Sunday. You just wanted to drop it. This year, Araw ng Kagitingan fell on a Sunday and Jr declared Monday a holiday. So will New Year this year See Proclamation 90.”
I'm sorry Malacanang, you're lying when you said you didnt include Edsa People Power as a holiday bec it fell on a Sunday. You just wanted to drop it. This year, Araw ng Kagitingan fell on a Sunday and Jr declared Monday a holiday. So will New Year this year See Proclamation 90. pic.twitter.com/HX2RC7RKip
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) October 13, 2023
Another journalist, Mara Cepeda, believed that the omission of the People Power holiday was still part of the ongoing historical revisionism.
“The Marcos Jr-led Philippine government drops February 25, the commemoration of the bloodless EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos Sr dictatorship, from its list of holidays in 2024. The whitewashing continues.”
The Marcos Jr-led Philippine government drops February 25, the commemoration of the bloodless EDSA People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos Sr dictatorship, from its list of holidays in 2024. The whitewashing continues.
— Mara Cepeda (@maracepeda) October 13, 2023
Kris Aquino’s official Twitter fan page, on the other hand, shared the official statement from the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, which emphasized that whether it’s officially designated as a holiday or not, EDSA People Power should always serve as a reminder to those in government that their power emanates from the people.
https://twitter.com/KrisAquinoWORLD/status/1712787898788159489
Similarly, social media influencer @dumidyeypee shared a portion of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation’s statement, asserting, “May pasok man o wala, holiday man o hindi, sa araw ng EDSA at sa bawat araw ng taon, alalahanin natin at ipaalala natin sa mga nasa puwesto na mismong taumbayan ang pinagmulan ng kanilang kapangyarihan, at sa wakas ng kanilang panunungkulan, sa taumbayan din ito babalik.”
May pasok man o wala, holiday man o hindi, sa araw ng EDSA at sa bawat araw ng taon, alalahanin natin at ipaalala natin sa mga nasa puwesto na mismong taumbayan ang pinagmulan ng kanilang kapangyarihan, at sa wakas ng kanilang panunungkulan, sa taumbayan din ito babalik. pic.twitter.com/EFh9hTnGxR
— jp retweeted and (@dumidyeypee) October 13, 2023
JR Santiago also shared the same tweet, “With or without a holiday declaration, the EDSA Revolution happened. Nothing will ever change that. #EDSARevolution”
With or without a holiday declaration, the EDSA Revolution happened. Nothing will ever change that. #EDSARevolution pic.twitter.com/MN0GhI7LI4
— JR Santiago (@oslecjunior) October 13, 2023
