Speech of FVR

Building the EDSA People Power Freedom Center

Our People Power Revolution at EDSA on 22-25 February 1986 was a shining moment in Philippine history. It was our people’s collective act of quiet courage and powerful resolve, a selfless offering of life and fortune on the altar of patriotic ideals – which are principled Filipino qualities that we sorely miss in these days of endless political bickering, inordinate greed, opportunism and tokenism.

The Spirit of EDSA is a cherished legacy from elder to younger Filipinos and to successor-leaders in the protracted struggle for a better future for our beloved Philippines, as well as the precious contribution of the Filipino people towards a more peaceful, bountiful world.

EDSA Belongs to All Time

Whoever today treasures the SPIRIT OF EDSA must first internalize it by doing some positive acts to care, share and dare for others. Those in authority now – wherever they were in February, 1986 – should champion the SPIRIT OF EDSA, and spread it by word and deed, undertake poverty alleviation and social reform; and insure justice is delivered without delay to the long-suffering and powerless.

The SPIRIT OF EDSA does not especially to younger Filipinos. This means taking actions that enhance, not diminish, our democracy; curb corruption and cronyism; belong only to the past. It belongs also to the present and the future. Like it or not, our People Power Revolution at EDSA is a continuing national endeavor that must be carried on by successor generations – because their contributions are an essential part of our nation-building. Each President, each leader, indeed each generation must succeed better than their predecessors.

WE MUST AFFIRM THE INHERENT HISTORICAL LINKAGES OF THE LIBERATING SPIRIT OF EDSA IN 1986 WITH EARLIER EPISODES OF FILIPINO COURAGE AND PATRIOTISM – EXEMPLIFIED BY THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT OF 1896 AT PUGAD LAWIN AND KAWIT, THE VALOR OF BATAAN-CORREGIDOR IN 1942, AND MOST RECENTLY, THE SACRIFICE OF OUR 44 FALLEN SAF COMMANDOS AT MAMASAPANO IN 2015.

Leaders Must Perform to Achieve Structural Changes

It is unfortunate that many Filipinos easily forget certain valuable lessons from our history of struggle and sacrifice that – over the centuries – won for us independent nationhood. Reflecting on the booms-and-busts, and the highs-and-lows in our collective national performance, our people appear to have repeatedly faltered. After gleaming triumphs, it seems, we tend to fall short again and again.

Our leaders, most especially, must PERFORM (instead of yak-yaking endlessly) to achieve structural changes, and also strive constantly to strengthen the Philippine national team. Through essential reforms, leaders must steer us away from cycles of boom-bust in which we often find ourselves. Furthermore, leaders must be able to mobilize our people so that, as responsible citizens, we perform according to the rule of law, and manifest real teamwork in nation-building. If we content ourselves with flawed policies, undeserving bureaucrats and self-serving dynasties at this time of new opportunity, expectedly we may fail again.

People Power Freedom Learning Center

TODAY, ON EDSA’S 31ST ANNIVERSARY… AS A SENIOR VETERAN… FVR REITERATES HIS SUGGESTION THAT THE EDSA PEOPLE POWER COMMISSION (EPPF) – ASSISTED BY THE SPIRIT OF EDSA FOUNDATION (SOEF) – SHOULD NOW COLLECT AND CENTRALIZE SIGNIFICANT MEMORABILIA, WRITINGS AND OTHER HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS IN ONE ACCESSIBLE LOCATION (CALL IT THE PEOPLE POWER FREEDOM LEARNING CENTER) TO FACILITATE THE EDUCATION OF YOUNGER FILIPINOS ABOUT EDSA. (THE SPIRIT, NOT THE HIGHWAY).

This follows the example of the South Korean government which set set the Philippines-Korea Friendship Center near the LNMB at Fort Bonifacio last 2012 on land made available by the DND to honor the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) that consisted of 5 Battalion Combat Teams with more than 7,400 Filipino warriors who fought to defend freedom and democracy in the Korean peninsula.

The greatest loss to our posterity would be our failure to impart the values of transcendent events in Philippine nation-building to those who now bear the torch of national leadership and to our younger generations.

To reinforce our people’s continuing spirit of patriotism and insure our nation’s better future, the President and Commander-in-Chief should now establish and institutionalize a PPFLC in a respectable, permanent venue accessible to the public in Camp Aguinaldo (adjacent to our People Power Monument on EDSA) and to do it within one year that shall serve to inspire our young people with a stronger sense of appreciation of the Spirit of EDSA as our essential tool for nation building.

THEY NEED TO KNOW – AND, FROM TIME-TO-TIME, HAVE TO BE REMINDED – BECAUSE IT IS THEY WHO WILL CARRY ON WHAT THEIR ELDERS HAD FOUGHT AND DIED FOR, IN THE SERVICE OF GOD, COUNTRY AND PEOPLE.

Every Citizen Can Make a Difference

COMMEMORATING THE SPIRIT OF EDSA IN SUCH A MODERN, MULTI-FACETED VENUE WOULD ENABLE ORDINARY FILIPINOS TO SERVE AS UPRIGHT CITIZENS (READ “PATRIOTS”) EQUALLY WELL AS SOLDIERS WHO FALL IN COMBAT.

The SPIRIT OF EDSA teaches us that every citizen – Christian, Lumad, Muslim; poor or rich; young or old; lowly or elite; Grade IV dropout or Harvard Ph.D; etc. can make a vital difference by respecting the law, paying their taxes, raising a proper family, and helping those in need. We do believe the best way to promote the SPIRIT OF EDSA is for everyone of us, as concerned citizens, to pull together, uplift the common life, and raise the Philippines to the position of dignity and admiration it deserves in the community of nations.

IF WE LEARN, INCULCATE, CHERISH AND PRACTICE ALL THESE PRECIOUS LESSONS FROM OUR STRUGGLES TO BE TRULY FREE, THE PHILIPPINES CAN BECOME THE ICON OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHICH NEED TO AVOID THE KILLING OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS LIKE IN THE RECENT PEOPLE’S UPRISINGS IN LIBYA, EGYPT, TUNISIA, YEMEN, IRAQ AND NOTABLY SYRIA (WHERE BLOODY CIVIL WAR IS STILL ONGOING).

Heeding Our Country’s Call

IRONICALLY, MOST FILIPINOS HAVE FOUND IT EASIER TO DIE FOR OUR COUNTRY – RATHER THAN TO LIVE FOR IT. DURING TIMES OF ECONOMIC GROWTH WE TEND TO SQUANDER OUR GOODWILL AND SOLIDARITY IN BICKERING – LIKE CRABS CAUGHT IN A BAMBOO TRAP OR LIKE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE – BY PULLING EACH OTHER DOWN.

If we Filipinos are to prosper, good citizenship must begin to count for more than just ties of blood, kinship, or private interest. We must begin to demonstrate that the Filipino nation is more than just an aggregation of political parties, economic elites, family dynasties or separate tribes. We won important victories at EDSA in February, 1986, but its highest outcome was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to infuse our people with a new, higher purpose… that is, to do better than others for the sake of our better future.

The SPIRIT OF EDSA compels our unswerving opposition to injustice, greed, despotism, corruption, complacency, and poverty. Its most dramatic moments may have passed – but there remain many decisions and actions still to be done by leaders and ordinary citizens, upon which depend the ultimate shape of the Philippine future.

AROUND THE WORLD, THE PHILIPPINES INCLUDED, THERE ARE NEW TYRANNIES IN THE FORM OF SELF-SERVING LEADERS, GREEDY AUTOCRATS, AND CLIQUES OF CORRUPT OFFICIALS WE MUST STILL CONFRONT AND REMOVE. THERE ARE STILL OLIGARCHIES, OPPORTUNISTS, AND WARLORDS WE HAVE TO BANISH FROM OUR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE.

Evolution of the People Power Freedom Learning Center

Conceptualized by SOEF Founding Chairman Christopher L. Carrion, an ardent EDSA veteran, on 08 August 1988 by means of envisioning the construction of a proposed “Tower of Peace,” to serve as the first Philippine landmark in order to “perpetually commemorate” the world renown February 1986 prayerful, peaceful, People Power Revolution and the “EDSA Spirit and Ideals” of love of God, patriotism, and volunteerism.

In 1992, Carrion reiterated his proposals regarding said “Tower of Peace” to President FVR. The proposal was returned to SOEF to redesign the facilities to serve a larger national and international audience.

09 May 1996 – DND Secretary Renato de Villa approved the allocation of a total area of 2,000 square meters for the proposed People Power Freedom Center (PPFC) in Camp Aguinaldo, which later became 4,000 square meters upon FVR’s approval.

Topographical surveys were conducted by the engineers of the DPWH and AFP, together with representatives of SOEF to determine the exact site and area for the proposed PPFC.

Arch. Pablo Antonio, Jr. was requested to undertake the preliminary design.

25 February 1997 – unveiling of the Architects’ design perspective was done during the EDSA Anniversary Commemoration at the People Power Monument.

Notes: (1) Over the years, the desired area for the PPFLC has increased to about 2.3 hectares due to the need for more library and museum spaces, facilities for internetting and bonding around the world, more function rooms/larger auditorium to serve a bigger public, and more parking areas.

(2) During earlier celebrations, particularly during 1993-1998, the NCR, Provinces and Chartered Cities were encouraged to conduct flag-raising ceremonies, military-civilian bonding activities, agricultural-industrial exhibits, job fairs and athletic tournaments – all for the purpose of fostering a stronger spirit of unity, solidarity and teamwork nation-wide.