THE CATHOLIC Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) has vowed to resist efforts to downplay the historic 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, whose anniversary has been declared as a mere special working holiday by Malacañang.
“The 1986 EDSA People Power revolution shall always be a constitutive dimension of learning of our students. Philippine and Catholic education shall never be without it,” CEAP, whose more than 1,500 member-schools include UST, said in a statement on Thursday, Feb. 20.
“CEAP shall push back all attempts to deny, distort, downgrade, and devalue it on our schools, in our communities, and in our life as a nation,” it added.
Proclamation no. 727 issued by Malacañang last Oct. 30 categorized the 39th anniversary of the EDSA revolt as a special working holiday, a move that critics view as an attempt to dilute the importance of the revolt that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, father of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Aside from ending the 20-year presidency of the elder Marcos, the military-supported uprising also led to the restoration of the country’s democratic institutions.
CEAP said Catholic schools would consider holding “courageous,” “creative” and “community-centered” activities to commemorate the popular revolt. They include masses, class and work suspensions, alternative classes, conferences, reflection sessions and community outreach and socio-cultural events.
Several Catholic schools, including UST, De La Salle University and Adamson University, suspended classes and office work on Feb. 25 despite Malacañang’s decision to declare the EDSA revolution anniversary as a special working holiday. Some nonsectarian institutions, including the University of the Philippines and Far Eastern University, declared the date to be an alternative learning day.
CEAP said the spirit of EDSA Revolution remains alive when truth is spoken, when the normalization of lies, dishonesty and disinformation is fought and when there is a struggle for solidarity despite differences. The spirit of the historic uprising also remains alive when there is courage to fight for what is right and just, when democracy is protected, when the “destructive power of patronage and self-centered politics” is resisted and when faith and hope are chosen amid fear and desperation over the nation’s future, the group added.
The Catholic schools group said reigniting the EDSA spirit is urgent especially since the Philippines is about to hold this year’s midterm national and local elections.
“The EDSA spirit is a shining moment in our life and history as a people. It showed the world what is best in the Filipino, how we can transcend ourselves and sacrifice for our country, how we choose peace over violence. We urgently need to re-ignite this spirit today, especially in the upcoming May elections, and in our daily exercise of our rights, freedoms, and responsibilities,” CEAP said.
CEAP was founded in 1941 to represent Catholic educational Institutions in matters related to social, political and moral issues.
In a separate statement, the Catholic Association of Social Science Teachers (CASST) said commemorating the EDSA Revolution allows Filipinos to denounce the “evils of injustice” and the abuse of freedom and authority from public officials.
“Remembering the EDSA Revolution each year allows those who witnessed and participated in this peaceful uprising to share their stories and instill in future generations the Filipino people’s deep respect for human life, the recognition of freedom as a gift from God, and the belief that public office is a sacred duty to serve and protect the people,” CASST, a group of educators launched by CEAP, said. F — R. J. Fraginal
