1 of 3 | Filipinos celebrate the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution at the People Power Monument in Quezon City, Manila, February 25, 2017. File photo by Rolex Dela Pena/EPA
Oct. 16 (UPI) — Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has made the decision to remove a national public holiday commemorating the 1986 People Power Revolution that marked the end of his late father Ferdinand E. Marcos’ two-decade-long dictatorship. The announcement was made in a government proclamation outlining the official dates for 18 regular and “special non-working days” to be observed in 2024, as reported by the state-owned Philippine News Agency on Friday.
The holiday, which falls on February 25, was excluded from the 2024 list due to it coinciding with a Sunday, which is considered a non-working day in the country. This decision means that the annual marches and rallies held by political rights activists and survivors of the 14-year-long martial law under Marcos will not take place in an official capacity.
Marcos’ office released a statement saying, “The Office of the President recognizes the importance of commemorating the EDSA [Epifanio de los Santos Avenue] Revolution. However, it was not included in the list of special non-working days for the year 2024 because Feb. 25 falls on a Sunday. The impact on socio-economics is minimal as it coincides with the rest day for most workers and laborers.”
Interestingly, no explanation was provided as to why the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary holiday on December 8 retains its designation as a special non-working day despite also falling on a Sunday.
This is not the first time Marcos Jr. has made changes to the revolution anniversary holiday. In his 16 months as president, he moved the holiday in 2023 from February 25 to February 24. This decision was met with criticism, with accusations that Marcos Jr. used significant amounts of money during his presidential campaign to rehabilitate his father’s reputation and downplay the human rights abuses and corruption associated with his time in office.
It’s worth noting that a national holiday commemorating the death of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. will not be affected and will be observed as normal on August 21. Aquino’s assassination in 1983 was a catalyst for the events that led to the EDSA revolution and the subsequent presidency of his widow, Corazon Aquino.
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue refers to the main thoroughfare in Manila where hundreds of thousands of Filipinos marched peacefully in their efforts to remove Marcos from power in February 1986.
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