A Personal Memory of People Power

I attended the Civil Disobedience Rally led by Corazon Aquino at Fuente Osmeña in Cebu on the eve of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolt. The air was thick with tension and hope. Not long after the rally, Cory was secretly escorted to the Carmelite Monastery for her safety, amid fears of arrest by forces loyal to Ferdinand Marcos.

A week before that historic gathering, I had already sought refuge at my sister’s home in Cebu. My name had reportedly been included in the “Order of Battle” of the Philippine Constabulary. I was then leading the opposition youth movement in Agusan del Sur, actively campaigning for the Aquino–Laurel ticket — Cory for President and Salvador Laurel for Vice President — against the Marcos–Tolentino tandem.

Those were uncertain and dangerous days. Being young and outspoken came with risks, but conviction outweighed fear.

Two days after the smoke had cleared and the dictatorship had fallen, I returned to my hometown. I learned that business stall owners at the town’s center island had roasted lechons in spontaneous celebration upon hearing that the Marcos family had fled Malacañang. The jubilation was heartfelt and unrestrained. For many, it was more than a political victory — it was liberation.

Our once sleepy town, long haunted by fear and once described as “killing fields” because of the atrocities attributed to the dreaded Lost Command, finally breathed a sigh of relief. EDSA was not just a moment in history. For us, it was a turning point — a reclaiming of hope, dignity, and the promise of democracy.

Forty years later, the memory remains vivid. The courage, the unity, and the faith of a people proved that change — even against overwhelming odds — is possible.