BAYAN Canada marks EDSA @37

BAYAN Canada marks EDSA @37

Filipino compats commemorate the 37th anniversary of the EDSA revolution, remember the crimes of the Marcoses

Filipino compatriots, allies and solidarity groups led by Bayan Canada marked the 37th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, or EDSA 37, in which Filipinos took to the streets in a nonviolent revolution and ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Over three decades later, Marcos Sr’s son, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, continues to use his position of power to conceal his father’s fascistic legacy of dictatorship, severe economic conditions, militarization, and suppression of press freedom.

In cities across Canada, including Toronto, British Columbia, and Montreal, commemorative rallies were held to remember the original EDSA revolution and to protest the despotic Marcos Jr. regime. Statements were read aloud about the importance of remembering EDSA as the people’s victory over the dictatorship and how all Filipinos must fight for freedom, justice, and democracy.

“Enough is Enough”

Wilma Delo, Chairperson of Bayan Canada, delivered a speech during a one-hour program at Bathurst and Wilson in Toronto. In her speech, she criticized Marcos Jr.’s government for failing to address widespread poverty in the Philippines, including what she described as high prices for basic commodities, such as onions (sibuyas), which cost more than the daily minimum wage.

Furthermore, Delo chastised the Philippine government for railroading the charter change, which she claims will further divide the country and exacerbate the country’s already dire political situation.

“The EDSA message is straightforward. Enough is enough… Advance the fight for justice, a decent living, human rights, freedom, and democracy. “Keep fighting for national democracy,” Delo said.

The Canada-Philippines Solidarity Organizations (CPSO) compared the current Marcos Jr. regime to the time of martial law, when Marcos Sr. put the country under martial law for 14 years and used false charges, kidnappings, torture, and assassinations to get rid of people who disagreed with him. It said that activists are regularly taken away by force when Marcos and Duterte are in power. The solidarity group also said that four journalists have been killed in the nine months since Marcos Jr. took office.

These violent practices have continually intensified under the previous Duterte government. To this day, Filipinos are suffering the same issues as they did under the first Marcos, with the intensifying militarization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), rampant corruption through the establishment of the Maharlika Investment Fund, widespread poverty and human rights abuses.

In her speech, Leny Simbre of Migrante Ontario berated the US-Marcos Jr for failing to create jobs in the Philippines, which continues to drive Filipinos to work abroad. Simbre stated that widespread poverty has persisted and worsened under the previous and current regimes.

“It has been 37 years since the EDSA People Power Revolution, and nothing has changed in the lives of ordinary Filipinos. The only thing that Marcos Sr. and the current Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte administration have done is worsen the Filipino people’s living conditions,” Simbre added.

Malaya Canada, the Canada-Philippines Solidarity Organization-Toronto, Anakbayan Toronto, Migrante and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-Toronto joined forces to call for the end of state terrorism and to hold the Marcos-Duterte tandem accountable for its crimes and human rights violations.

“Kwentong may kwenta” on historical revisionism

At least 70 people across generations and organisations celebrated EDSA @ 37 in Vancouver, British Columbia. These included Gabriela BC, Migrante BC, Anakbayan BC, and Sulong UBC, members of Pinoy Pride, Diversity and Inclusion Support Group-BC, Hospital Employees Union, ILPS-Canada, Canada Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights, Damayan BC, ICHRP-BC, and media.

At “Kwentong May Kwenta”, young and old people who had directly and indirectly witnessed and participated in People Power I spoke about Marcos Sratrocities .’s and the need to fight historical revisionism and for genuine national democracy in the Philippines.

In her speech, UBC Associate Professor Nora Angeles said “we have a lot more work to do if we want to enrich our self-awareness. . . [and] if we want to protect. . .[our] democratic space in the Philippines, [as well as] what’s left of our awareness of international individual and community human rights.”

One of the speakers, Reverend Fr. Expedito (Anglican Priest and member of Migrante BC), gave a closing prayer and read an excerpt from the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Canada’s statement: “Today, [as we commemorate the 1986 EDSA people power], we invite your prayers for the sure and lasting peace, so that the voices of the targeted and ‘red-tagged’, the imprisoned, disappeared and murdered speak their truths to those with ears and hearts to hear and act, and so that there is justice and peace in the Philippines.“

Migrants’ Mass Service in

remembrance of EDSA

At the Migrante monthly gathering at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on February 19 in Montreal, a video presentation of the EDSA 1986 uprising was shown in advance of the EDSA anniversary celebration. After viewing the video, the migrants held a religious service.

The Centre of Philippine Concerns, Malaya Quebec, Migrante Quebec, and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente in Quebec were among the participating organisations. Malaya Quebec and the Filipino Parents Association of Quebec (FIPAQ) organized the EDSA event .

At the St. Kevin church on February 26, 2023, Malaya and Bayan statements were distributed to local Filipinos. The event was organized by Malaya Quebec and the Filipino Parents Association of Quebec (FIPAQ).

(PRESS RELEASE)