The influence of Filipinos to the world

Today Filipinos celebrate the 27^th Anniversary of EDSA People Power revolution.   Personally, I find this event worth celebrating.  I was one of those whom they call Martial Law babies.  I grew up with fear. In our barrio, I saw rebels and soliders.  I experienced two big encounters between the military and the New People's Army.  But my experiences was nothing compared to the sufferings of those victims of Martial Law. 

When the former president was evicted through a peaceful demonstration, almost everything changed.

I’m sure teachers will be talking about EDSA to their students.  But what does EDSA People Power Revolution contribute to the world?  There are important points that teachers can inculcate in their students about the lessons of EDSA revolution.

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1. People Power.  There had been attempts in other countries to use people power to overthrow a powerful dictator.  It had never been successful until the 1986 People Power in Manila.  It was a triumphant bloodless revolution.  The Filipinos opened the minds of people all over the world of this enormous power.  Today, we have witnessed several uprising or people power in different parts of the world.  Filipinos showed them the way.  However, not all uprising came to a peaceful ending.

2. Freedom.  The EDSA revolution freed the Filipinos from the slavery of Martial Law.   Democracy was restored.  Freedom of speech was restored.  Freedom is our right both as individuals and as a nation. What we are enjoying today is a product of people's struggles in the past.

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 3. Unity.  It took a call by the late Cardinal Sin and  some leaders to  their constituents to proceed to EDSA to protect the groups of Enrile and Ramos, two prominent military leaders at that time.  When people flocked at EDSA, there was a strong sense of unity among the people. The EDSA People Power revolution was a classic example of a people united for one purpose.

4. Peace.  That bloodless revolution would go down in the history of the Philippines and the world. When humility and love of countrymen/women will prevail, peace is ensued.  Not a single shot was fired.  There was peace despite the seemingly chaos situation.  In the end, peace prevailed.

5. Prayer.  While the world watched People Power on display, Filipinos knew that it was the power of prayer that led the people to such a heroic action. Those people in EDSA continued to pray day and night.  Those who were not in EDSA also prayed.  Religious communities, churches, and other communities were one with those people in EDSA in prayer.  Today, right at the heart of EDSA is a church with  our Lady of EDSA as the patron saint.

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 Let these lessons inspire the Filipinos especially the younger generation to love our country and live up to the spirit of EDSA.