We are EDSA

By John Anthony Estolloso

(Speech of John Anthony Estolloso, humanities teacher of Ateneo de Iloilo-SMCS, during the unveiling of the EDSA infographics at the school’s central lobby held February 24, 2020)

To our administrators, the faculty and staff, the students present here today, good morning.

Today marks the third day of the People Power Revolution. More than three decades ago, people were on EDSA, clamoring that power be returned to the masses. That happened more than thirty years ago; so why do we care?

Why are we doing this? Why do we have this exhibit? Why does the Ateneo flaunt large-scale photographs of elements of the state beating the living daylights out of students and unarmed people? Why do we exhibit pictures of murdered personas lying on the pavements? Why do we choose to remember? If you recall the story of Don Juan in his quest for the Ibong Adarna, he was warned by a wise old man that the beautiful song of the bird can lull him to sleep, and having done so, will then defecate on him and thus, turn him to stone. As such, he was advised to wound his hand and press lemons on it. The pain would ensure that he stays awake while being able to listen to the exotic melodies of the elusive bird.

This exhibit is our lemons. We choose to look again into these terrible pictures, these four days filled with fear and unforeseen possibilities because it is in remembering that we avoid the mistakes of the past – and painful as it may seem, we must look unto it once more. We cannot be lulled by the liberties we enjoy today. Hence, the school cannot teach you a historical narrative with blank and whitewashed chapters on it: the People Power Revolution of 1986 happened and for all our biases, we cannot deny its existence, the people who played a part in it, and the bloody years that led to it.

Did Ateneo even had a stake in this event? Yes. Ateneans were killed in the dark years that led to EDSA. Edgar Jopson, Ferdinand Arceo, Evelio Javier, Ninoy Aquino: they were Ateneans, activists and statesmen who lost their lives because they chose to speak up. Then again, isn’t that the point of being Atenista? We cannot claim to have a faith that does justice if the best we can do is to keep our mouths shut when something wrong is being tolerated.  We cannot claim to be men and women for others if we just turn a blind eye while vile and evil deeds abound to others as long we don’t get hurt in the process. We cannot claim to be part of a religious school if we lack a basic sense of contribution and action – in words and in deeds. That is why we choose to remember.

The exhibit standing before you aims to historicize EDSA, to take us back to the facts of the four days when the Filipinos taught the world what democracy means. Whatever meanings or interpretations the People Power Revolution may have for you today, we leave that to you. But do not forget its essential lesson: power rests on the hands of the Filipino people – not on one man, not on an exclusive group, but on the Filipino people. So treasure it and use it wisely.

Good morning and welcome to our exhibit.