DESPITE THE multi-faceted attempts and well-orchestrated efforts of the Marcoses to sanitize and even erase the dark pages of our nation’s history, the EDSA Revolution of 1986 will always remain a victory of the Filipino people’s collective spirit. It is a solid testament that democracy could rise from the ashes of dictatorship.
But 39 years later, our country remains in a pitiful state. What was once the envy of the world for showing a bloodless revolution in 1986 has repeatedly become the world’s laughing stock. The EDSA Revolution was supposed to usher in a new era defined by justice, social reforms, transparency, accountability, and the eradication of corruption. Yet, the vicious cycle of power abuse, widespread graft and corruption continue to pervade in Philippine politics, undermining the very ideals that EDSA fought to establish.
Many Filipinos who were frustrated how things turned out in the country after EDSA have put the blame on the Cory administration and the presidents that followed. They are quick to vent their ire on the leaders whom they have elected into power in the first place. But given the Filipinos’ ultra-short memory and their propensity not to learn from the mistakes of the past, are they not partly to be faulted?
I also think much of the problem lie in the Filipino people’s ongoing indifference to the very foundations of democracy. Take a look at the same old names and faces whom voters allow to perpetuate themselves in power in any possible way they can. Political dynasties—once believed to have been dismantled by the revolution—remain deeply rooted in power. According to data from the Ateneo School of Government, more than 70% of the country’s political positions are occupied by members of political families as of 2023. This phenomenon preserves the very same patterns of nepotism and cronyism that characterized the Marcos era.
Time and again, the Filipino public has allowed power to concentrate in the hands of the limited few. What is even frustrating is that they have turned a blind eye to blatant corruption and the erosion of democratic principles. One very obvious example is the Marcos family’s continued political influence. Despite being exiled to Hawaii in 1986, the Marcoses returned in 1991 and have regained substantial power; from a gubernatorial seat in Ilocos Norte, to the House of Representatives, to the Senate and now back in Malacañang, bringing to full circle the Marcos family’s political dynasty. This is obviously not a failure of EDSA but the Filipino voters’ failure to demand accountability.
The Filipino people’s deafening silence in the face of corruption and abuse of power has allowed this cycle to continue. When public officials are caught in a wide range of controversies, there is often an initial uproar. But this is not all sustained, it fades quickly and eventually gives way to inaction and unwillingness to confront the truth. This complacency, coupled with voter apathy and lack of civic engagement, directly undermines the democratic ideals that EDSA represented.
The promise of EDSA was clear: a government that would finally serve the interests of the people, free from corruption and oppression. But if Filipinos continue to allow political dynasties to thrive, if they remain silent when politicians abuse power, if they willingly embrace the distortion of truth and parrot all these lies to defend their cult leaders, then the dream of EDSA will remain just that—an unfulfilled promise.
True, the EDSA revolution succeeded in ending one form of tyranny, but its full promise was never fully realized. This failure is not solely the fault of the government or elected public officials, but a collective one that involves both the state and every Filipino voter.
That being said, I honestly believe the question now is no longer about whether EDSA failed the Filipinos—it’s about whether the Filipinos will continue to fail themselves over and over again.
