EDSA people power revolution, a part of our country’s history which substantially affected the

lives of the Filipino even in the present times. A revolution that moved the country to its core.
As history told us, two EDSA people power revolution already took place in the past. It is a
common knowledge among Filipinos that both the EDSA revolution that has happened was
done in order to remove corrupt and dictatorial presidents.
During the 1st EDSA revolution, the people protested the massive fraud in the elections during
the Snap Presidential Elections held on the first week of February 1986. Many followers of
Corazon Aquino weren’t allowed to vote because their names were allegedly removed from the
registered voter's list. Members of the Commission on Election exited from their work because
according to them, former president Ferdinand Marcos were forced them to announce him the
winner. EDSA 1 took place on February 21-25, 1986, a staggering 5-day protest. There was the
presence of the military in the form of tanks and heavily armed soldiers during the 1 st EDSA
revolution. People chose to wear a yellow dominant clothing during EDSA I because for them,
yellow symbolizes democracy which was being cried for in 1986. EDSA I was more of a solemn
movement that mainly compasses prayer crusades. EDSA I involves the exercise of the people
power of revolution which resulted in overthrowing of the whole government. EDSA I is extra
constitutional and the legitimacy of the new government that resulted from it cannot be the
subject of judicial review.
In the 2nd EDSA people power revolution, the people protested the pro-Estrada senators'
barring of a set of evidences that will convict the president in the on-going impeachment trial.
This is what the people claimed as "suppression of truth". People who attended EDSA II have
lost their faith on the upstanding of the impeachment court and are predicting an acquittal
verdict by a majority of the senators. This resulted in people gathering in EDSA to resume the
battle in the streets instead of in the court. The 2nd EDSA revolution lasted for 4 days which
started from January 17 to January 20, 2001. People wore a mainly black colored clothing
during EDSA II. Black was the color worn in 2001 because the color pertains the "death" of
justice in the Impeachment trial. EDSA II is an exercise of people power of freedom of speech
and freedom of assembly to petition the government for redress of grievances which only
affected the office of the President. EDSA II is intra constitutional and the resignation of the
sitting President that it caused and the succession of the Vice President as President are subject
to judicial review.
The contrast between the two is that the EDSA I presented a political question while the EDSA II
involved legal questions. That is to say, EDSA 1 exterminated the then existing 1973
Constitution at that time and all the government institutions it encompasses, including the
Supreme Court. This is why its validity was repeatedly challenged legally, politically and
militarily in several coup attempts. The question of its legality was the only put to rest after the
Filipino people ratified the 1987 Constitution. On the other hand, the 2 nd EDSA revolution did
not eliminate the 1987 Constitution. Quite the contrary, it preserved it and the public
institutions under it.
However, there were still similarities between both the 1 st and 2nd EDSA people power
revolution. Both were done with the intervention of the catholic church. Both EDSA revolutions
were a conjunction of unpremeditated events that resulted in the protest participated by both
the middle class and the masses. Both revolutions were a peaceful movement held mostly and
the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Ortigas Avenue in Metro Manila that was
supported both by the church in the person of Jaime Cardinal Sin, the archbishop of Manila that
time and the military. Neither of the two EDSA revolutions would have been a victorious one if
it weren’t for the military and church’s assistance. The president who was ousted in the 1 st
EDSA revolution was Ferdinand Marcos and was replaced by Corazon Aquino. In the 2 nd EDSA
revolution, Joseph Estrada, the incumbent president at that time was replaced by Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, his vice-president. Both revolutions paved the way for the future of the
country. Our idea of democracy was further strengthened and solidified because of these two
revolutions. And lastly, it portrayed the power the Filipino people possesses in creating a better
country for their own.