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By Jenina Joy Chavez

Good afternoon.

In time for the July 2005 State of the Nation Address of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Focus Philippines boldly issued a statement called “Reclaiming Revolution”. Decrying the subverted “EDSA System”, or what we saw as a “combination of formal electoral democracy supplemented by an insurrectionary dimension exercised to legitimize non-electoral changes in political regimes”, we understood why people were not flocking to EDSA when the clamor for the resignation of the former president was loud. We talked of a system of formal democracy that belies, and even perpetuates, persistent structural socio-economic inequality. We talked of “basic ideals of EDSA that remain unfulfilled and the new aspirations people acquired while bearing witness to the vagaries of elites entrenched in our sorry political system”. Yes, we were “melodramatic”, or for some of you who would be around long enough to understand, “grim and determined”.

Five and a half years ago half of the Focus staff was 25 years old or younger. Two of them were recently replaced by even younger members born after 1986. It is therefore not surprising that Focus Philippines constantly seeks to find descriptions of and explanations for things happening around us, and is under increasing pressure to make itself better understood by the age group a significant portion of the staff identifies with.

In the year 2000, when the Erap impeachment hearings were aired on radio and television every day, from 2 in the afternoon until 6 p.m. in most stations, 37% of the population was called EDSA babies – born after the People Power Revolution of 1986. Today, 3 in five Filipinos would be EDSA babies. Five years from now, one in three Filipinos would not have a direct memory of any of the EDSA events.

For those of us who consider EDSA as one of our best moments in history, it is imperative that we help ourselves remember. For in remembering, we again challenge ourselves to relive the aspirations that once fired our souls, and made us brave unknown risks, and eventually stood proud as we accomplished the first bloodless revolution ever. And we did it not once but twice, and a third time was attempted that, though, it largely failed, nevertheless became a poignant articulation of societal divisions, of marginalization, and of the inherent power of aspiration. In remembering, we are bound to again recognize the distance and heights the Filipino can reach. And acknowledge the possibilities our own action can accomplish.

Focus Philippines is therefore happy to share with everyone our humble contribution to the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution. Based on 35 interviews done between 2004 and 2005 with personalities who directly participated in the 3 EDSA events, we wish to offer you snippets of history, and a variety of views and perspectives on the dynamics of change and power.

We originally wanted to have this launch five years ago, in time for the 20th anniversary. To our partners, we assure you that the delay is not because of a lack of commitment to deadlines. It was a questioning of what we really wanted to say, and how we would want say it. And we came to the conclusion that we will just let the participants speak for themselves. We did not, and still do not have a grand narrative of our own. We are making available 7-12 minute cuts of these interviews, together with full transcripts and profiles of the interviewees. We will still cut a documentary, but more to highlight the questions that we ask, rather than to directly provide the answers that should be collectively crafted anyway. All this will be available on the EDSA Stories portal which we will show you later in the program.

We invite everyone to share your stories to us, and tell these stories with us. Focus is giving up to 10 film grants, details of which will be elaborated later. Through this initiative we hope to encourage the telling of EDSA Stories through film. We have a special category for young people below 21 years old, and a special category for women. Another special category is reserved for migrant Filipinos or members of their families, or those who advocate migrant issues. Four years ago, 3 in 10 Filipinos wanted to leave the country. After the euphoria of last year’s elections, this came down to only 1 in 10. This is according to surveys. But the daily departures of OFWs have only increased from 2670 in 2006 to almost 4000 in 2010. We also need to hear their stories, and the stories of their families. What does EDSA mean for them? Does EDSA still mean anything to them?

We welcome all kinds of contribution, donation and help with the EDSA Stories, especially the EDSA Video Grant initiative. We wish you to take this journey with us.

From here on, we will not only remember, or not forget…True to our grim and determined selves, and inspired by the passion of the young generation, we will strive to build the society that is shaped by the aspirations and inspiration of EDSA. We will continue fighting for equitable trade and industrial policy; for climate justice; for an independent foreign policy; for the preservation of the public nature of essential services; for the defense of the commons and the distribution of land wealth; for the eradication of poverty and marginalization; and for freedom of information, participation and empowered citizenship. We will reclaim EDSA and make its story our own.

Before I end, I wish to quote our parting statement in Reclaiming Revolution:

“The elites may have repeatedly successfully subverted or deflected the insurrectionary tradition that had fired up various ‘People Power’ uprisings through the decades, but it lives on. It is the one remaining legacy of the EDSA System that we should take pride in and reclaim.”

Samahan nyo kami sa byaheng EDSA. And let us build the community that we truly deserve.

Magandang hapon po.