02 March 2016 - The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, in partnership with the EDSA People Power @30 Committee, commemorated the 30th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution with a Eucharistic Celebration and Reception held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on February 25.
The ribbon-cutting of the exhibit of Pulitzer-prize winning photojournalist Kim Komenich, who also launched his book entitled “Revolution Revisited,” followed the mass.
Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. welcomed a crowd of around 150 people to the Hall. In his remarks, he recalled how the protests in EDSA “were so inspiring that it became a catalyst for other countries similarly situated, to stage their own peaceful revolutions, among which were Prague’s Velvet Revolution, the Polish labor solidarity movement, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall.”
He also gave tribute to Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario, who exemplify the values of EDSA, and whose “natural love for freedom and democracy moved them to become passionate advocates of the rule of law in the region.” In the context of the West Philippine Sea issue, I underscored how they went to new heights where others dared not to go for love of comfort. They embarked on this road alone but crossed the finish line adored, respected and believed by many.” The Consul General noted that Filipinos who were present in EDSA 30 years ago were just as passionate in advocating for freedom and democracy.
The program began with a video from ABS-CBN International, which recounted the events during the tumultuous times of EDSA. Ms. Gloria Navarrete recounted her experience as an anti-dictatorship Filipino activist living in the Bay Area during the Martial law years. Her presentation was followed by a collection of videos of the protests that took place outside the Philippine Consulate and at Union Square.
Mr. John Dizon, the 27-year old Youth Program Coordinator of West Bay, spoke about what EDSA meant to the youth, and those who were born before the Martial Law years.
In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. stressed that today was “not only a commemoration of a milestone in the Philippines’ modern history but also a call to action to protect the legacy of People Power.” He added that this year’s anniversary theme, “Pagbabago: Ipinaglaban N’yo, Itutuloy Ko!” cannot be fulfilled without “engaging the next generations of Filipinos, without harnessing the hearts and minds of our youth.”
In an effort to reach out to the youth, a national essay-writing contest was launched, handled by the Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc. There were 19 submissions from California, Virginia and New York. The authors of the top two essays, both living in California, were able to attend the event and had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the Community and to read excerpts from their penned essays.
The evening’s keynote speaker was California Assembly Member Rob Bonta, the first Filipino-American to be elected into the Assembly. He found parallelisms between the EDSA Revolution and the California farm labor movement, and said that, “Our Filipino leaders, Manongs like [Larry] Itliong and [Philip] Vera Cruz, were driven by a dedication to do what’s right – driven by values like sacrifice, inclusion and justice – the same values of the People Power movement.” His encouraging message to the Community was that, “together, our community can own our past, control our present, and shape our future. Together, we can recognize the leadership of our ancestors and create opportunities for Filipino activists of tomorrow.”
The evening culminated in the guests, which included Mr. Bill Luz co-chair of the National Competitiveness Council and Mrs. Lupita and Mr. Ken Kashiwahara, linking arms while singing “Bayan Ko” and “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo”, headed by the Philippine Consulate Choir. END