THE most significant lesson of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution is the necessity of letting go of power, a convenor of the Clergy for Good Governance (CGG) said.
Fr. Robert Reyes said the family of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. learned this lesson when the revolution led to the ouster of his father, the late Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
"Edsa is about letting go. If you don't give up power, something will happen. People Power happened. The Marcoses were forced to let go," Reyes said during a press briefing for the 40th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution.
"We removed Ferdinand Marcos Sr. 40 years ago. This system was born after we got rid of a dictator," Reyes said.
Reyes said other political dynasties should take a cue from the Marcoses and relinquish their hold on power and wealth. He said this includes supporting the passage of a law banning political dynasties.
"If I would be asked, that is the hidden theme: people power can only happen if all you political dynasties will let go of your stranglehold on power and wealth, politics, economy, wealth, culture," Reyes said.
Reyes said multiple political dynasties now seek to preserve the current system to prevent change.
"The Marcoses want to stay in power (but) at this point in our time, it is not only the Marcoses. It's all the political dynasties, who really want to preserve the system of government that we have so that there would be no changes," Reyes said.
The country commemorates the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution on February 25.
The event coincides with the ongoing push for an anti-political dynasty bill in Congress. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)