EDSA commemoration gathers various voices

In various forms, Cebu commemorated the 40th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution, with different groups staging calls to air grievances while uniting their voices for specific causes.

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Cebu Archbishop Alberto "Abet" Uy

In the morning, progressive groups took to the streets of Cebu City to call for agrarian reform, accountability over alleged corruption and human rights abuses, the scrapping of the Carbon Public Market joint venture agreement (JVA), and the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, while criticizing the Marcos administration and its ties to the past dictatorship.

Protesters assembled at Freedom Park before marching through Metro Cebu, where representatives from various sectors delivered speeches outlining their advocacies.

Gomer Alcantara of Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Cebu highlighted what he described as the worsening conditions faced by farmers in the province. He called for genuine agrarian reform and government accountability.

“Gipasakaan ang presyo sa seedlings kung sauna tag 100, 500 ang niresulta karon muabot nag P2,000 pataas ang mga seedling,” he said, pointing to the rising cost of agricultural inputs.

Alcantara also alleged militarization in rural communities.

“Yuta ang gikinahanglan apan ang mapadala didto militar sa kabukiran aron hulgaon ang mga mag uuma sa probinsya sa Sugbo,” he said.

He added that large landholdings remain in the hands of business interests, while small farmers struggle to secure ownership of the land they till.

Student leader Gabrielle Saavedra of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) Cebu said that authoritarian tendencies continue to manifest in educational institutions.

“Ang diktatorship naa gihapon karon sa lain-laing porma,” she said, citing rising tuition in private schools, what she described as neoliberal education policies, and the lack of adequate facilities in state universities. She also raised concerns about increased campus surveillance and police presence.