On the 36th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution, Action for Economic Reforms (AER) honors the Filipinos who valiantly fought to topple the Marcos dictatorship and restore democracy and political institutions.
The People Power Revolution serves as a reminder of the power of unity and collective action.
To this day, we continue to fight for truth, unity, and democracy. We push back against authoritarianism, repression, lies, corruption, cronyism, greed, and plunder.
36 years later, comparing the state of our country now to the one we fought for and dreamed of at EDSA, we note that the EDSA’s promise of genuine change has yet to be fulfilled in its entirety. Our democracy is fragile. Corruption, poverty, and bad institutions remain.
Now, we are faced with similar threats, the largest looming one being the return of the family of the dictator who pillaged and looted the country. The family we fought to overthrow in 1986 is back to distort our history and undo the democratic gains and reforms.
We must not elect a candidate who has repeatedly denied martial law atrocities and his family’s plunder of the nation. More than P100 billion worth of ill-gotten wealth remains hidden and has yet to be recovered from the Marcos estate. Justice must be served to the Filipino people, the rightful claimants of the billions the Marcoses stole.
As advocates of tax reform, we oppose the election of a leader who has been convicted for tax evasion and whose lack of transparency and credibility will impede our post-pandemic economic recovery.
As health advocates, we reject a candidate who is against sin taxes which discourage harmful consumption and raise revenues for universal health care.
As advocates of freedom of information, we disfavor a candidate who equivocates about his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
We call on Filipinos to vote for the leader who will make sustainable, inclusive, human-centered economic development a reality. Vote for the leader who will uphold the ideals of EDSA: equality, social justice, and respect for human dignity. Choose the leader who fights for the truth and pushes back against misinformation.
We hope each Filipino realizes the sanctity and power of their vote. Despite the challenges we face today, we hold onto the same faith and hope we had in EDSA I. We have faith in our people to unite and choose what is best for our beloved country.