PHILIPPINES: PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION RALLY

(25 Feb 2001) English/Nat
XFA
The Philippines on Sunday celebrated the 15th anniversary of the peaceful revolution that ousted strongman Ferdinand Marcos from his 20-year dictatorial rule, and installed Corazon Aquino, as president.
Now commonly referred to as people power, this year's anniversary celebrations has a deeper meaning for Filipinos, as it comes just over a month after another peaceful revolution forced the departure of Joseph Estrada from the presidential palace, and allowed then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to assume the presidency.
Sunday's festivities started with a flag-raising ceremony at the People Power monument in Manila, attended by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the people who led the peaceful uprising in 1986 - former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos.
As the nation celebrated the People Power revolution that toppled the 20 year dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos, the mood was extra jubilant in this year's anniversary, just over a month after another Joseph Estrada was expelled from the presidency.
The ceremonies were held in a road called EDSA, where 15 years ago, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos gathered to show Ferdinand Marcos that he no longer has the mandate, and where, just last January, Filipinos again gathered
to send the message to Joseph Estrada that the people want him to step down as President, following allegations of corruption.
In her speech, Arroyo gave credit to the heroes of both revolutions - she calls them EDSA 1 and EDSA 2, and urged the people stand together for the good of the country.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"As we commemorate today, with great passion, the birth of people power, so valiantly illustrated in EDSA 1, and vividly manifested with such determination again, in EDSA 2, our inspirations, our elder statesmen, our spiritual fathers who are here with us in stage, inspire us now to look beyond and unite to work diligently in sustaining the fruits that we have harvested from those two great people power movements."
SUPER CAPTION: Gloria Arroyo, Philippines President
Former President Corazon Aquino echoed Arroyo as she congratulated Filipinos on their success in getting their voice heard.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I am very happy to greet all Filipinos on the occasion of our anniversary of people power 1, especially since it comes after people power 2. I hope we will continue praying and working together, and I hope all of us will be helping president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because she needs all our help."
SUPER CAPTION: Corazon Aquino, former Philippines President
While those in EDSA today equate last month's revolution with the one which toppled Marcos, Estrada says there is no comparison.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"That cannot be compared because that time, there was dictatorship, and the late president (Ferdinand Marcos), was there overstaying for more than 20 years, and that snap election, there was massive fraud, cheating. But it my case, it was quite a clean election, and I got the biggest majority in the history of all presidential elections (in the Philippines)."
SUPER CAPTION: Joseph Estrada, Former Philippine President
Estrada, who has denied any wrongdoing, is facing possible corruption charges, but is seeking to maintain his presidential immunity from prosecution.
Meanwhile celebrations go on all day.
Thousands marched to the People Power Shrine where Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin will celebrate mass later in the day and president Arroyo is to give another speech.

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