EDSA 25: 8,000 EXPECTED IN EDSA RUN IN BICOL / DND MUSEUM INAUGURATED
[PHOTO - YELLOW FOR PEACE: Yellow sunflowers are seen all around the People Power Monument in EDSA Tuesday in preparation for the 25th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. 25 years ago, millions of Filipinos stormed EDSA and called for President Ferdinand Marcos to step down in power. 25 years later, President Aquino (Photo by MARK BALMORES)]
LEGAZPI CITY, FEBRUARY 23, 2011 (BULLETIN) (PNA) – Legazpi City is one of the 10 places outside Metro Manila that will stage the EDSA Run on February 27 and its organizer expects at least 8,000 participants to show up.
While the run will commemorate the 1986 People Power Revolution that peacefully toppled the Marcos dictatorial rule and won back democracy for the country, it will also be a fund-raising activity that intends to help in building 25,000 classrooms across the country, according to the Pinoy Power Bicol Coalition of Volunteers (PPBCV).
Its president Ofelia Samar-Sy on Tuesday said the PPBCV that is composed of civil society groups joined by government and non-government organizations hopes to muster some 8,000 participants to the Run, citing earlier commitments by various sectors like the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines which assured around 2,000 runners, among others.
[PHOTO - THE FVR JUMP: Former President Fidel V. Ramos reenacts his jump for the EDSA People Power 1 during the opening of the photo exhibit at the National Press Club (NPC) office in Intramuros, Manila Feb. 22, 2011. In 1986, then Lt. Gen. Ramos was the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff and also chief of the Philippine Constabulary. Dubbed 'EDSA People Power Revolution, 25 Years of Press Freedom,' the exhibit features 60 memorable photos of the bloodless revolution that swept President Corazon Aquino into power 25 years ago.]
At least 3,000 intermediate pupils with high school and college students; 1,000 employees from national agencies and local government units and another 1,000 from the private and civic sectors are also expected, Sy said.
Runners from as far as Naga City in Camarines Sur have also signified their intention to join the historic activity which Sy promised to be very festive, amusing and healthful.
Registration for walk-in participants who were unable to make it in the pre-registration that closed last Friday will be made on the day of the run starting 3:30 a.m. at the Peñaranda Park where the run will commence going to the Embarcadero de Legazpi, that is three kilometers away ,then negotiate the four-kilometer stretch of Legazpi City Boulevard.
The starting gun for the Bicol Run will be fired at exactly 5:30 a.m. simultaneously with the same activity in EDSA and the other nine areas in the provinces such as Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Clark, Pampanga; the cities of Cebu, Davao, Dipolog, Zamboanga; and the provinces of Zambales, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga, Sibugay.
EDSA 25: P-Noy, EDSA 1 key players inaugurate DND Mseum February 23, 2011, 4:16am
[PHOTO COURTESY OF ABS-CBN - EDSA REVOLUTION KEY PLAYERS REUNITE AT INAUGURATION. (PANGUNAHING TAUHAN SA EDSA REVOLUTION MULING NAGKITAKITA)]
MANILA, Philippines (PNA) – President Simeon Benigno Aquino III joined three prominent personalities of the 1986 EDSA People Power in inaugurating the mini-museum on Tuesday at the third floor of the Department of National Defense building inside Camp Aguinaldo.
The mini-museum was the former DND conference room where former President Fidel V. Ramos who was then Armed Forces Vice-Chief of Staff and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, then Minister of National Defense, held a press conference on Feb. 22, 1986 to announce withdrawal of support for former dictator President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The historic conference room will now be the repository of memorabilia items from the 1986 People Power events, including the enlarged images and spoken words that echoed since the defection of Enrile, Ramos and former colonel and now Senator Gregorio Honasan on Feb. 22 up to Feb. 25 when the President's mother, former President Corazon Aquino, was sworn into office forcing Marcos to leave the country.
The inauguration formally kicked off the four-day celebration of the country's 25th EDSA People's Revolution with a theme: "Pilipino Ako, Ako ang Lakas ng Pagbabago."
"When my father (former Senator Benigno Aquino) was assassinated in 1983, I was only 23 years old," President Aquino said, as he recalled his own experiences 25 years ago.
President Aquino acknowledged the important roles of former President Ramos, Enrile and Honasan in bringing back the freedom and democracy from 20 years of dictatorship.
"I would like to stress that the military has improved a lot since it was spearheaded by former President Ramos and Enrile," the President said.
Like the President, Ramos, Enrile and Honasan also delivered their respective messages, encouraging the Filipino people to continue to uphold the freedom and democracy they have enjoyed as a result of the historic 1986 revolution.
"It is our younger people like President Aquino that you must continue to help impart, together with us the elders, to share this shining moments of our history," Ramos said.
He added: "It is a continuing process that our younger ones after us must continue to carry on so that, finally, the Filipino may become better, bountiful and respective people."
Enrile, for his part, described the 1986 EDSA People Power as one of the defining moments of his life.
"To me, it is a very special day. It is my great pleasure and privilege to join you as we mark very important milestone this week, the 25th anniversary of EDSA," Enrile said.
Enrile commended the DND under the leadership of Secretary Voltaire Gazmin for converting the historic DND conference room into a museum which will house momentous photos and anything related to the People Power revolution.
"That event (withdrawal of support) led to almost bloodless and meaningful revolution that inspired similar movements abroad," said Enrile, referring to the downfall of Berlin Wall, dismantling of authoritarian rules in Europe and now in the Middle East.
"I firmly believe that EDSA People Power was the Filipino nation's greatest gift to the world. From us, they copied that technique and tyranny-regained freedom," he added.
Honasan encouraged the Filipino people as well as the military to be proud of the EDSA 1 in light of ongoing reforms in the military amid allegations of corruption.
"We were and continue to be proud of that event 25 years ago. It was a shining moment," Honasan said.
After the inauguration, President Aquino proceeded to the grandstand to greet beneficiaries of the Armed Forces Philippines (AFP) medical-dental activity.
----------------------------------------------------------
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
----------------------------------------------------------
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------
