EDSA Spirit Lives On—But Youth Forget Why

Political awareness is alive among Filipino youth.

They speak up.
They organize.
They show up.

But when it comes to EDSA 1986 — something feels different.

For many in Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the People Power Revolution is no longer a lived memory. It’s a chapter in a textbook. A lesson in Grade 6. A story told in passing.

Or sometimes… not told at all.

“That was the first time I heard about EDSA.”

Angel Cruz was born long after the revolution.

“I remember learning about EDSA in Grade 6,” she said. “That was the first time I heard about it. My parents never really told me about it.”

For her, it was simple: People Power happened because of martial law. Because of oppression. Because people were suffering.

But the fear.
The courage.
The streets filled with prayers and protest.

Those weren’t things she grew up seeing.

They were things she read about.

“That’s when I realized history was different.”

Ferdinand Sanchez II, now 26, remembers seeing the infrastructure built during the Marcos years when he was younger.

As a child, those projects stood tall and impressive.

But in high school at Manila Science, the story changed.

“They told us about the desaparecidos. The missing. The alumni who fought for their rights,” he recalled.

“That’s when I realized history was different.”

Different from what he thought.
Different from what was visible.
Different from what was easy to believe.

Is the EDSA Spirit Still Alive?

A 2023 Social Weather Stations survey reveals something complicated.

41% of Filipinos believe the spirit of EDSA is “somewhat alive.”
22% say it is “fully alive.”

But nearly 4 in 10 believe it is fading — or already dead.

And when asked whether the promises of 1986 were fulfilled?

Almost half said only some were delivered.
Nearly 3 in 10 said barely any were achieved.

Hope exists.

But so does doubt.

“We forgive… but we forget.”

Aira Badajos of Kaya Natin Youth believes part of the problem is cultural.

“As Filipinos, we always give chances… until we forget,” she said.

“We forgive, yes. But the lessons should remain lessons.”

Forgiveness without memory is dangerous.

Because history does not disappear.
It repeats.

A Concert, A Question

At a free concert in Quezon City marking the anniversary of People Power, thousands of young people gathered.

Music played.
Voices sang.
Energy filled the air.

But many attendees admitted they didn’t know what the event was for.

And yet — others did.

They sang “Handog ng Pilipino” word for word.

Performer Ogie Alcasid smiled as he watched the mostly young crowd rehearse.

“I’m happy they’re interested,” he said. “They give importance to this day regardless of what they believe or who their future president will be.”

Then he added something that felt like a quiet prayer:

“If that is the attitude of the youth, then the Philippines has hope.”

The Demons Are Returning

Kiko Aquino Dee, convenor of the Trillion Peso March, did not mince words.

“The demons we fought during the dictatorship — corruption, human rights abuses — are returning,” he warned.

There is urgency now.

Not just to remember.
But to renew the fight.

Because history doesn’t knock before it comes back.

The Social Media Battlefield

In 1986, information spread through radio, word of mouth, and leaflets.

Today, it spreads in seconds.

TikTok.
YouTube.
Facebook.

Political sociologist Shannen Liz Carreon has studied these platforms.

“It’s harder now,” she said. “Even Gen Z can be misled. Filipinos can be easily manipulated by misinformation.”

The battlefield has changed.

And truth competes with algorithms.

Are We Teaching Enough?

Some educators admit the lessons are not deep enough.

“In Catholic schools, we show films every February 25,” said Fr. Wilmer Tria of CEAP. “If we rely only on textbooks, publishers avoid controversial topics.”

And so the stories get softened.

The sharp edges of history become dull.

The pain becomes paragraphs.