Agnes Lira Jundos is the Department Chair of the Communications Department under the College of Arts and Sciences.
Cold-shouldered. That’s how this government treats our memory of February 25th, forty years ago. And we are not happy. Even if it is celebrated as a Special Working Holiday.
THE CALL-OUT
There is something deep-seated about the CEAP’s (Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines) call-out for its 1,525 member-schools in the whole country to declare an academic holiday or a school holiday on February 25, 2026. This, in spite of the cold-shoulders. Why? What’s the big deal with the Catholic universities’ subtle, peaceful, humble “resistance”? On the outset, Catholic universities are grounded on its historicity that espouses a mission beyond the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. Notwithstanding the religious orders and affiliations that set directions towards the mission and end of these institutions, one thing universal about Catholic universities is knowledge as a good that pursues and in the service of the truth and the Truth. This is “truth and Truth” that / who consolidates justice and charity. Charity as the highest form of love. The very same “truth and truth” that / who teaches us the proper order of love: love of God, love of country, love of others and love for ourselves.
OTHER THAN MEMORY, WHAT ELSE IS LEFT OF EDSA40?
Let us do a random check of stocked-knowledge. Those born 35 years ago may still have the fire, though a bit lukewarm. Those born 25-30 years ago would hardly care, maybe. Or because they hardly have any concrete nor visual memory of that fateful day. Better prepare an enormous stock of visuals and anecdotes if you want to engage those born 10 years ago. So, what is left of the memory of EDSA People Power other than those curated in museums and exhibitions? Were we ever told that the EDSA People Power memory neither belongs to the Marcoses nor the Aquinos? That this memory belongs to all of us?
MEMORY and THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
Of what use is memory as taught in Catholic universities? Knowledge as an end in Catholic universities is not limited to intellectual pursuits. We want to learn about what is true and what is good. And because we believe that the memory of February 25, 1986 was not only “true” but also “good”, the call-out by CEAP for its member-schools to declare an academic holiday is a disinterested recognition that we can re-purpose and re-direct the memory of EDSA People Power, despite the cold-shoulders of the current government. However, the re-purpose and re-direction of the EDSA People Power memory has to be intentional. Beyond knowledge and awareness, we shall espouse depth of understanding why and how it all began at EDSA, 40 years ago. Re-direction shall set our vision towards constructive and contributory engagements, information sharing and discussions towards survival, growth, accountability, disclosure, etc.
WE WERE GUIDED: The Catholicity of EDSA People Power
The core of the EDSA People Power memory should emphasize how much grace abound on February 25,1986. Bloodless. Not a shed. Not a drop. Because we were guided by grace. This is the memory that shall spark a broader vision that will hold us Filipinos together, up to the next century. In the midst of enormous and heart-wrenching challenges, we can never deny that by ourselves, we cannot accomplish everything. On our own, we cannot achieve the good and the Good.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official policies, positions, or views of the University, its administration, faculty, or governing bodies.