PhilStarGlobal-Feb 25
Philippine schools are refusing to let the memory of the EDSA people power revolt fade away. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has struck February 25 from the list of non-working holidays for two consecutive years. But schools have struck back. Over 50 educational institutions nationwide suspended classes Monday, February 25, with the country’s largest network of Catholic schools saying they will “push back all attempts to deny, distort, downgrade, and devalue” the EDSA Revolution “in our schools, in our communities, and in our life as a nation.” Unlike other commemorations such as Ninoy Aquino Day, no law makes February 25 a compulsory annual holiday. Presidents since Corazon Aquino have traditionally used their prerogative to declare it a special non-working day — a practice Marcos has discontinued. As the government steps back from commemorating one of the country’s largest democratic milestones, schools have stepped forward to determine, on their own, which moments in Philippine history deserve recognition. The move to suspend classes despite the lack of an official holiday declaration spans the entire spectrum of educational institutions, from large private universities to local parish schools. EDSOR, a consortium of schools in the EDSA-Ortigas area including Xavier School, Saint Pedro Poveda College, La Salle Greenhills, and Immaculate Conception Academy, made their stand clear in a joint statement on February 17.
They announced the suspension of their classes as part of their commitment “to preserving the relevance of the EDSA People Power Revolution” and vowed to “continue to keep the spirit of EDSA alive despite active efforts to undermine it.” The De La Salle University (DLSU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) also suspended work and classes, with the former tagging February 25 as an “Alternative Learning Day” for students and faculty to join activities commemorating EDSA People Power. Meanwhile, in its advisory, UST called on its academic community to “stand united and never forget that true power lies in the collective will of the people.” The University of the Philippines has taken a similar approach to DLSU. The state university — seen as a bastion of student activism and itself paved the way for movements that led to the ouster of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. opted for an “Alternative Learning Day” and suspended all undergraduate and graduate classes. The Ateneo de Manila University did not suspend work and classes but released a statement commemorating the EDSA Revolution. It also announced the conduct of commemorative activities on campus, including a university mass.
Read more at: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/02/25/2424080/february-25-schools-made-stand-people-power
