by Eva Visperas
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas has called on Filipinos to move from “memory to action” and reclaim what he described as the fading spirit of EDSA.
Villegas, who served for 15 years as rector of the EDSA Shrine, described the 1986 uprising as “Gospel alive: prayer, non-violence, unity for the common good.” He recalled how faith and solidarity halted tanks along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue during the historic uprising.
However, he lamented what he characterized as a gradual erosion of the revolution’s gains.
He traced the country’s political journey through four decades, beginning with what he called the “yellow hope” of the post-1986 years under President Corazon Aquino and the leadership of Cardinal Jaime Sin, when democratic institutions were restored and a new Constitution was ratified.
Without naming specific individuals in some instances but alluding to past and present administrations, the archbishop denounced killings, vulgarity in leadership, historical revisionism, political dynasties, and what he described as the manipulation of public opinion through trolls and algorithms.
“Murderers cannot be leaders,” he asserted, reiterating the Catholic Church’s teaching on the primacy of protecting human life and forming consciences guided by Scripture and doctrine.
Villegas also expressed concern over corruption, poverty, foreign encroachment in Philippine waters, and what he termed the betrayal of the common good.
In a direct appeal to various sectors, he challenged the youth to think critically and resist fake news; the urban and rural poor to reject celebrity politics; professionals and parents to live with integrity; politicians to shun dynasties and self-promotion; and journalists and historians to defend historical truth.
He also called on the international community, including the International Criminal Court at The Hague, to pursue accountability for drug-related killings, asserting that justice must be restored in the country.
Despite his sharp criticisms, the archbishop concluded his homily on a hopeful note.
“May pag-asa pa,” he said. “EDSA lives in our hearts. Its rebirth is in our hands.”