People Power Revolution of 1986

People Power Revolution

Who/what: The People Power Revolution took place during Ferdinand Marcos’s presidency. After being elected for two terms back to back, thanks to his authoritarian style of ruling, he expressed interest in holding a third term as president. Because that was prohibited by the Filipino constitution, Marcos demanded the constitution be amended so that he could serve another term. This led to uproar, eventually instigating killings of Marcos’s enemies by the Marcos government. One of the people killed was Benigno Aquino, a Filipino senator who was outspoken about his negative feelings towards Ferdinand Marcos. The assassination of Benigno caused his wife, Corazon, to come out of exile and lead a revolution against the oppressive government (Tharoor).

When: Marcos’s government ruled for twenty years prior to the revolution. Although issues began to come to light around 1983, the actual protesting did not start until the unfair election run by Marcos’s government on February 7, 1986 (Tharoor).

Where: The oppression and the resulting protest took place in the Philippines. Specifically, the majority of the protest happened on one of the main streets in the Filipino capital, Manila. This street, whose acronym is EDSA, became a symbol for this revolution (Filipino Government).

Why: This protest is important for two reasons. First, it is an important symbol in the fight for democracy. The Filipino citizens essentially took down a tyrant and instated a democratic government in a very short amount of time. The fact that it is called “people power” is significant, because it emphasizes the fact that it was the citizens of the Philippines who fought for their own freedom and won. Second, a woman who is eventually elected their president leads the revolution. If viewed from the lens of this country, where we have yet to have a female leader, this is an important piece of history.

Proof of Identity: There are two main identities that I can see writing about for this paper. They are listed below.

Filipino: This one is obvious. A revolution that is led by Filipinos for the sake of their country will obviously matter to other Filipinos. This uprising and the events that happened after are deeply entrenched in Filipino history and are still talked about, debated, and occurring today.

Catholic Filipinos: This identity is just a more specific version of the first one. I was surprised to learn that Catholicism played a large role in the revolution. This probably had a lot to do with Corazon Aquino and her strong Catholic faith. Nuns were a large part of the protest during this period, and many figureheads within the Catholic Church were vocal about the oppression that the Marcos leadership inflicted on its citizens. Revolutionary Struggle in the Philippines by Leonard Davis is a book that has an entire chapter on the contribution of the Catholic Church.

Nuns kneeling and praying while creating a human barrier in front of a tank. Digital image. The 1986 People Power Revolution. Mount Holyoke College, 2010. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.

Works Cited in Text:

"EDSA, Elsewhere: The 1986 People Power Revolution." Official Gazette. Filipino Government, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.

Tharoor, Ishaan. "Top 10 Most Influential Protests: People Power, 1986." Time. 28 June 2011. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.

Other Possible Sources for the Paper in General:

People Power: The Philippine Revolution of 1986: An Eyewitness Story by Francisco Tatad et al. (narrative accounts of the revolution)

Corazon Aquino and the Brushfire Revolution by Robert Reid (the aftermath of the revolution)

The Encyclopedia of Political Revolutions by Jack Goldstone (basic knowledge)

Philippine Politics and Society in the Twentieth Century: Colonial Legacies, Postcolonial Trajectories by Eva-Lotta Hedman, John Thayer Sidel (historical context)

The Philippines: A Singular and a Plural Place by David Steinberg

Ferdinand Marcos and the Philippines: The Political Economy of Authoritarianism by Albert Celoza (historical context)

Revolutionary Struggle in the Philippines by Leonard Davis (chapter on Catholic Church’s involvement)