40 Years After EDSA: People Power Without a System
By Karl Garcia
In a few days, the Philippines will mark a profound milestone: forty years since the 1986 People Power Revolution. Four decades since ordinary Filipinos converged on EDSA and, without guns or generals, toppled a dictatorship. It was a moment when fear lost its grip, when collective courage bent the course of history, and when the nation proved—decisively—that power does not always flow from the top.
EDSA reclaimed the country and restored democracy. But forty years later, the harder question confronts us: what have we built since?
A Nation of Participation—Without Power
The Philippines prides itself on being a democracy of participation. We have elections, stirring speeches, constitutional guarantees, and a political culture saturated with the language of “by the people, for the people.” And yet, for many Filipinos, democracy feels more ritual than reality.
We vote—but we do not govern.
We speak—but we rarely decide.
We mobilize during crises—then fade into the background once power is secured.
This is the Philippine paradox: a nation rich in movements, but poor in systems. We possess institutions, but too often they exist in isolation, underused or easily captured. Participation is celebrated symbolically, yet constrained practically. Democracy survives—but it does not fully function.
EDSA as Culture, Not a System
EDSA was not merely a political event; it was a cultural declaration. It said, collectively and unmistakably: we will not be governed by fear. That moral instinct—people power—has since become part of our national identity.
But culture alone cannot run a state.
Moral energy must be translated into institutions. Institutions must be designed to work together, predictably and over time. Without this translation, people power becomes episodic—activated in moments of outrage, then dormant once normal politics resumes. Passion without structure fades into nostalgia.
This is where we consistently fail.
Institutions Exist. Sequencing Does Not.
The 1987 Constitution already provides tools for direct democracy: referendums, plebiscites, people’s initiatives. The problem is not their absence. The problem is how—and when—we try to use them.
Governance is not built by piling reforms on top of each other. It is built through sequencing.
Introduce direct democracy too early, and it does not empower citizens—it empowers whoever can manipulate them fastest. Money, misinformation, and political machinery fill the vacuum where civic capacity should be.
Before people power can function as governance, three things must happen.
First, the system must be cleaned.
Campaign finance must be enforced. Corruption must be punished. The civil service must be professionalized. Without this foundation, participation becomes theater.
Second, citizens must be equipped.
Direct democracy is not about emotion; it is about deliberation. Civic education, access to reliable information, and spaces for reasoned debate are not luxuries—they are prerequisites.
Only then does direct democracy make sense—not as mob rule, but as structured participation that strengthens representative institutions rather than undermining them.
Integration: From Voice to Policy
Sequencing alone is not enough. Institutions must also be integrated.
Citizen decisions must connect to legislatures for implementation, courts for review, and executives for enforcement. Otherwise, participation becomes symbolic—and cynicism grows. Democracy cannot survive on gestures. It survives on feedback loops that prove participation leads to real outcomes.
The Present Moment: A Test of Memory
Today, the Philippines is led by Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.—a reality inseparable from the legacy of EDSA. This is not merely historical irony; it is a stress test of our democratic memory.
The administration promotes growth through infrastructure and social programs, yet recurring governance failures—such as the flood control scandal—reveal how easily weak systems bend to vested interests. These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of institutions that exist without sufficient accountability.
“Never Again” was never meant to be a slogan. It was meant to be a system.
Justice, Spectacle, and State Capacity
The same weakness appears in how the Philippine state approaches justice. The so-called war on drugs may have faded from headlines, but its legacy remains: overcrowded jails, paralyzed courts, and a justice system many Filipinos no longer trust.
That campaign revealed a hard truth. The Philippine state knows how to use force. It does not know how to build capacity.
Wars are spectacles. Institutions are solutions.
Justice in the Philippines still depends too heavily on individual courage. But courage is not scalable. Institutions are. If justice is treated as a commodity, every crisis invites another “war.” If justice is treated as a public service, the state must invest—patiently and persistently—in courts, prosecutors, public defenders, and due process, even when it is politically unrewarding.
From Survival to Progress
Filipinos are resilient. We know how to survive. But survival is not progress.
A democracy that only activates during moments of outrage is not a democracy—it is a pressure valve. Real democracy is boring, procedural, and constant. It is practiced daily, not performed episodically.
The Philippines does not lack people power.
It lacks a system that makes people power last.
Renewing EDSA’s Promise
The enduring legacy of EDSA is not simply the fall of a dictator. It is the reminder that democracy is a choice that must be made—again and again—through institutions that work.
“By the people, for the people” must stop being a slogan and start becoming infrastructure.
Because a nation that is not truly built by its people will always end up being built for someone else. And the Philippines was never meant to be built for someone else.
Forty years after EDSA, the question remains:
Are we ready—not just to remember people power—but to finally systematize it?
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
“Are we ready—not just to remember people power—but to finally systematize it?”
I think we are ready to systematize it. The country has already begun, and I watch its progress eagerly. In invite anyone similarly interested to join me. To be honest, I find it more exciting than the coming Winter Olympics. hehehe
This is from ABS-CBN, dated January 21, 2026
**MANILA — The Department of Information and Communications Technology said it will soon launch the eGov AI, an all-in-one government AI platform that can be used for free by all Filipinos. The DICT described eGov AI as an intelligent assistant within the eGov app and will help citizens in various government processes. It has multi-language support with a translator, image identifier, and more.**
The goal of the system is to further empower the common tao, and to weaken the position of corrupt people in government and private sector by limiting their face-to-face contact with the common tao.
There was a meeting of the Liberal/Leftish top legislators yesterday, including Robredo, Hontiveros, Drilon, Aquino, De Lima, Pangilinan, plus two or three others. This is the future of the Philippines, good, honest, and productive, if voters are properly informed and educated. That is, if this brain trust can move into action: organize, fund, communicate. Highly uplifting to see this meeting. It excluded the hard left, the dynasts, and the China lovers.
Very uplifting.
“There was a meeting of the Liberal/Leftish top legislators yesterday, including Robredo, Hontiveros, Drilon, Aquino, De Lima, Pangilinan, plus two or three others.” – JoeAm
Who are the likely 3 others? Per a little research on my part: – possibly Sen. Chel Diokno, Barry Gutierrez, Teddy Baguilat, Rep. Kit Belmonte, and Erin Tañada. This is grapevine type info….
“This is the future of the Philippines, good, honest, and productive, if voters are properly informed and educated. That is, if this brain trust can move into action: organize, fund, communicate.” – JoeAm
Apparently this coalition has already begun moving. They are using Social Media and recognize that they have to counter the fire hose of falsehoods that an opponent (like then Marcos, Jr.) can generate.
They are partnering with Marcos, Jr.’s people at my favorite project, the DICT (Almirol and Aguda), encouraging the development and widespread use of eGovDX and the eGovPH Super App. They obviously recognize that it is a tool not only to make the government services easier for the common tao, but to make it more difficult for the “bad guys” or corrupt people in both the private and public sectors to do their crimes.
They are doing a lot of other things to reach out to the voter learning from past mistakes.
“Highly uplifting to see this meeting. It excluded the hard left, the dynasts, and the China lovers.” – JoeAm
I agree. I think the citizenry should do their best to encourage this coalition in every way they can, including what I call “talk it up!” That is the opposite of silence and apathy. The coalition faces a daunting task, but that is the definition of nation building – Hard Work. Are the Pinoys up to it. I am cautiously optimistic primarily because of the work leverage the eGovDX program theoretically will allow IF INSTALLED AND USED PROPERLY.
Fingers crossed.
I recall reading about some structural concepts to put together government computer systems back in the late PNoy admin, and did some inquiry in ChatGPT about whether the foundation for what is today was laid then, getting this answer which is a result of some queries and summaries:
such a large system architecture is about as complex as building a road network (think of the different stages of Skyway in Metro Manila based on a concept from the 1990s, or the C5 and C6 roads which were conceptualized way back in the 1970s) or a public transport network (though I get the feeling that the MRT/LRT network of Metro Manila was patchwork, unlike Bangkok, but that would have to be studied more closely) – so it is not surprising the groundwork started earlier.
What would be interesting is how much thought has been put into making it work even for the DE classes. They do all have mobile phones nowadays. And of course how gaps in what IT pros call “rollout” can be addressed like people who still lack national IDs, late registration of birth certificate which is an issue in poorer communities, getting NBI clearance online etc etc – but that would be an interesting topic for those with more time for this than me.
“What would be interesting is how much thought has been put into making it work even for the DE classes.” – Irineo
I agree that yes that would be interesting.
I am guardedly optimistic w/ regard to the thought put into it, largely because the Philippine government received international awards for it and the people leading it, Almirol and Aguda, appear very qualified, at least on paper.
NBI clearances on line would be HUGE. If the systems were tied together it should take about 3 seconds. “Nil” reports.
**NBI clearances on line would be HUGE. If the systems were tied together it should take about 3 seconds. “Nil” reports.** – JoeAm
Exactamente….imagine if people applying for certain jobs needed NBI clearances, maybe even prospective OFWs….!! Something to get excited about, in my mind.
And there are a lot of other areas serving the citizenry and residents….we just have to keep the ball rolling, momentum as somebody mentioned recently. Hold their feet to the fire (Almirol/Aguda & Co., and their replacements if they get replaced).
I believe the coalition you mentioned has bought into the xGovDX project. If Marcos, Jr. is in it, and the opposition is in it, what do they see in it that makes them jump in? I think they see the potential power of the people at the gates, so the Gatekeepers are on yellow alert.
I think every able bodied Filipino citizen, when confronting any government person or politician, should be prepared to ask “Where is your department in this eGovDX campaign?” Keep up the pressure…legacy of People Power, hindi ba?
Thanks for filling in the blanks. The encouraging points for me were that Robredo was there, suggesting she will continue to play a role in national affairs, and the moderate left was there, indicating a broadening of the strict LP core of Aquino/De Lima/Drilon. These are consistent with the coalition building I’ve been advocating for months. Tying in with the Marcos political factions would help in a major way.
“… indicating a broadening of the strict LP core of Aquino/De Lima/Drilon. These are consistent with the coalition building I’ve been advocating for months.” – JoeAm
Amen to that. Unfortunately, with us Pinoys, coalitions can be fragile. Just look at the Marcos-Duterte “coalition.” Hehehe
When Marcos, Sr. called a “snap election” back in I guess it was ’86, I remember Laurel wanted to run for president. That would have been Marcos-Cory Aquino-Laurel. Just what Marcos, Sr. needed – a divided opposition.
Fortunately, common sense prevailed and for the sake of the common cause of toppling Marcos, Sr., Laurel agreed not to run. The rest is history, probably forgotten history in the Philippines.
True. Planning here looks superficially for quick solutions (Duterte) rather than anchoring decisions to moral correctness, mathematical probabilities, or metrics. Filipinos have not been taught critical thinking rigor, only how to get to the next grade. And thinking is infested with lies from evil players who believe they are little gods for screwing over the vulnerable and uninformed. DDS are evil pissants trying to be important by abusing Filipino well-being. MAGA Americans are the same and there are way more of the cretins.
“Planning here looks superficially for quick solutions (Duterte) rather than anchoring decisions to moral correctness, mathematical probabilities, or metrics.” – JoeAm
I can’t judge because I’m not that sly or clever. I do know that Marcos, Sr. was a lifetime Liberal Party politician…until he wanted to run for President and the incumbent (Macapagal) was also a Liberal and wanted to run for re-election and he had seniority over the younger FM, Sr.
So Ferdie, Sr. switched parties to the Nationalista Party and somehow the “rookie” Nacionalista became their candidate to run against Macapagal. He won and remained in power for almost 19 years. I think anyone who wants to argue against the wisdom of that “quick solution” will have a tough time.
“Filipinos have not been taught critical thinking rigor, only how to get to the next grade.” – JoeAm
I would not be too hard on our dear “happy fools.” There are many who do think critically. A lot are abroad earning enough money to sustain loved ones back in the homeland. It is my hope that there are enough critical thinkers at home to right the sinking ship of State before it is too late. The tool that is the Estonian model offers a light of hope. If our few bright men and women can just reverse engineer it and ram it against the gatekeepers, our Eden lost may yet be regained. The coalition you mentioned maybe can lead the folks to the promised land.
Bahala na si Batman who has been spotted in the country. 🙂
I don’t see how being factually accurate is considered “being hard on” Filipinos. The voting tabulations are for the entire range of existing “fools”, not the exceptions who can indeed think critically. Or go to Philippine scores on international education/intelligence rankings. Or look around, in the Philippines. Rote education does not inspire or teach conceptual thinking. So solutions are not found. Review studies. Don’t personalize the remark.
Looking at Marcos and extrapolating him to anything is terribly fallacious thinking. It is diversionary to the remark you quoted, and it is errant generalization from one case to the entire population.
And kindly don’t troll me on my comments. You are already on thin ice. Tell us what you know rather than sharpshoot our thinking.
Gemini on why the Philippines has historically scored low on IQ comparisons: “Factors Influencing Scores: Lower scores in the past have been linked to issues in the education system, such as a focus on rote memorization, along with nutritional deficiencies and environmental factors.”
“The Philippines does not lack people power.
It lacks a system that makes people power last.”
It lacks an empowered people. Build a system that empowers the people and you can watch people power last.
>>When government IT systems can interoperate securely, it becomes easier for businesses — especially small and medium enterprises — to:
This reduces barriers to entry and strengthens economic participation by more of the population.<<
Economic participation, as has been brought up by one or two people in this forum recently, empowers people. They have more vested in the system, therefore more to lose if things aren’t working right. I’ve heard people say that here. I, of course, agree.
The article will be about Computer system I already posted on the comments before and added some points.
A useful tool to minimize corruption would be a Freedom of Information act with more teeth.
Plus of course regional / provincial / municipal civic society that keeps track of government projects.
These organizations can easily publish Transparency Reports as spreadsheets on social media.
It is easier to keep track of stuff at more local levels as the numbers and projects look more real.
Is the barangay hall there, does the price make sense, how does the bridge going to school look like?
I do agree that economic growth will empower Filipinos more so I know it should be a priority.
Still preventing ghost and blatantly overpriced projects is important to get to actual progress.
Some padding might still happen but there will be less incentive for that in a future richer country.
“A useful tool to minimize corruption would be a Freedom of Information act with more teeth.” – Irineo
Makes sense. Historically, it seems that 3 people in Philippine government have been working on this in the past few years: Drillon, Robredo (when she was VP), and De Lima. Apparently it has been a struggle, but De Lima and Senator Pangilinan are on it today. Apparently there is a Bill in the House of Representatives on Freedom of Information sponsored by de Lima AND there is another one in the Senate sponsored by Pangilinan. Both are in the coalition mentioned by JoeAm. I say “apparently” because I just rely on what I read in through the internet. Hopefully folks back home like JoeAm, Kasambahay, Karl, and Istambaysakanto (and maybe Arlene?) can confirm my “apparently” knowldege…hehehe
Looks like good news though, eh? 🙂
Real talk? Your chances of getting what you want through FOI in the Philippines are mixed—sometimes decent, often frustrating. It really depends on what you’re asking for and who you’re asking.
Here’s the lay of the land: The baseline reality
Congress, the Senate, judiciary, constitutional bodies? Voluntary.
When your chances are GOOD
You’re more likely to succeed if:
Rough odds: 60–80% compliance, though often delayed or partially redacted. When your chances DROP fast
You’re likely to get denied, stalled, or ghosted if it involves:
Expect:
Rough odds: 10–30%, sometimes zero. The classic FOI problem in PH
Even when they approve:
How to improve your odds
Practical moves:
Bottom line
FOI in the Philippines is:
It’s a tool—but a blunt one, unless backed by media pressure, litigation, or politics.
If you want, tell me:
I can help you rephrase the request to maximize your odds—or tell you honestly if it’s a dead end.
Good research, Karl….yes the current system has no teeth, which is why Irineo wrote: ““A useful tool to minimize corruption would be a Freedom of Information act with more teeth.” – Irineo
Pangilinan (Senate) and de Lima (House) have bills that need to be finalized and passed. Keep an eye on them. Tell that to everyone you run into. Every bit helps.
https://x.com/nababaha/status/2020011051493085466 OT, sharing this from Dr. Lagmay:
Storms in the Philippines are fickle. My son’s school is very plugged into weather forecasts and the LGU and has a multi-pronged communication of texts and e-mails to parents and students. It also has stand by DL capability and one day a week dedicated to DL for upper levels. The storm that recently rolled through south and central Visayas was handled via a “yes there will be school today” confirmation at 5:30 in the morning, a good call that squeezed in a day of school the day before the storm hit.
Also OT but related to schools, my son’s school is proactive on AI as a learning tool. Two changes in policy go along with it: (1) Homework is no longer graded. Only in class work is graded. The school accepts that students can use AI to accelerate learning at home but are checked on competence “live” at school. (2) Project papers are scanned to determine AI content with higher grades given for original work. My son’s work in one course was assed at 20% AI content early in the year and is 0% now. He uses AI liberally to organize his work and query for information. He then writes from his own brain.
This MIT study suggests that it is indeed probably better to write from one’s own brain: https://time.com/7295195/ai-chatgpt-google-learning-school/ (I think using tools is helpful, but overuse can indeed be like using escalator and elevator all the time instead of taking the stairs, or always going by car instead of walking)
True I suppose, for those of us with lazy brains. Those of you with photocopy brains might be different. Joe Junior has one of those, too, and as a teen knows more about everything than I do. The AI era will reshape human intelligence, for sure, a mix of dumbing down while promoting fast data flows.
https://www.facebook.com/PinasPulse/posts/pfbid0opEsBP6arC7y67EbhZmQVJNkiH25EZ1ynuDNX6BbfBak7Fqp96wXC46vKmwSmqRBl OT but interesting:
Covered partially on my spatial management articles