The Unfinished "Revolution" of EDSA:
The Call for Revolutionary Commitment
The EDSA "People Power Revolution" of 1986 is often remembered as a four-day event that shook the Marcos dictatorship to its core, but this view overlooks the decades of struggle that built the foundation for that moment. The workers’ resistance for just wage, ignited by the 1975 La Tondena strike, the farmers’ constant battles for land in the countryside, and the youth uprisings during the First Quarter Storm and the Diliman Commune all contributed to a broader, more sustained effort to overthrow the Marcos regime. These movements, driven by the laboring masses, were not a single moment of defiance but a continuous series of actions aimed at dismantling the oppressive structures of the dictatorship.
However, this so-called "victory" at EDSA, while significant, remains an unfinished revolution. Despite the ousting of Ferdinand Marcos, the elite forces who had long supported his dictatorship quickly reasserted their control. The true revolution—the one that could have dismantled the dynastic hold of the wealthy, eradicated systemic inequality, and brought true national and social justice to the people—was never fully realized. The masses, if they had risen in revolutionary justice, could have destroyed the dictator’s regime both politically and physically. Yet, rather than leading to the establishment of a truly egalitarian society, the aftermath of EDSA saw the restoration of elite rule. The revolution’s promise remained unfulfilled, its potential truncated.
In this sense, EDSA serves as a symbol of what could have been—a revolution that stopped short of its true objective. The restoration of the polyarchic-oligarchic power structure, instead of the dismantling of oppressive systems, meant that the revolution was only partially realized. The question remains: How would the Philippines have evolved had the working class’s national, political, and social revolution prevailed?
This brings to the forefront the core of revolutionary commitment—a call not just to political action but to total dedication to the people’s cause. Revolutionary commitment, true to its essence, involves the sacrifice of individual desires for the higher call of duty. It requires an unwavering loyalty to the common good and an understanding that the fates of individuals are bound together. True commitment seeks neither recognition nor reward but is given freely and without reservation. It is the willingness to surrender one’s life, even to be forgotten by history, so that the collective struggle can endure and prosper.
In the wake of EDSA- or its earlier acts of resistance ahainst the rotten order, the unfinished revolution demands forward motion. The forces of oppression—embodied by the "Kasamaan" and "Kadiliman" in the form of Marcos and Duterte—must be overthrown, not just for political change, but for the deeper, transformative justice the people have long sought. Only when a government of the workers and masses is built, rooted in the principles of justice and equality, can the revolution’s true promise be fulfilled.
Revolutionary commitment is not a mere gesture but a pledge to the people. It is the willingness to endure hardship, to sacrifice, and to dedicate oneself to the greater good. It calls for the complete surrender of personal gain, for the survival of the people and the Nation. True commitment means standing with the masses, not out of charity, but as an act of salvation—an acknowledgment that the people’s fight is the fight of the Nation.
The call of revolutionary commitment extends beyond the political upheaval of EDSA. In fact it's even way earlier, from the sruggle against foreign colonisers and of feudal despots, and it is the realization that the revolution is ongoing. The task now is to finish what was started decades ago, to build a government that serves the masses, and to ensure that revolutionary justice is delivered to those who have perpetuated the oppression. EDSA may have been a turning point, but the work remains unfinished. It is the duty of today’s revolutionaries to complete it.
The true form of commitment is the willingness to risk everything for the people. It is the realization that revolutionary justice requires not only the overthrow of political elites but the complete transformation of society. EDSA was not the end—it was a moment of potential that remains unrealized. Only through steadfast dedication, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the people can the revolution of EDSA be fulfilled.
Thus, the unfinished revolution calls on those who believe in justice, equality, and freedom to continue the struggle. The revolution is not over—it is merely waiting for its next chapter to be written, and it is the people, bound by their commitment to the common good, who must write it. Only then will the promises of EDSA be fully realized, and the revolution’s true victory be won.