@rapsantos 22 February 2021

The beginning of the Yellow Revolution

On this day (**February 22**). The year was **1986**. This marked the beginning of civil resistance which became *a non-violent revolution against the dictatorship* of former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. It was called the **People Power Revolution**, or also known as **EDSA Revolution** and the majority of the protests were held along **Epifanio de los Santos Avenue**.

https://web.facebook.com/photo?fbid=507432412928185&set=a.407029449635149 A **circumferential highway** around the capital region as you'll drive around to 6 different cities: **Caloocan**, **Quezon City**, **San Juan**, **Mandaluyong**, **Makati**, and **Pasay City** as it links to the **North Luzon Expressway**, the **Magallanes interchange**, and major financial districts: the **Makati Central Business District**, **Ortigas Center**, and **Araneta Center**. One of the longest and the most congested highways in Metro Manila stretching up to **23.8 kilometers**.

https://alchetron.com/Epifanio-de-los-Santos Before EDSA, it was called the ***North-South Circumferential Road*** and construction began in the **1930s** under the Commonwealth Republic. It was finished in **1940** before the Japanese invaded the country. After the independence of the Philippine Islands from the United States on **July 4, 1946**, the highway was renamed ***Avenida 19 de Junio*** (***June 19 Avenue***) - **Jose Rizal's birthdate**. Years later, it was renamed ***Highway 54*** (also known as ***Route 54***) but Rizalists want to retain the hero's birthdate. Instead, residents of the Rizal Province (which they were part of Metro Manila at that time) wanted the avenue to be named after a Rizaleño, hence, it was renamed on **April 7, 1959**, from ***Highway 54*** to ***Epifanio de los Santos Avenue*** under **Republic Act No. 2140** - named after the historian, journalist, and civil servant ***Epifanio de los Santos y Cristobal***. https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1959/ra_2140_1959.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epifanio_de_los_Santos

https://read.cash/@rapsantos/martial-law-lifted-after-9-years-23658b35 From the 70s up to the present-day, the highway is now *surrounded by numerous skyscrapers & malls*, but it became *a traffic jam for motorists and commuters alike*. Portions of EDSA became the staging grounds during the bloodless revolution. Before the revolution started, Ferdinand Marcos addresses the nation and declares Martial Law on **September 23, 1972**, while it was originally signed on **September 21, 1972** - to combat the communist threat followed by series of protests and civil unrest. It was dark times for some, but they say it was very safe. There was discipline, the country was known as the **Tiger of South-East Asia**. It was a time of chaos. Media lockdown, mass arrests including political opponents & critics to the likes of ***Sen. Pres. Jovito Salonga***, ***Sen. Jose Diokno***, and ***Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.***, unexplained disappearances & killings after ***Lim Seng's execution***. On **August 21, 1983**, after 3 years of exile in the United States, Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated where he dropped off at **Manila International Airport** in broad daylight, as for the Marcos administration they created a commission to investigate the murder led by ***Chief Justice Enrique Fernando***. For us Filipinos, it was an outrage and we were shocked as they begin to lose their trust in the administration. https://read.cash/@rapsantos/lim-seng-death-by-firing-squad-ca0041b8 Martial Law was lifted on **January 17, 1981**, to give way for the Papal Visit and his ally, ***Pres. Ronald Reagan*** to visit the country, but will retain his position as President until **1984**. On **November 3, 1985**, Marcos announced there will be a snap election the following year and it was held on **February 7, 1986**. The **Commission on Elections** (**COMELEC**) declared that Marcos was the winner - 10,807,197 votes against 9,291,761 votes on **Corazon Aquino**. However, the **National Movement for Free Elections**, Aquino won 7,835,070 votes against Marcos' 7,053,068 votes. 30 computer technicians from COMELEC walked out in protest of the election results, *it became an early spark of the People Power Revolution*. Days later, after COMELEC's proclamation, all 50 opposition members walked out in protest claiming Aquino was the real victor. https://read.cash/@rapsantos/martial-law-lifted-after-9-years-23658b35

http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/2013/2/77-hours-the-behind-the-scenes-at-the-1986-edsa-people-power-revolution The revolution started on **February 22, 1986**. In **Dasmariñas Village, Makati City**, a meeting was held by ***Def. Minister Juan Ponce-Enrile***. They planned to attack Malacañang Palace on **February 23** at **2 a.m.**, which will be led by ***Col. Gregorio Honasan***. ***AFP Chief of Staff Fabian Ver*** fortifies the Palace's security until the colonel discovers a Marine battalion stationed at their planned point of attack. ***AFP Vice Chief of Staff Fidel Ramos*** arrived in **Camp Aguinaldo** and *both military leaders announced their defection from the dictator's administration*. ***Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin*** called out every resident of Metro Manila to support both military officials, as millions of people from the capital region marched towards Camp Aguinaldo. A revolution has started in the nation's capital while their leader, Corazon Aquino was in Cebu to appeal for civil disobedience by boycotting companies owned by Marcos cronies and payment of taxes. **Sources**: Lead Image from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/edsa/the-ph-protest/ https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/02/21/17/timeline-edsa-people-power-revolution https://coconuts.co/manila/features/29-things-about-edsa-you-may-or-may-not-know/ https://www.rappler.com/nation/cory-aquino-hid-cebu-edsa-revolution