Speech
of
His Excellency Fidel V. Ramos
President of the Philippines
During the Seventh EDSA Anniversary
[Delivered at EDSA Shrine, February 25, 1993]
The spirit of EDSA
THIS IS the first time I celebrate EDSA as President. Seven years after those fateful days on February 22-25, 1986, I stand before you—a servant of the Filipino people and your elected leader—to pledge my Presidency to nourish the triumph of democracy, to bring forth hope and to reclaim our vision of a revitalized and progressive Philippines.
Those of us who are veterans of the EDSA revolution remember the feeling of unity and patriotism which released this country from the bondage of repression and fear.
The spirit of EDSA emanates from the Filipino’s act of selfless giving—of believing that change—though necessary—should be achieved through peaceful and nonviolent means.
There are those who continue to be cynical of the EDSA experience.
Remember EDSA
They say that the magic of EDSA has been lost. Let me now reach out to them in their narrow and antiquated attitudes. I call on them to join in our people’s crusade and our aspiration to move our country forward.
EDSA is still very much alive in the hearts of many of us. Like a glowing ember, EDSA continues to provide so many people with inspiration as we tackle the business of recovery, growth and national development. What is needed is to fan the embers so that the flames will brighten and live. And this is precisely the reason for this gathering. We are gathered here so that we may remember and live the spirit of EDSA.
My countrymen, only those who were too young to remember or who are short-sighted could fail to grasp the significance of EDSA. But for those of us who staked our lives and our futures for the cause of freedom, we can never abandon its meaning nor ever forget what EDSA stands for.
Yes, we won the battle at EDSA in February 1986, but we have yet to win, through our united effort, the war against poverty, inequity and injustice.
The three great branches of government—the executive, the legislature and the judiciary—must themselves tread the road of unity with our people. They must commit themselves to share—not just political power—but political responsibility. Only then can they begin to reflect and support the aspirations of our national community.
Redefining people power
The people power which won the day for us at EDSA should now be redefined to enable us to face up to adversaries and tyrannies even more oppressive than the one we overthrew in 1986. Now we must address mass-poverty, crime, injustice, inequality and underdevelopment.
Once again we must stand up to the challenge—and be heroes to ourselves and to our children. At EDSA we won our political freedom. Now we must work to win our economic liberation.
Seven years ago we caught a glimpse of what we Filipinos could become—once we set ourselves to accomplish something we truly believe in.
Together we broke the back of tyranny. Now we must move the nation forward and upward—to the heights.
To become the nation we aspire to become, we must recapture that spirit and be those Filipinos again—one nation, one vision, one voice.
To redeem the promise of EDSA, we must link arms and form a powerful human chain for national and individual advancement.
When I assumed the Presidency, I declared a total war against poverty. The crusade against this formidable enemy continues to be fought to this day. We have made much headway through our individual enterprise and collective hard work and perseverance.
Yet, many among us continue to go around in endless circles. We have not fully benefited from gains we have made, because insurgency, criminality, graft and corruption, injustice and apathy continue to thrive, despite our efforts to quell them.
Winning the war against poverty
This wasteful dissipation of our time, energies and resources must stop. The only way we can win this war is by consolidating our strength as a nation against the barriers to our advancement. We have learned how people power could turn the tides of fate in our favor. This is the patrimony of EDSA.
Filipino competitiveness is a major strategy we are currently pursuing to realize our economic goals. We need to make world-class products with world-class human talent. By expanding markets and opportunities, we shall be assured of more jobs, higher labor skills, managerial techniques and other innovations that will benefit our industries and our people.
We must remove the blinders that force us to look inward. We must view the world in its entirety and find our rightful place in the global scheme of things.
We are pushing change of reform. But let this be for the benefit of all Filipinos. While there is merit in being hopeful about the changes we can bring about, there is even more benefit in being hopeful and hard-working. Let us approach our problems in a more pragmatic and realistic way. As we pray, we must perform. As we perform, we must pray.
We dream of a better Philippines. We want a better Philippines for this generation and for those to follow. We long to live in the comfort and protection of democracy, peace and sufficiency. Their enemies are poverty, divisiveness, greed, injustice and criminality. These enemies we must attack relentlessly.
Our vision is of a lasting victory against poverty. Our vision is of an empowered citizenry, secure in its future, building together the peace and democracy.
To achieve our vision of sufficiency, modernization and global excellence we have prepared the path to its realization. The Medium-term Philippine Development Plan will be our development road map for the next six years. Henceforth, our battle cry shall be “Philippines 2000!”
This plan, shaped through our revered democratic processes, present realities and future opportunities, is your plan, our plan. It reflects our common dreams and aspirations. It is the spirit of EDSA captured in far-ranging documents which objectify our vision of a better Philippines.
Let me then present to you this plan, which was fashioned with the interest of the Filipino masses at heart, that we may see the dawning of a new day and a new beginning for all.
Economic empowerment of the people
The essential ingredient that could spell the success or failure of this plan is people. For the plan is essentially designed to be carried out by the very people whom it will benefit. It is a plan of the people, for the people, by the people. This is democracy in action. This is people power in motion. The plan is anchored on the concept of people working together to make their lives, their livelihoods and their futures secure, productive and globally competitive.
I stress the need for the Filipino to be united in order to be globally competitive. Wala tayong dapat ipangamba sa layunin nating ito. Mayaman ang Pilipino sa talino at lakas. Kailangan lamang niya ng tiwala sa sarili at ng mga tamang programa upang magawa niya ang makipagsabayan sa mauunlad no bansa. Alisin natin sa ating mga isipan ang paghintay sa tulong ng iba. Walang makakapag-unlad sa ating kalagayan kundi tayong mga Pilipino lamang.
We have to prepare ourselves, our agriculture and our industries for the rigors of international competition. We must be able to turn out world-class products and services that can profitably compete with those of the rest of the world. Only by so doing can we lift up the common life and unshackle ourselves from the chains of poverty.
Our quest for international competitiveness requires that we focus on the development of our human resources. Education, training, improved basic services in health and nutrition, improved access to productive resources, the spread of technology and other people-focused activities, are empowerment in its fullest economic, social and political aspects.
Planting the seeds of democracy
Together we planted the seeds of democracy. But freedom rests on peace, unity and trust.
The story of EDSA must continue to be written every day with the same unfaltering wisdom of faith, performance and peace.
Rebuilding our country, our hopes and our future demands courage and faith in the face of constant challenge. Together let us find the courage and the faith to realize the destined greatness of this nation.
EDSA taught us how strong we can be—together. It taught us that democracy is stronger than tyranny. It made us proud to be Filipinos.
But let us perform as we pray, and pray as we perform. Let the spirit of EDSA live on!