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MANILA, Philippines — Marking the 40th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas delivered a sweeping and sharply worded homily at the EDSA Shrine, urging Filipinos to confront what he described as the nation’s moral and political backsliding four decades after the bloodless uprising that toppled dictatorship.
Addressing clergy, public officials, youth, workers and even the International Criminal Court, the speaker framed EDSA as “gospel alive” — a moment of prayer, unity and nonviolence — and lamented that its promise had been squandered by corruption, populism, historical distortion and weak institutions.
Below is the full transcript of the speech.
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Your eminence, your excellencies, the rector of the Edsa Shrine, the reverend fathers, the honorable government officials, brothers and sisters in Christ, mga minamahal kong kababayan, makabayan dahil maka-Diyos. We are gathered here at the Edsa Shrine, our sacred witness to God's triumph through peaceful revolution.
For 15 years as your rector, I walked these grounds, prayed amidst the echoes of rosaries, that halted tanks, and shared the tears and joys of a people who toppled tyranny with faith alone. Today, on the 40th anniversary of EDSA People Power, we do not bask in nostalgia.
We confront our betrayals, repent, and rise. Our wine is running out. The yellow hope of 1986 has dimmed. But Christ commands, "You are the light of the world. Let your light shine. Fill the jars of wine again." EDSA was gospel alive.
Prayer, non-violence, unity for the common good. Yet four decades later, we have squandered this grace. Let us trace the path honestly as prophets named sin in order to be healed. Our wine ran out slowly. We did not notice the spilling.
The first decade blazed with yellow hope. He rose like President Cory and Cardinal Sin alive, fervor was very strong. We rebelled on solidarity and subsidiarity, tasting democracy's joy as the world marvelled. We built the Edsa Shrine. We made a new constitution. We restored democratic systems.
Our wine was sweet and bubbling. But the second decade, blurred lines, and EDSA hero, President Ramos, led us. Yet, show business and entertainment seduced us as the answer to poverty. But the actor got embroiled in jueteng, birthing Edsa 2.
Ousting one corrupt drinking president, he was succeeded by another corrupt one. But both jailed, but later pardoned. EDSA was in shambles. We prize spectacle over vigilance, ignoring warnings that without truth, democracy crumbles.
This was not EDSA. Our wine was running out. We were not drinking, but it was leaking. The third decade promised the daang matuwid, straight path, rising economy, global praise. We had clean government, but trolls poisoned our minds.
We mocked the honest president, even if he served as well. Yellow was mocked. Pink was cheered. Only black darkness was made to look beautiful. By then, we were drinking bland, tasteless water instead of sweet wine. This was not EDSA.
Then trolls and populism swayed us. Before the jailed man at the Hague became president, Didn't we know right from wrong? We knew that killing was sin, insulting women, mocking God, death threats, law-breaking, siding with foreigners against nation.
These screamed evil, yet we justified addict murders, vulgar jokes, blasphemy was tolerable. Due process disposable, island build-up by China as necessary to prevent war. What happened? Charisma eclipses conscience. This was not EDSA.
Nakakahiya, nakakasuka, nakakapagtaka, bakit tayo nagkaganoon? That kind of leadership must not be given another chance in this country. This is not EDSA. Catholic teaching insists form consciences by scripture and doctrine. Prioritizing life's protection over all, abortion, euthanasia, violence. The voice of conscience got hoarse. We became complicit, letting power redefine morality. I was threatened and I was mocked when I warned, "Murderers cannot be leaders." I was just trying to live EDSA.
This was not EDSA now the fourth decade the dictators family returns, dazzled by trolls, algorithms, fake gold legends. Corruption lips hundred-fold poverty surges crime explodes, traitors defend China over our seas. Quiet, while lowly fishermen are harassed.
Rights tumbled, common good betrayed. We repeat the shadows of EDSA 1986. This is not EDSA. Today, we celebrate not faded yellow ribbons, but a call to reclaim that fire. We wasted it.
To corruption, troll dynasties, vulgarity, and forgotten dignity. But repentance dawns. The head of spirit calls us to repentance. Matatanda na kaming tumindig dito sa EDSA. Puti na buhok ko. Patay na 'yong iba sa amin.
Mga kabataan, kayo naman torch passes, rise as true patriots. Young people and children, kayo naman, don't chase viral posts like dumb goats.
Think critically, question, discern, kill lies before sharing, form consciences by truth, not algorithms, as our church teaches. Evaluate leaders by defense of life and justice and integrity, not fleeting trends. Young people and children, be the light that pierces fake news darkness.
Urban poor and rural poor, kayo naman reject movie idols to be lawmakers. Ang para sa pelikula ay hindi para sa Senado at lalong hindi pang Malacañang.
The sacred task demand service of the common good. Hindi mga artistang kinakatuwaan sa pagsayaw sa ating miting-de-advance. Learn from Dolphy. Subsidiarity calls you local voices build nation protecting family and neighbor from exploitation.
Young professionals and young parents, kayo naman live honestly. No tax cheats, no bribes to traffic enforcers. Starved trolls don't feed fake news, making their lives jobless. In homes, do not lie to your children, dear parents, and punish your children when they lie to you. Integrity at home, shapes politics.
Reject intrinsic evils like corruption that wounds the poor. Build families as temples of truth. Young politicians, kayo naman, shun political dynasties and epal culture, billboards of vanity, enter politics poor, live poorer, but richer in virtue.
Public service is lofty charity, pursuing justice over power. Faith demands, transform your political parties by morals. Do not let the political parties corrupt you. Let us together exorcise the devils of the partylist system.
Historians and academics, and journalists, kayo naman tell ESDA's full story. Prayer, people, peace, reject revisionism, only truth heals wounds, not historical cosmetics. As guardians of memory, echo this basic wisdom without historical truth, society drifts to totalitarianism.
Young businessmen, kayo naman honest dealings, profit all. Respect workers as partners, not mere hires. Balance, power, justly, unions correct greed. Solidarity binds us. Dignity of labor mirrors Christ. Honest business make good profit.
ICC at the Hague, kayo naman. Bring to justice murderers of drug users who also murdered our national virtues and values. Help us restore justice and order in this land that has lost its virtues. Our justice system is defective, not ideal. The political will is weak, not ideal.
Irresponsibility and immaturity hover over our land. and far from ideal. We are way down below the ideal.
ICI, kayo naman sana more, inip na kami. Mga corrupt at mga kasabwat ng corrupt, kayo naman. Kayo naman ang dapat alisin sa gobyerno.
Katulad ng diktador na inalis ng Bloodless People Power. Mga Tsinador, mga hindi alam ang ibig sabihin ng forthwith.
At pinipilipit ang impeachment process. Kayo naman, kayo naman ang mag-resign. Katulad ng nag-resign nung EDSA 2, ginhawa sa bayan kung wala tulad ninyo sa gobyerno.
Bayang Pilipino, tayo ang People Power. God's EDSA miracle was grace undeserved. Palakpak kayo ng palakpak; we squandered it. This is not the time for clapping, but to repent, and to choose what is right now.
Vote conscience formed, defend seas against Tsinadors, serve the poor, defend the weak. Real saints change society for the good, that the new saints of EDSA go marching in. May pagasa pa, nasa puso ang EDSA, alam natin 'yan. Pakawalan natin sa puso ang EDSA.
Nasa ating mga kamay ang pagkabuhay muli ng EDSA. Iyuko natin ang ating ulo, pagdasal nating taimtim ang bayan, upang bumalik ang alak ng Mahal na Birhen at ni Hesus, upang ang tubig na ating iniinom, walang lasa ay maging matamis na biyaya muli, ng tunay na kalayaan, ng tunay na kapayapaan. Sa katahimikan, tagpuin natin ang Diyos at magdasal ng taimtim.
