Philippine Events

EDSA People Power Revolution

The Philippines was praised worldwide in 1986, when the so-called bloodless revolution erupted, called EDSA People Power’s Revolution. February 25, 1986 marked a significant national event that has been engraved in the hearts and minds of every Filipino. This part of Philippine history gives us a strong sense of pride especially that other nations had attempted to emulate what we have shown the world of the true power of democracy. The true empowerment of democracy was exhibited in EDSA by its successful efforts to oust a tyrant by a demonstration without tolerance for violence and bloodshed. Prayers and rosaries strengthened by faith were the only weapons that the Filipinos used to recover their freedom from President Ferdinand Marcos’s iron hands. The Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) stretches 54 kilometers, where the peaceful demonstration was held on that fateful day. It was a day that gathered all Filipinos in unity with courage and faith to prevail democracy in the country. It was the power of the people, who assembled in EDSA, that restored the democratic Philippines, ending the oppressive Marcos regime. Hence, it came to be known as the EDSA People Power’s Revolution.

EDSA Dos

Ang Rebolusyon sa EDSA ng 2001, o tinatawag na EDSA II (Edsa Dos), ay isang apatang-araw na pangyayaring pampolitika na naganap noong Enero 17-20, 2001, na nagpatalsik sa Pangulo ng Pilipinas na si Joseph Estrada at nagluklok kay Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, na siyang Bise-Pangulo, bilang maging Pangulo ng bansa. Ayon sa mga tagasuporta, ang EDSA II ay "popular", ngunit binansagan ito ng mga kritiko bilang isang sabwatan sa pagitan ng mga elitistang mga pulitiko at mga negosyante, mga matataas na puno ng militar at ni Jaime Cardinal Sin.

Ang humalili kay Estrada ay si Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, na nanumpa kay Punong Mahistrado Hilario Davide, Jr, bandang katanghalian ng Enero 20, ilang oras bago ang paglisan ni Estrada sa Palasyo ng Malacañang. Ang EDSA ay ang daglat sa ingles ng 'Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Abenida Epifanio delos Santos), na siyang isang pangunahing daanan na nagkokonekta sa limang lungsod sa Kalakhang Maynila: ang Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong, Lungsod Quezon at Caloocan. Naganap ang rebolusyon sa distritong pangkalakalan sa Ortigas Center.

Hati ang reaksiyon ng mundo sa pangyayaring ito. Bagama't agad na kinilala ng Estados Unidos ang pagkalehitimo ng pagkapangulo ni Arroyo, binansagan ito ng ibang bansa bilang "pagkatalo ng due process of law", "mob rule" at "de facto coup d'etat."

Ang tangi lamang na nagpalehitimo ng pangyayaring ito ay ang paglalabas ng kapasiyahan ng Korte Suprema sa mga huling saglit na "ang patakaran ng tao ay ang katas-taasang batas." Nauna nang kumalas sa suporta ang Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas mula sa pangulo, na sinasabi ng ilang mga tagasuri bilang hindi ayon sa saligang-batas, at siyang sinang-ayunan ng mga dayuhan na tagasuring pampolitika.

Noong Oktubre 4, 2000, nilantad ni Luis "Chavit" Singson, gobernador ng Ilocos Sur, na nakatanggap si Estrada, ang kaniyang pamilya, at maging ng kaniyang mga kaibigan, ng milyun-milyong halaga ng salapi mula sa operasyon ng ilegal na jueteng. Matagal nang magkaibigan dati si Estrada at si Singson bago ang pangyayaring ito.

Million People March

The so-called Million People March was the first of a series of protests in the Philippines calling for the total abolition of the Pork Barrel fund, triggered by public anger over the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Initial calls circulated through social media (mainly on Facebook and Twitter) to convene a protest on August 26, 2013 at Luneta Park in Manila as well as other cities nationwide and overseas. Some media commentators consider this as the first ever massive rally in the Philippines called and organised mostly through social media channels.

Yolanda People Finder

MANILA, Philippines - Are you worried for your relatives and friends living in the areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan)? Or do you need to assure worried loved ones that you are safe?

There is a growing list of initiatives online that aim to help those looking for information on persons affected by the typhoon. The two most prominent lists are the following:

1) Google Person Finder

An initiative of Google, the list allows relatives and friends to input names of people they are looking for or post information about themselves or people they know for others to find.

If you are looking for somebody, click "I am looking for someone" and input the name and pertinent details of the person you are looking for. If there is a match with anybody in the list, the system will list matching names.

If you have information on a person who might be in the list, click "I have information about someone" and follow instructions in the form that pops-up.

2) #TracingPH Platform (Philippine National Red Cross)

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has deployed assessment and rescue teams to the areas affected by recent typhoon Yolanda to evaluate the damage and to support rescue efforts.

Welfare Desks and tracing services are established in the affected areas. The form allows families without news of their loved ones in affected areas to contact the PRC Social Services Department.

The database on the Red Cross list is private.

3. Survivors' list

Sunstar.com.ph has put together a list of survivors based of posts to the Facebook account of Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Click this link to access the Sunstar list.

4. Official list of casualties

The Official Gazette has posted a list of casualties based on the annex of a report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) issued on November 10, 6:00 a.m. The page is updated as official reports are issued.