2019 – Year of the Youth and the 1986 EDSA Deliverance

The heroism of the people of Metro Manila including that of the youth, during the February 21 to 25 1986 EDSA drama is slowly fading from memory. Very few can recall the name of the Cardinal who rallied the people to go to EDSA.

Why EDSA? Because Camp Crame was where General Fidel Ramos with a handful of P.C. (Philippine Constabulary) troops were holed up in EDSA. EDSA stands for Efipanio Delos Santos. It is a very long stretch of highway of 54 kilometers that pass through 4 Metro Manila cities like Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Makati and Pasay. Across Camp Crame was Camp Aguinaldo where Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile gathered a few RAMBOYS and soldiers for a final stand.

The world knew that in a few hours, the big army loyal to Marcos would massacre Ramos, Enrile and the soldiers loyal to the Republic, but were not loyal to Marcos. Very few remember that the faithful, answering Cardinal Sin’s call to protect Ramos and Enrile, brought their children to EDSA. Young and old, the people of Metro Manila went to EDSA to show to Marcos that enough is enough.

On February 24 high school and college students locked arms and stopped Marcos troops from entering Camp Aguinaldo through Barrio Libis.

On February 25, the adults knowing that this time, the Marcos troops would do anything to break the student blockade, begged the youth to let go. Both old and youth cried seeing the Marcos troops rushed in.

Miraculously, Enrile and his small group had minutes before the Marcos troops entered Camp Aguinaldo, transferred and joined Ramos in Camp Crame.

The youth kept the faith by joining the people in the miracle at EDSA.

Hail to the youth.