Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the People Power Revolution.
On February 7, 1986, a nationwide snap elections were held for the presidency and the newly restored position of vice president.
The main contenders in the snap elections were the tandem of President Ferdinand E. Marcos and Arturo M. Tolentino of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), versus Corazon C. Aquino and Salvador H. Laurel of the United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO).
When election time came, the numbers from the Commission of Elections (COMELEC) showed President Marcos and Tolentino as winners. This was made official by the KBL-dominated Batasang Pambansa.
However, data from the Electoral watchdog NAMFREL (National Movement for Free Elections) revealed that Aquino was in the lead with almost 70% of the votes canvassed. Within two weeks, multitudes of people filled the streets of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) calling for the peaceful ouster of Marcos. A series of popular demonstrations eventually happened in Manila from February 22 to 25, 1986.
While many of the protesters were in EDSA, there were also demonstrations outside Manila that called for the ouster of Marcos. In Davao and Cebu, protesters gathered in their own plazas and filled the streets with slogans and calls for a dictator’s ouster.
With the People Power Revolution, the two-decade rule of Marcos finally came to an end.
