MANILA—Lawmakers from the Akbayan Party-list and Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao have filed a bill in the House of Representatives to declare February 25 a regular holiday commemorating the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that ended the 20-year rule of then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr..

House Bill 7911, proposed by Akbayan lawmakers Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Dadah Ismula, seeks to ensure that all applicable laws and civil service rules on regular holidays are observed on February 25.

“The EDSA People Power Revolution demonstrated to the world the sovereign will of a united people committed to freedom, constitutional government, and the rule of law,” the lawmakers said in their explanatory note.

They added that the uprising “restored democratic space, revived independent institutions, and paved the way for the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, which enshrined safeguards against tyranny and strengthened the protection of civil liberties and human rights.”

The proponents noted that the observance of February 25 has varied over the years, sometimes diminishing its historical and civic significance. In 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. moved the special non-working day from February 25 to February 24, citing holiday economics, and in subsequent years, February 25 was not officially recognized as a holiday.

The bill also provides for funding to support commemorative and educational activities, particularly through the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

“Institutionalizing EDSA People Power Day as a regular holiday is a declaration that the spirit of People Power Revolution remains central to our national identity. It is a reminder that democratic institutions endure only when citizens remain vigilant and engaged,” the lawmakers said.