Be involved, resist wrongdoings — Soc Villegas to students on 39th EDSA People Power anniversary

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas urged students, especially those in Catholic schools, to engage in social issues and resist wrongdoings as the EDSA People Power Revolution marks its 39th anniversary.

“Be involved and be engaged in matters that affect the nation and the world. For us Christians, it is a sin to live only for yourself. Be men and women for others,” Villegas told students in his message posted by CBCP News.

“Do not tolerate wrongdoing. Resist what is wrong. Choose right even if no one is watching. That is integrity,” added Villegas, a former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.

He also called on students to pray and believe in God’s power to “change for the better.”

“Do not believe those who say the Church should keep quiet about political matters,” he said.

Spanning four days, from February 22 to 25, the peaceful, non-violent movement ended the two-decade regime of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. 

“EDSA People Power is about the Catholic faith seeking justice for victims of human rights abuses,” Villegas said.

“The EDSA People Power was not about a political group ousting another political group. It was rather the Catholic faith of peace and love bringing a social revolution without bloodshed,” he added.

In February 1986, then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin called on the public to support two senior officials who had withdrawn support from Marcos. Days later, the former president and his family fled to Hawaii where they spent their exile.

Several schools have announced the suspension of classes on Tuesday to commemorate the 39th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

This year, the EDSA People Power Revolution anniversary was declared a special working day. 
— Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News