NHCP: Colors of PHL flag motif of #EDSA 32 to show value of unity

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) has veered away from the usual yellow motif for the program commemorating the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, choosing instead the colors of the Philippine flag to show the historic event's true value —unity.

In an interview on Sunday,  NHCP chairman Rene Escalante said that the commission decided not to follow a specific motif this year to commemorate the 1986 uprising.

"Kung babalikan talaga natin ang EDSA, ang kuwan talaga natin doon ay pagkakaisa. So iniwasan talaga namin yung color coding. Kaya ang ginamit naming kulay ngayon ay kulay ng bandila," he said.

The NHCP spearheaded the events for the 32nd anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power uprising.

"Ang tema talaga namin ngayon, gusto naming gunitain talaga yung nangyari nung EDSA," Escalante said.

"Nagsimula po tayo nung [February] 22, nagkaroon tayo ng okasyon sa Libingan [ng mga Bayani], yung mga major players po nung beginning ng EDSA, si President [Fidel] Ramos, si Senator [Gringo] Honasan tsaka Senator [Juan Ponce] Enrile, at yung iba pa na nandito pa ngayon, naimbita namin lahat, dumalo sila," he added.

Escalante said they appropriated P2.5 million for the expenses for the celebration. The instruction to them, he said, was to hold only a "modest" celebration.

Escalante could not say if the number of attendees this year decreased as compared to the previous years.

"Marami naman kasing selebrasyon ang EDSA, hindi lang dito. Nagkaroon ng isang circular yung DILG na i-celebrate ang EDSA sa iba't ibang lugar kaya kung titipunin natin, sa tingin ko marami," he said.

Still, Escalante reminded Filipinos to never forget the values taught by the EDSA People Power Revolution, 32 years ago.

"Ang mensahe lang ng National Historical Commission ay balikan talaga natin yung magagandang values na pinakita natin. Una, yung mapayapang pagbabago, pagkatapos yung pagkakaisa ng mga Pilipino," he said.

He also urged the public to be more discerning as regards the information they receive about the historic event, especially with the prevalence of the so-called "fake news."

"Siguro maging mapagkilatis tayo sa ating nalalaman at naririnig. Marami namang documentation ang EDSA para naman maiwasan natin yung mga highly-partisan accounts ng EDSA at makita talaga natin kung ano ang tunay na diwa, which is pagkakaisa," he said. —LBG, GMA News