Remembering People Power: Bill seeks to make February 25 a regular holiday

February 23, 2026 | 3:46pm

MANILA, Philippines — Before President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assumed office, the EDSA People Power Anniversary held every February 25 was observed as a special non-working holiday, with classes suspended and most workers excused from reporting to work.

Now, the day is only considered a special working holiday, with schools, offices and companies operating as usual. The change was made through Proclamation No. 727 in October 2024, making it the first time the government has scaled back official recognition of the movement that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986.

Even in 2024, when the anniversary fell on a weekend, the Marcos Jr. administration did not recognize it as a holiday, breaking away from the past practice of observing it as a special non-working holiday regardless of the day.

Minority lawmakers are now seeking to institutionalize the EDSA People Power Anniversary as a regular holiday, filing a measure preserving the historic movement that rallied millions of Filipinos nationwide to overthrow a dictator and restore democracy in the Philippines.

The proposal, House Bill 7911, was filed on Monday, February 23, by Rep. Chel Diokno, along with two other Akbayan Party-list lawmakers and Rep. Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands).

"February 25, 1986 is more than a date etched in history — it marks the moment when the Filipino people peacefully rose to reclaim their democracy. It stands as a testament to courage, unity, and the enduring power of collective action," Diokno said in a statement. 

"It is our responsibility to honor this defining moment with the full recognition and dignity it deserves as a regular national holiday," he added.

The inconsistent classification of the People Power Anniversary over the past three years, Diokno said, has only diminished the "historic and civic significance of EDSA."

Aside from declaring February 25 a regular holiday each year, the bill also proposes to designate the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as the lead agency responsible for organizing nationwide activities to commemorate the anniversary. 

Diokno said this should include educational activities and programs that celebrate the spirit of the EDSA movement while promoting democratic values and raising awareness of human rights.

"Democracy survives not by accident, but because the people choose to defend it," he added.

Schools leading the way

Like last year, several Philippine schools are independently suspending classes on February 25, countering efforts to diminish or distort the memory of the People Power revolt, particularly within schools, communities and Filipino society as a whole.

Catholic educators and Church leaders called for the suspension of classes, saying the day should promote discussions and active learning about Filipinos' shared past, strengthening accountability, justice and the protection of EDSA's hard-won freedoms.

Should the 20th Congress pass this bill, not only will the People Power Anniversary become a holiday, but employees who work on this day will also be entitled to double pay for the first eight hours.

This year, February 25 falls on a Wednesday, with civil society groups aligned with the Trillion Peso March and the EDSA40 set to hold two separate protests along EDSA to mark the 40th anniversary of the People Power movement. — with reports from Cristina Chi