As the country commemorates the 36th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution, President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday urged Filipinos to honor the people who continue to keep alive the legacy of the country’s peaceful revolution.

“It has been 36 years, but the events of the People Power Revolution remain vivid in our memory when millions of Filipinos gathered at Edsa to reclaim our nation’s democracy,” Duterte said in a statement.

Duterte said the public servants, community volunteers, medical front-liners, and those who conduct rescue and relief operations are among those who keep the legacy alive by embodying the “true essence of People Power” in their daily lives.

“As we honor the courage and solidarity of those who came before us and fought to uphold our democracy, let us also honor and thank those who continue to keep the legacy of this largely peaceful and non-violent revolution,” Duterte said.

He said the commemoration of the Edsa revolution “serves as a strong reminder that with unity, cooperation, and faith, there is nothing that we cannot collectively achieve for the greater good of our country.”

Duterte encouraged Filipinos to “emulate their heroism, selflessness, and compassion”.

February 25 is a special non-working holiday under Proclamation 1236, in observance of the historic revolution that toppled the regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos and marked the restoration of the country’s democracy. (PNA)