LIGHTING THE NEW ROADS OF THE NEW PEOPLE POWER (slbnews@googlegroups.com)

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LIGHTING THE NEW ROADS OF THE NEW PEOPLE POWER

Rationale

After 25 years, there is an emerging generation of Filipinos who were too young or weren’t born during the historic People Power Revolution. The stories of their parents and elders may not be relevant for them as they did not have a first hand experience of the injustices and sufferings that the older generation have had. Yet as we look in today’s issues of the country, the problems of crime, corruption, war and poverty are still prevalent. The testaments of Ms. Heidi Mendoza, Lt. Col. George Rabusa and Lt. Col. Antonio Ramon Lim have exposed the systematic corruption in the military, which is one of the most revered institutions of the country. Furthermore, the economic situation has been worse than ever. Thus, there is a call for a new People Power to surface. There is a cry for truth, justice, peace and freedom. It is time and fitting for the youth to take on the country’s fate and build new paths for development.

Event Description

The EDSA People Power Commission has assigned February 23, 2011 as the Youth Day in the celebration of the 25th EDSA People Power Revolution. As a culminating activity for the day, the event aims to gather the youth in key cities all over the nation to symbolize the passing of the responsibilities to the next generation of Filipinos. At 6:00 pm, the Filipino youth are invited to gather along the major roads of their cities to light candles and say prayers and petitions. Light signifies the yearning for truth amidst the darkness of deceit and evil. Light alludes to a call to arms – a call to bring back the people to the road to development. The youth is to ‘light’ the country with hope for the now and future. The simultaneous lighting aims to build that sense of connectedness and community among the youth, uniting them with the cause for active participation for development.

At Katipunan Avenue, key personalities from the 1986 EDSA Revolution from the Ateneo will join to pass on to the next generation the plight of the country. The chair of the EDSA Celebrations Youth Arm, actor and Ateneo alumnus Dingdong Dantes will join the Katipunan contingent. The South Manila schools and universities will have a forum about the corruption in the military in the afternoon of that day before they go to Taft Avenue as they attempt to light up the whole street with 1,000 students.

We invite everyone to participate in this national event and contact the point person/s in their areas for coordination. For other interested cities who would like to join, kindly contact Joepep Cielos of NYC (0915.434.3328) or Mika Millar of NCAF (0917.553.6261).

DOWNLOAD THESE FILES:

EDSA Candle Lighting Brief

PARALITURGY COPIES

English version

Filipino version

Cebuano version

25th Anniversary

Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan

Freedom To Hope

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