History Recalled, History in Real Time
/It’s giving main character energy for Philippine history this week.
First up: the 40th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolt is all over your feeds. Yes, that EDSA People Power Revolt — the 77-hour gamechanger our parents and titos/titas like to say, “I was there.”
So what’s with the sudden flood of throwback posts? Is it collective nostalgia for the time Filipinos actually united and said “tama na” to a dictator? Or is it lowkey political warning aimed at the current president, the son of that same dictator, who was literally on the plane to exile in Hawaii four decades ago? History isn’t just repeating — it’s reposting.
Meanwhile, history is unfolding in real time in The Hague. For the third straight day, the International Criminal Court is hearing the confirmation of charges against Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity. He’s accused of overseeing thousands of killings during the so-called “war on drugs” and has been detained at the ICC for the past year. The big question: will the charges stick and move to full trial? We’ll find out soon. This is the kind of plot twist you can’t make up.
From current events to stories nearly a century old — there’s a powerful exhibit titled “How Can You Forget Me” now showing at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. It hits deep, especially for those of us navigating memory, migration, and identity in the diaspora. PF correspondent Titchie Carandang takes us inside.
Switching gears: with the FIFA World Cup 2026 coming this June, football (yes, football) is about to dominate global timelines — even in the Philippines, where basketball still reigns supreme. But shoutout to Reina Bonta, who represented the Philippines at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 and is now leveling up women’s football through a soccer clinic she organized in Negros Oriental. Athlete, filmmaker, advocate — we love a multi-hyphenate queen.
And the FilAm excellence? Still undefeated. Publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco has just released the 75th edition of her FilAm achievers list. That’s over 750 Filipino American names spotlighted — and counting. Diaspora dominance is real.
If you’re feeling reflective (or just want to deep dive into your parents’ revolutionary era), we’re reposting some of our stories on EDSA below. Consider it your history refresher — no pop quiz, promise.
Also, don’t sleep on this week’s In The Know links. Especially this myth-busting piece by our editor Rene Ciria Cruz unpacking the whole “MAGA Filipinos” narrative. It’s nuanced, necessary, and definitely worth the read: [Edgewise] The myth of the ‘MAGA Filipino’
History isn’t just something we inherit — it’s something we shape, repost, fact-check, and fight over. Stay informed. Stay critical. Stay connected.
[Read It Again]
77 Hours: The Behind-the-Scenes at the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution by Gemma Nemenzo
On the Eve of Insurrection by Prof. Ed Garcia
Opinion: Never mind EDSA: Remember the mini-EDSAs, the battles before the uprising by Benjamin Pimentel
[Video of the Week] Historic Filipinotown |Lost LA
In The Know
[Edgewise] The myth of the ‘MAGA Filipino’
https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/edgewise-myth-maga-filipinos-united-states/?
Alex Eala: The tennis star who could be a game-changer for the Philippines
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0n1l5sj?
Move On: 40 Years of People Power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndldXwB6fGU
1976: The Golden Year of Philippine Cinema
https://www.pep.ph/news/local/191021/1976-the-golden-year-of-philippine-cinema-a4113-20260219-lfrm2?utm_source=Facebook-
Isa Briones on how a Hiligaynon lullaby became part of 'The Pitt' season 2
https://philstarlife.com/celebrity/597965-isa-briones-hiligaynon-lullaby-the-pitt-season-2?
