Today, we march in the streets with thousands of people to bring Mrs. Cory to her final place of rest. As we pay our final tribute to the icon of the people’s display of collective clamor for regime change, we recall the historic struggle of the people in EDSA. We relive in our hearts the People Power spirit, not just out of melancholic reminiscence, but because the society we live in today still calls for its necessity.

We have at present a president that did not need to formally declare Martial Rule but was able to use many laws to her fascist ends, and surpass Marcos’ record in killings and human rights violations. We have an illegitimate president who resort to all means to perpetuate itself in power in order to escape verdict for her many sins to the people.

We still live in an order controlled by the US dictatorship, big business owners and landlords. More and more people become hungry, jobless, homeless, oppressed. These are the conditions we wanted to change since the first People Power. These are the reasons that should impel us demonstrate it again, more persistent and sustained this time.

Even though Cory leaves us today, the fight against the bankruptcy of the US-Arroyo regime shall definitely not end. Let us continue the fight against Charter Change that would only guarantee the further neglect of the basic rights that are left to us. Let us vow to thwart any attempt to restore the dictatorship which Cory, together with the people, fought against in EDSA 1.

Tuloy ang paglaban sa ChaCha, tuloy ang paglaban sa diktadura! Tuloy ang laban para sa tunay na demokrasya, kalayaan, at katarungan!