For the 1st time, EDSA celebration won’t be at EDSA

MANILA, Philippines - For the first time in 28 years, this year’s anniversary celebration of the 1986 EDSA Revolution will not be held in the historic thoroughfare but at the grounds of Malacañang.

Press Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the reason behind this is today’s start of construction of the Stage 3 Skyway along the stretch of EDSA.

“This is for the sake of our people so that this event will no longer contribute and create more problems in traffic along EDSA,” Coloma said.

Instead, the center of the celebrations this year will be the Malacañang Palace grounds.

This was the consensus made by members of the EDSA People Power Commission that Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. heads.

Flag-raising ceremonies and the traditional Salubungan between soldiers and civilians will also be held inside the complex.

President Aquino, at the same time, will hold a dialogue — dubbed as Pulong Bayan — with various sectors of society.