Yesterday, we commemorated the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution at EDSA.

People who took part, directly or indirectly, in the historic event that inspired similar uprisings in Eastern Europe at the time have not forgotten why it happened or what triggered it.

The three-day revolt happened less than two months before my college graduation in 1986. I stayed informed about the dramatic and turbulent events leading up to the uprising. In fact, I often found myself getting off the jeepney when caught in traffic jams caused by the massive, violent demonstrations. Sometimes I would find myself walking through these demonstrations until I reached home.

The story of most revolutions often starts as a grand uprising against tyranny and oppression. Most of the time, it descends into a quagmire of corruption, greed, and moral decay.

Today, the spirit of EDSA feels like a distant memory, a rare human experience overwhelmed by a continuous wave of betrayal that has turned a noble struggle into a sordid tale of greed and deceit.

The idealism of millions of Filipinos who flocked to EDSA — those who risked their lives armed only with prayers, flowers, and unyielding faith — has been all but extinguished by rampant and harsh, disturbing realities that permeate the very fabric of our government.

Once, Filipinos stood together to chant “Never again!” in defiance of a dictatorship and to show the world a miracle of faith.

Many years later, those who have risen to power in the shadows of the EDSA Revolution have tarnished its gains. The very institutions designed to protect our democracy have been compromised.

From the scandals involving public officials siphoning off billions meant for health care and education to the shameless alliances formed with corrupt business people, have we swapped one form of oppression for another?

The people’s trust has been eroded, and hope has dimmed in the face of relentless abuse, graft, and corruption. As the clamor for change rings hollow in our streets, how did we arrive at this point?

There has been a systemic failure to uphold the values that the EDSA Revolution represented. Many of today’s leaders have forgotten the sacrifices of generations before them and have chosen self-enrichment over service.

The lure of ill-gotten wealth and illicit gains is so strong that “corrupt” becomes an inadequate term to describe their insatiable appetite for plunder. It is evil, at its worst.

The spirit of EDSA called for civic engagement, and we must rekindle that flame. It is time to remind our leaders that they are sworn to serve the people — not the other way around.

Every anniversary should serve as a rallying cry to reclaim the values that underpinned our revolution. We must instill in today’s generations, as well as those to come, the importance of demanding a government free from corruption.

If we do not rise to this challenge, we risk losing the essence of the revolution that once called and united us. The bonds that bring us together may begin to fray.

Yet, as in the saga of every revolution, it’s often the brave and noble who lay down their lives, and it is the unscrupulous and dishonorable who seize the spoils.

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