Mount Commemorates 30th Anniversary of EDSA People Power Revolution
4/20/2016
Riverdale, N.Y. – Mount Saint Vincent, in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General of New York, is set to host “Pagbabago Ipinaglaban N’yo, Itutuloy Ko!” (“I will continue the change you fought for”) on Tuesday, April 26 at 4:30 p.m. in the President’s Reception Room. The event is a commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, which resulted in Corazon Aquino being sworn in as the first female president of the Philippines. The late former president is a graduate of the Class of 1953 at the College Mount Saint Vincent.
The forum will feature a diverse array of speakers, including Charles L. Flynn, Jr., President of the College; His Excellency Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Philippine Ambassador to the United States; the Honorable Mario L. De Leon, Jr., Philippine Consul General in New York; Noel Pangilinan, Adjunct Professor of Filipino and Philippine History at the College; and Mount student Jerome Viloria ’16, recipient of the Corazon C. Aquino Scholarship and President of SAMAHAN, a student organization dedicated to Philippine culture. A reception will follow the discussion in the Blue Room of Founders Hall.
The EDSA People Power Revolution ended the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, culminating a four-day series of non-violent demonstrations from February 22 to 25, 1986. Many Filipinos joined the nonviolent revolution, gathering with military and political officials to support the peaceful protests, successfully renewing the democracy of the Philippines. The revolution was named after Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), a location where those who were involved gathered to protest.
Concurrent with the reception, the Mount will also feature the photography exhibit Revolution Revisited, which tells the story of the EDSA People Power Revolution as photographed by Kim Komenich. Mr. Komenich was awarded the 1987 Pulitzer Prize in Spot News Photography for his coverage of the fall of Ferdinand Marcos while he was on assignment for the San Francisco Examiner. In addition to his work in the Philippines, he has photographed ramifications of conflicts in such locations as Vietnam, Guyana, El Salvador, the former Soviet Union, and Iraq. The Revolution Revisited exhibit will be on display following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the College.
For many years, the Mount has celebrated a close connection with the Philippines. The late former President Corazon Aquino and her son, President Benigno S. Aquino III, have both been awarded the Elizabeth Seton Medal, the College’s highest honor. To further augment its relationship, the Office of Alumnae/i Relations and Giving has invited the Class of 1953 as special guests to attend the event in honor of their classmate Corazon Aquino.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.