MANILA — February 23, 2026. Lawmakers have filed a bill in the House of Representatives seeking to restore the EDSA People Power Revolution anniversary on February 25 as a regular holiday, reversing its current status as a special working holiday.

The measure, House Bill 7911, was introduced by Akbayan party-list representatives Chel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, Dadah Ismula, and Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene Bag-ao.

The bill aims to honor the peaceful uprising along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in 1986 that ended the dictatorship of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and restored democracy in the Philippines. 

“February 25, 1986 is more than a date etched in history — it marks the moment when the Filipino people peacefully rose to reclaim their democracy,” Diokno said in his explanatory note.

Before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assumed office, the EDSA People Power Anniversary was observed as a special non-working holiday, with classes suspended and most workers excused from reporting to work. 

However, under Proclamation No. 167 issued in 2023, the day was reclassified as a special working holiday, meaning schools, offices, and companies continued operations.

Supporters of the bill argue that reinstating February 25 as a regular holiday would ensure that the historic event is properly commemorated nationwide, allowing Filipinos to reflect on the values of democracy and unity. 

The proposal is currently under deliberation in the House, with advocates stressing that the anniversary should remain a cornerstone of national remembrance.

If passed into law, the measure would once again give Filipinos a day off to mark the anniversary of the People Power Revolution, reinforcing its significance as one of the most defining moments in Philippine history.