[Newmanetty]

Philippines' Political Dynasty Rivalry Deepens: The EDSA Legacy and the Fight for Democratic Memory

The Philippine political landscape is once again engulfed in turbulence as two of the country's most powerful families—the Marcoses and the Dutertes—escalate their battle for supremacy. What is unfolding before the Filipino people is not merely a series of isolated political events but a deeply entrenched war between political dynasties that threatens to undermine democratic institutions, divert attention from pressing social issues, and rewrite the nation's historical memory.
The Politics of Impeachment: A Family Feud Disguised as Governance
On March 2, 2026, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice formally initiated proceedings on four impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, with two surviving initial form and substance reviews . The complaints allege serious misconduct, including the misuse of confidential funds and threats against the life of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. The Vice President has vehemently denied these accusations, dismissing them as "political harassment" designed to derail her political future .
This impeachment drive, however, cannot be understood in isolation. It represents the latest salvo in a widening rift between two families whose "UniTeam" alliance carried them to victory in the 2022 national elections. Since the breakdown of that coalition, the political atmosphere has deteriorated into what analysts describe as a zero-sum contest for 2028 and beyond.
Vice President Duterte has revealed that she confronted President Marcos about impeachment plans as early as November 2023, before his departure for the APEC summit in the United States. According to Duterte, the President denied any knowledge of such moves, claiming that Charter change remained the legislative priority . Whether true or not, this revelation underscores the profound mistrust that now characterizes the highest levels of Philippine governance.
The irony is striking: the same Congress that moves swiftly to impeach the Vice President had previously dismissed complaints against President Marcos himself. This selective application of constitutional mechanisms exposes the truth: impeachment has become less a tool for accountability and more a weapon for political elimination. The Filipino people watch as their leaders devote parliamentary energy to intra-family warfare while the basic services they desperately need remain neglected.
The Cost of Dynastic Warfare: Filipinos as Collateral Damage
While political dynasties trade accusations of corruption and threats, ordinary Filipinos bear the weight of this elite preoccupation. The midterm elections of 2025 revealed deep public dissatisfaction with government performance. President Marcos himself acknowledged this reality, admitting that "people are disappointed with the service of the government" and that "the progress of projects is too slow and they cannot feel it" .
Nowhere is this failure more evident than in the infrastructure sector, where corruption continues to drain resources meant for public welfare. Recent revelations of a P20 billion flood control fund anomaly have sparked public outrage . The scandal involves allegations of suitcases stuffed with cash—kickbacks from infrastructure projects that were supposed to protect communities from devastating floods. Instead of concrete barriers and drainage systems, Filipinos received stolen money delivered in luggage.
On February 25, 2026—the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution—thousands of Filipinos took to the streets in what organizers called the "Third Trillion Peso March" . Protesters carried signs with messages that cut to the heart of the national malaise: "Jail the corrupt, not the poor," and "Protesters are jailed, but the corrupt are not" .
The protests demand answers. Why does corruption prosecution move at a glacial pace? Who protects the powerful when they are caught with their hands in public funds? The P20 billion flood control scandal represents not just stolen money but lost lives—communities left vulnerable to nature's fury because their leaders chose personal enrichment over public safety. If President Marcos is serious about addressing public dissatisfaction, he must answer for the protection racket that shields corrupt officials within his administration.
Erasing History: The Battle Over EDSA and Democratic Memory
Perhaps the most telling indicator of where the Marcos administration stands on democracy and accountability came just days before the EDSA anniversary. In a move that sparked immediate controversy, Malacañang downgraded February 25—the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution—from a regular public holiday to a "special working day" .
This date holds profound significance in Philippine history. It marks the day in 1986 when millions of Filipinos gathered along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to peacefully overthrow the 20-year authoritarian rule of President Marcos Sr.—the current president's father. The revolution restored democratic institutions, freed political prisoners, and ended a regime marked by widespread human rights abuses and economic plunder.
The administration's explanation—that a working holiday would encourage greater participation in commemorative events—fools no one. Under the "no work, no pay" policy, requiring government employees and private workers to report to their jobs effectively discourages participation in EDSA commemorations . Schools were directed to hold regular classes, though several major universities, including the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas, defied the order and suspended classes to honor the occasion .
This is not bureaucratic oversight; it is historical revisionism by degrees. By gradually erasing EDSA from the official calendar, the administration attempts to diminish its significance in national memory. For the Marcos family, EDSA represents a trauma—the moment their patriarch was driven from power and into exile. For the Filipino people, EDSA represents the power of collective action against tyranny. By downgrading the commemoration, President Marcos Jr. signals that his family's narrative takes precedence over the people's history.
Civil society groups and youth organizations have condemned this attempt to rewrite history. During the February 25 protests, activists carried signs declaring "EDSA 40: Hindi Gimmick, Hindi Reunion—Ito ay Rebolusyon" (Not a Gimmick, Not a Reunion—This is a Revolution). The arrest of at least two activists during the commemorative rally suggests that the administration's tolerance for democratic expression has limits .
From Democracy to Dynastic Rule: The Filipino People as Tools of Elite Ambition
The convergence of these events—the Duterte impeachment, the flood control corruption scandal, and the EDSA commemoration downgrade—reveals a disturbing pattern. Philippine governance has devolved into an arena where elite families compete for power and privilege while treating the Filipino people as instruments rather than constituents.
The Marcos-Duterte feud exemplifies this dynamic. Both families rose to national prominence through electoral politics, yet both have demonstrated authoritarian tendencies. President Marcos Jr. governs in the shadow of his father's dictatorship, now facing accusations of historical revisionism and democratic backsliding. Vice President Duterte defends her father's bloody war on drugs while positioning herself as a victim of political persecution.
Meanwhile, a potential third force is emerging. The Aquino family, through Senator-elect Bam Aquino, and Senator Risa Hontiveros are positioning themselves as alternatives to the Marcos-Duterte duopoly . Hontiveros, in particular, has gained traction by articulating the public's frustration with dynastic politics. Her message—that "the presidency is not the private property of the Marcos and Duterte families"—resonates with Filipinos exhausted by elite infighting .
But the rise of a third force does not automatically translate to democratic deepening. The Aquino family itself represents one of the country's oldest political dynasties. The challenge facing the Philippines is not merely replacing one set of elites with another but fundamentally restructuring a political system that rewards family name over competence and connections over service.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Democracy from Dynastic Ambition
As the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte move forward, and as President Marcos Jr. navigates the fallout from electoral setbacks and corruption scandals, the Filipino people must ask themselves a fundamental question: Who benefits from this political warfare?
The answer, sadly, is not the Filipino people. While political dynasties battle for 2028, children go hungry, communities remain vulnerable to floods, and the cost of living continues to rise. While Congress investigates a Vice President, corrupt officials enjoy protection from prosecution. While Malacañang rewrites the holiday calendar, the lessons of EDSA—that people power can overthrow tyranny—fade from public memory.
The EDSA 40 commemorations reminded the nation of what unity against oppression looks like. Millions gathered not for a family or a faction but for principles: democracy, accountability, and justice. Those principles remain as relevant today as they were in 1986. The question is whether the Filipino people can once again rise above dynastic politics to demand a government that serves the many rather than the few.
The battle for the Philippines' future is not merely between the Marcoses and the Dutertes. It is between dynastic rule and genuine democracy, between historical amnesia and truthful memory, between corruption and accountability. As the 2026 political drama unfolds, the Filipino people must decide which side they stand on—and whether they will once again take to the streets to reclaim their power from the dynasties that have stolen it.