Wear Yellow Along the MRT Line
On the morning of February 25, the MRT rattles past Guadalupe and Boni, and the carriages fill with commuters in yellow shirts. Since the 1986 People Power Revolution, yellow has marked the day: it was the colour of the LABAN opposition, and the yellow-ribbon motif traces to "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree." The hand sign of the day is the "L" — thumb and index finger forming an L for Laban — and you'll see it raised in schoolyards, at bus stops and on the evening news. EDSA itself is the spine of the city, and the commemorations centre on it in Metro Manila, with church masses, concerts and programmes through the week. Taguig sits along that avenue, so you can join the observance without leaving the city.
Mark February 22–25 on the Calendar
In 2027 the anniversary falls on Thursday, February 25, a Special Working Day: schools are closed, but government offices and businesses keep normal hours, and public transport runs its usual routes and schedules. The observance is nationwide, and the week leading up to it — February 22–25 — is EDSA People Power Commemoration Week, a period of remembrance and education rather than commercial promotion. The revolution itself lasted four days, from February 22 to February 25, 1986, when nearly two million people gathered on EDSA at its peak and the Marcos government fell, restoring democracy. Corazon Aquino was sworn in as the 11th President on February 25, 1986.
- Plan around the working day. With offices and shops open on the 25th, the programme is built for early mornings, lunch hours and evenings.
- Expect the week to carry most of the activity. Exhibits, forums and masses cluster in the days before the anniversary itself.
- Check closer to February. Confirmed live events are typically posted nearer the date; the 2027 listing itself is preliminary.
Masses, Exhibits and Forums
The commemorations are civic and educational. Church masses are held along EDSA, and the EDSA Shrine — formally the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace — is the site most associated with the revolution, worth a visit if you want to see where the crowds gathered. The People Power Experiential Museum runs special exhibits and guided tours during the week, and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and educational institutions hold webinars and public forums. Some businesses offer themed products or donate to historical-preservation foundations. If you can't be in the city, media outlets broadcast live feeds of street celebrations, documentaries and interviews — Radio Veritas was the only station providing coverage during the 1986 media blackout, and the story of that broadcast is part of the commemoration.
Sing "Bayan Ko," Learn the Timeline
The songs of the day are "Bayan Ko" and "Magkaisa," and you'll hear them at masses and programmes through the week. The history is close enough to touch: Marcos was elected in 1965, martial law declared in 1972, opposition senator Benigno Aquino Jr. assassinated at Manila International Airport in 1983, and a widely denounced rigged election in 1986 brought the crowds to EDSA. Reading up before you go makes the yellow shirts and the "L" signs mean more than costume. The anniversary has been observed in different ways over the years — a special non-working holiday in 2021–2023, with 2023 marking Friday, February 24 as a day off alongside Saturday, February 25 — before settling into the 2027 working-day format.
Make a Day of It in Taguig
Taguig's stretch of EDSA puts you within reach of the week's masses and programmes without a long commute, and the city's own streets — around Guadalupe and Boni — are where you'll see the yellow shirts and "L" signs at their most everyday. Pair a morning mass or museum visit with a walk along the avenue, then find a table for lunch and let the afternoon run at the pace of a working Thursday. Because the 25th is a school holiday, families are out, and the mood on the street is as much reunion as remembrance.
Start with the calendar: February 22–25, 2027, with Thursday the 25th as the anniversary itself. Book your Taguig stay early, pack something yellow, and check for the confirmed programme as February approaches — the week is built on participation, and the city is waiting for you to join it.