TODAY, February 25, marks the 40th anniversary of the historic, bloodless revolution — the EDSA People Power of 1986. I was 15 years old then. This coming June, I will turn 55.
In the past four decades, I have come to better understand why that historic moment unfolded. Among its three primary root causes were:
* widespread human rights abuses
* systemic corruption
* extreme poverty
The immediate trigger was the rigged snap election. The people rose in protest until the dictator, the late Ferdinand Marcos Sr., fled the country, leaving behind a provisional “revolutionary government.” Corazon Aquino was later installed as president.
The rest, as they say, is history.
‘SOCIAL VOLCANO’
But the question remains: Did we sustain the spirit of EDSA People Power?
The answer, unfortunately, is no.
For San Carlos Bishop Gerardo “Gerry” Alminaza, the failure to uphold the true essence of EDSA has turned Negros once again into a “social volcano.”
In a press conference on February 17, Bishop Gerry — known as one of the most outspoken prelates on Negros Island — declared:
“Yes, Negros as a ‘social volcano’ is again growing.”
The “symptoms,” he explained, remain the same: social injustice and human rights abuses, marked by deep inequality and the continued oppression of the poor.
But why? Does Bishop Gerry have proof?
His answer: “Yes.”
He cited four cases as evidence:
* Four development workers from the Paghida-et sa Kauswagan Development Group (PDG) in southern Negros were charged under the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
* Twenty-seven church and development workers from the Visayas-wide Community Empowerment and Resource Network (CER-Net) were accused of allegedly delivering P135,000 to the NPA-South East Front in Dumaguete City in September 2025 — also under the same anti-terrorism financing law.
* Eighty members of the Hacienda Michaela Farmers and Farmworkers Association in Barangay Talotog, Murcia claim they are victims of land grabbing after a 22-hectare property awarded to them by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in 2009 under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was later purchased by a private businessman from the original landowner.
* Around 1,000 farming families and indigenous community members face displacement due to a P1.2-billion, 6,652-hectare palm oil plantation project spanning three barangays in Candoni town.
‘TOLERATED EVILS’
For Bishop Gerry, these incidents — and many others — compelled him to lead what he calls a fight against “tolerated evils” that have quietly resurfaced over time.
With these “symptoms” once again manifesting in Negros, he stressed: “It is now time for Negrenses to stand up again for what is right, or else the so-called ‘social volcano’ will soon erupt.”
The term “social volcano” was originally coined and popularized by the late Bacolod Bishop Antonio Y. Fortich. It became widely known in Negros during the 1970s and 1980s.
Fortich — dubbed the “bishop of the poor” and a “man of the masses” — warned that severe exploitation, injustice, and the deepening poverty of sugar workers would eventually cause Negros to “explode.”
The metaphor was meant as a warning against civil unrest. And indeed, history proved him prophetic.
The Escalante Massacre in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on September 20, 1985, was widely regarded as the “eruption” of Negros. Thirty rallyists were confirmed dead, and scores were wounded. It happened just six months before the EDSA People Power Revolution.
‘MANINDIGAN’
What comes next?
Bishop Gerry has made it clear: he will not allow human rights abuses to take root again in Negros. He denounces injustice. He condemns inequality. He rejects oppression and repression.
To advance this advocacy, he helped launch a new human rights group on Negros Island — “Manindigan” (Stand Firm).
Through Manindigan, Bishop Gerry hopes to encourage the oppressed to speak out so they may receive support and protection. Like Fortich, he has expressed his willingness to lead anti-oppression initiatives. But he also calls on Negrenses to remember and draw inspiration from Fortich.
Often referred to as the “Pilgrim for the Poor,” Fortich was a fierce advocate of social justice during his tenure as Bishop of the Diocese of Bacolod from February 24, 1967 to January 31, 1989. He was brave. He was principled. He was widely respected.
Can Bishop Gerry fill Fortich’s shoes?
‘FORTICH JR.’
For Felipe “Ipe” Gelle of Human Rights Advocates Negros (HRAN), the answer is yes — Bishop Gerry can be “Fortich Jr.”
According to Gelle, Bishop Gerry’s courage goes beyond the ordinary.
“We thank Bishop Gerry for committing to taking the same road that Bishop Fortich traversed before,” Gelle said.
Still, Gelle acknowledged that confronting social ills will not be easy.
For the sake of genuine peace in Negros, however, HRAN has pledged its full support to the outspoken bishop of the Diocese of San Carlos.
IMMENSE COMMITMENT
Bishop Gerry’s commitment is no small matter. He may face setbacks. He may even suffer defeats along the way.
But I know Bishop Gerry. He is not one to simply succumb to trials. He is a fighter for people’s rights. His reputation as an environmental warrior has long defined his advocacy.
In vowing to protect the poor from oppression, injustice, and human rights abuses, he has earned widespread admiration.
Being positioned as “Fortich Jr.” has further endeared him to many Negrenses. There is growing optimism.
In a nutshell, the possibility of Bishop Gerry becoming the next Bishop Fortich is not far-fetched. They sail in almost the same boat, guided by the same advocacy — to protect the poor from an oppressive society. No less. No more./PN
