

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to have a low-key celebration of the 31st anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution has nothing to do with his alliance with the Marcoses who were ousted in the 1986 revolt, Palace officials said Tuesday.

"The simplicity does not in any way mean we are giving less significance to the EDSA People Power Revolution... It is more of a time to reflect that is why we are doing this as simple as possible, senior deputy executive secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

The president has allowed the burial of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes' Cemetery last year. Duterte has yet to confirm if he will attend the EDSA Anniversary celebrations, to be held in Camp Aguinaldo on February 24.

The government is also doing away with the usual program and "Salubungan" at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City to give Filipinos more time to reflect about the causes and effects of the historic revolution.

"The theme this year is, "A day of reflection." That is exactly why there is no pump to this year's celebration. It is a time to settle down, to quiet a bit, and think of what has happened over the past 30 years," Guevarra told Palace reporters.

Former president Fidel V. Ramos, who was a key personality in the EDSA revolution, will join the celebration.

Former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, son of EDSA icons Ninoy and Cory Aquino, has yet to reply to the invitation to attend this year's anniversary, officials said.