the Philippines on the world stage. This year was even bigger because of the milestone of a silver anniversary.But as we celebrate the 25th year of this victorious occasion for the Filipino people, I asked viewers of "Kababayan LA:" Is the spirit of EDSA still alive? And where has it gotten us?" First to answer the question was Deputy Consul Dan Espiritu of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles: "Basically the spirit of Edsa is the collective participation of the entire populace in a peaceful transformation of the country.""I think what Edsa really taught us for both Filipinos in the Philippines and Filipinos overseas is the power of the people to really change the structure," said Jollene Levid, an active community organizer. "They went up against the military and the dictatorship. These are well-funded, well-armed and they were able to defeat them."What followed was a good debate that touched on the responsibility of not just the Philippine government but of every individual to uphold the legacy of Edsa. To watch the interesting rebuttals,As for the tweets that came in, the first one we got was from "I guess EDSA has become just an event now because there's still corruption in our gov which the spirit of EDSA is against of."His hopeless and pessimistic view was not unique. More followed: "EDSA spirit has been overstretched; and has become a "POLITICAL" instrument, for those who seek money, power and prestige. Tsk :| ," tweeted . was even more concise and hopeless, "EDSA. 25 years of commemoration…NOTHING ELSE." said: "The EDSA spirit has been used & abused by those wanting to stay in power & hasn't benefited the public in any way, shape or form."But when we are too quick to despair over the seeming death of the Edsa legacy; or the lack of major impact it has on the current political and even economic situation in the Philippines right now, are we negating the victory of the people? Are we disregarding the way concerned Filipinos sacrificed their time and personal safety by trekking to Edsa during those days? And if you're one of those who risked their lives to converge with fellow kababayans on that major highway, are you proud of yourself now simply because you were a part of a very popular event? Or are you proud because you effected change that you, your friends, family and people around you could feel and see?And just as there are two sides to everything, there were also those who responded with a more positive outlook: "25yrs ago we proved that f we set our minds 2 accomplish something, we can. It's up 2 each individual 2 let d spirit of Edsa live on," tweeted . replied: "seems that we just try to celebr8 d pageantry of EDSA while forgetting that the change it brought should be lived by every1 always."Bottom line is, not much has changed in the Philippines since then. Where there was dictatorship before and so-called democracy now, people are still dying of hunger now as they were before; extra-judicial killings are still rampant now, as they were before. Maybe they are just more heavily reported now. Private armies still lord it over innocent civilians in the provinces. Corrupt practices are still accepted as a staple in different government units because corrupt officials still get away with stealing from the country.You don't want your officials to be corrupt? Why then do you ask to take pictures or even ask for autograph or shake the hand of notorious politicians you see in person? Why treat them like stars? Why elect former President Gloria Arroyo into Congress when her administration has been marred by a lot of controversies and inconsistencies? You don't want oligarchy; but why elect people from the same family?I get goose bumps when I hear the song "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo" because I think it really encapsulates the true spirit of Edsa. This bloodless revolution was our gift to the world. It's an example used by many models and socio-civic groups who campaign for peaceful change of structure. It asserts the power of the people. In its simplest form, though individuals are poor, weak and powerless; they can overcome institutions as powerful as an authoritarian rule, even an armed and oppr