Reflections of a Jesuit Volunteer on the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution
by Blas S. Descallar
The Jesuit Volunteers Philippines (JVP) was born in 1980 at a crucial moment in our nation’s history. During the difficult years of Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., many young people were searching for ways to love and serve the country. Some were drawn to revolutionary movements as an expression of their desire for change.
JVP offered another path — a courageous, faith-filled, and transformative direction. It invited young college graduates to become agents of change not through armed struggle, but through service, solidarity, and nation-building. It was, and continues to be, a movement rooted in Ignatian spirituality: forming men and women for others, committed to justice, integrity, and love of country.
By its sixth year, in 1986, JVP volunteers — together with former volunteers from Batches 1 to 5 — were already deeply grounded in advocacy and social transformation. Many actively participated in the historic People Power Revolution, standing peacefully with millions of Filipinos along EDSA to reclaim democracy. Their presence was not born of anger, but of hope; not of violence, but of moral conviction. They believed that loving the country meant standing for what is right.
Forty years after that peaceful revolution, JVP remains anchored in the same core values — though expressed today in the language of social justice, good governance, and responsible citizenship. The call is the same: to form servant-leaders who work for integrity in public life, who reject corruption and political dynasties, and who uphold the dignity of every Filipino.
Today, as we commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the People Power Revolution at the People Power Monument, JVPs once again stood in solidarity with fellow citizens — not to shout in anger, but to affirm with conviction our shared hope for ethical leadership, transparent governance, and genuine service to the Filipino people. Our presence was a quiet yet firm witness that the spirit of EDSA lives on whenever people choose truth over convenience and service over self-interest.
We are grateful to Ces Bulos B14, Bob Guerrero B15, Blas B16, Love Dorero B21/22, Neil Delos Reyes B42/43, Renz Nikolai Cornelia Flores B43/44, Carmelo Garcia B43/44, Oman Deramas B44, Atty. Jomar Revilla B45, and other JVPs who joined this meaningful gathering. Your presence reflects the enduring mission of JVP: to form citizens who do not remain indifferent, who engage responsibly in democratic processes, and who continue to work for a more just and compassionate Philippines.
Indeed, JVP was born to give young people a better direction — not merely to respond to the times, but to help shape the nation’s future. Forty-six years later, that mission continues. And as long as there is injustice to address, communities to serve, and hope to protect, JVP will remain steadfast — faithful to its calling, committed to what is right, and devoted to the Filipino people.
Blas Ofelie S. Descallar is a former JVP (B16) and now serves as the Executive Director of Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation, Inc.