For whom the bells toll?

Yesterday, February 25, did you hear the bells toll throughout all the churches of the Cebu Archdiocese at 3 P.M?

For whom, why did the bells toll?

On the 40th anniversary of the 1986 PEOPLE POWER, the bells tolled for God, for the Filipino people, for our country!

Cebu Archbishop Abet Uy’s historic/pioneering message/call for the tolling of the bells is worth documenting and including among the memorabilia for remembering, never forgetting the 1986 People Power!

His February 24, 2026 post: “Tomorrow—Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at exactly 3:00 PM—the bells of all churches in our archdiocese will ring together.

The ringing of the bells is not just a sound. It is a symbol.

It is a reminder that the Church and the people stand together—awake, watchful, and united.

As the bells echo across our communities, they call us back to our deepest truth: that the strength of anation does not come from power concentrated in a few, but from the conscience of many.

When we proclaim, Kita ang gahum!

Kita ang people power!

We affirm that real power lies in a people who care, who speak, who refuse to be indifferent, and whoare willing to stand for what is right. This is not power of force, but power of unity, truth, and moral courage.

And as we cry out,

Ginoo, ayaw kami pasagdi!

Ginoo, duyugi kami!

We acknowledge that people power must always be rooted in prayer. We ask the Lord not to abandon us, to guide our steps, to purify our intentions, and to keep us faithful to the path of peace, justice, and love.

The tolling of the bells is both a cry and a prayer— a cry for conscience, and a prayer for God’s abiding presence among His people.

May this moment unite us once more—as a Church, as a people, and as a nation—walking together with faith, courage, and hope.”

Then this February 25 Kapamilya Mass Prayer for People’s Power: “Father, God of freedom, Jesus, Lord of History and Prince of Peace, Spirit of courage and peace, be with us and grant us the inspiration to remember always the fidelity of Your presence and the constancy of Your guidance as we faced the many challenges that beset us as a people and nation.

We confess our failure to use properly the opportunities You gave us to rebuild a just, equitable and democratic society. Lord, forgive us and restore our courage to continue this work better and with greater resolve.

We are repentant and return to You with humble hearts and acknowledge our sin of forgetting our civic duties and responsibilities that allowed our unbridled corruption and the entrenchment of political dynasties.

We recommit ourselves to the “miracle of people power” You blessed us with 40 years ago and continue to bless us with now and always.

People power is Your gift yesterday, today, and always.

We accept once more this gift of Your “miracle of people power” and make it our own once more.

This time as our People’s Power – may we bring this to every corner of our nation, to the provinces and the far-flung barrios across mountains, seas and rivers, may we generate this People’s Power from the peripheries of our people where the majority live in a situation of exclusion.

Lord, grant our nation the grace once more of a miracle of People’s Power from the peripheries to transform our society all the way to the center.

May Your “Kingdom come, Your will be done” in our country to bring justice, equality, peace and hope, joy and love.

We pray, “May we not give up on one another and our country, for God does not give up on us.” Amen.”

God, bless our country, our people!