BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific

Philippines celebrates people power revolutions

People in the Philippines have been celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the People Power revolution that overthrew the former leader Ferdinand Marcos.

The event has given the current President Gloria Arroyo an opportunity to defend the second popular uprising last month, which ousted her democratically-elected predecessor Joseph Estrada, who was being impeached for alleged corruption.

Speeches and prayers were said on the Manila highway on which demonstrators had gathered during both uprisings.

Mrs Arroyo said in an anniversary broadcast that last month's demonstrations again showed the power of a united people seeking good governance and democratic reform. But the BBC correspondent in Manila says that many people don't accept that People Power is the fundamental form of democratic expression, preferring the ballot box and the rule of law.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service