Ramos, who played a key role in the 1986 uprising that forced President Ferdinand Marcos to flee Malacañang on Feb. 25, 1986, said "it is deplorable that now with just two weeks to go, there are no announced official government plans for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of EDSA Uno."

Ramos made the statement yesterday in a press conference he held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before taking a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok, where he will attend the Eminent Persons Group meeting.

"I am not seeing any advance plans for this very important event unlike in previous years which were not that significant because they were not special anniversaries. But this is the 20th anniversary. It is a generational period, 20 years," Ramos said.

More than two million Filipinos gathered along Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25, 1986 to force Marcos to step down after two decades of strongman rule.

Ramos said EDSA 1 and 2 are "great events in our political history" because the people effected change without violence.

"This is a Philippine technology that is unique only to us. Many countries had tried to copy the ejection, removal, and elimination of an incumbent regime through a people power... but most of them were bloody," he said.

Ramos said he has been in the dark regarding the celebration and has been forced to browse through newspapers in the past days to find out if he will be needed in the ceremonies.

"Even I am scouring the newspapers to find out kung ano ba ang papel ko. Because I even have to make up my schedule every day. And it is not yet there. There is no official program being announced," Ramos said.

He said the government should be the one to take the lead in commemorating the 1986 EDSA revolt every February.

"Government normally leads the way in the planning for our EDSA Uno as well as EDSA Dos celebrations Government still has to lead. That’s what we elected them for. They have the means, they have the funds, they have the facilities, they have the logistics support within their power to make such a celebration meaningful to the people," Ramos said.

Ramos said the celebration should not be used by politicians for political ends and it must be the people who should benefit from the celebrations by commemorating the spirit of EDSA.