MANILA (UPDATED) - The Philippines would not be experiencing the problems it has today if his father was not ousted from power by the first EDSA People Power Revolution, whose 25th anniversary the country is celebrating this week, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.
 
Asked what the country's situation would be if the late former President Ferdinand Marcos remained in the presidency, the senator replied, "Eh siguro Singapore na tayo ngayon."

Singapore is one of Asia's Tiger economies, where the quality of life is considered among the best in the world.
 
Marcos said his father had many plans to improve the country, which did not push through because of EDSA 1.
 
The elder Marcos was ousted after the four-day uprising, which catapulted to power the late former President Corazon Aquino, the mother of the incumbent President.
 
Marcos believes the promises of 1986 have yet to be realized.
 
He said one only has to look at objective indicators such as the country's economy, the quality of life of the people, and the Philippines' standing in the international community to judge whether EDSA 1 changed things for the better.
 
"Kung tutuusin natin, kung iisipin natin ang mga pangyayari noong 1986 at kung nasaan na ngayon ang kalagayan ng ating ekonomiya, ng ating mga kababayan, maliwanag na marami pa rin tayong pagkukulang sa pamahalaan at maliwanag na marami pa tayong kailangang gawin upang maabot ang ating mga pangarap," he said.

Marcos, who was elected to the Senate in the 2010 elections, said the people already know the truth about his father's administration.
 
"Na napakarami ang kanyang nagawa, napakarami ang kanyang tinulong, at napakalaki ng progreso ng bansa noong panahon na iyon," he said.

Marcos, however, acknowledged the importance of EDSA 1 as a "touching point in our history." He said the lessons of 1986 must be used to see how the welfare of Filipinos can be improved.

"Let us use it as a basis to see what we can do and look to the future, and not rest on laurels that we are celebrating every time we have the EDSA celebration," Marcos said.