WHAT HISTORY TAUGHT US ABOUT THE MARCOS’ REGIME

BY RACHEL ALBANO

DID WE LEARN?

The darkest chapter in Philippine history transpired during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr Power was in the wrong hands, the Philippines saw one of its worst recessions, the media was silenced, and human rights atrocities occurred But, did the Filipinos learn their lesson? Or has the general public's perception of that traumatic period in Philippine history changed?

The Marcos dictatorship should have opened the nation's consciousness, and as a result, the populace should now be wary of political leaders. However, it appears that this is an issue now that the dictator's son occupies the highest position in the nation. It seems that Marcos Sr’s proclamation of martial law, which was marked by injustices, significant plunder, and cronyism, has been overlooked With manipulated information and plain lies, there has been a continuous endeavor to portray the late Marcos' rule as the Philippines' golden age The majority of his clan and supporters utilize social media as a forum to impose their narrative of history on the rest of the country

Filipinos are no longer vigilant and reluctant to speak up for themselves They cast their votes recklessly Philippine citizens should keep in mind the hardships and lessons the Marcos regime inflicted in light of the current events and the revisionist history being taught

The sufferings of the martial law era should be remembered, not to gratify the opposition's fixation on the past, but rather to make sure that lessons are learned

What, then, did we learn despite everything?

The Marcos regime taught Filipinos to resist tyrants Due to Marcos' abuse of authority, our countrymen had to live in terror During this time, numerous activists and critics were arbitrarily detained, subjected to torture, and killed Public criticism was cast aside, and the information that the citizens could access was under the direct supervision of the administration

We can look forward without forgetting

Until now, we continuously emphasize the need for truth and truth-seeking in tackling civil rights atrocities Justice is impossible without the truth To achieve democratic governance, it is crucial for every Filipino to protect our history and the truth embodied in the nation's communal experience under martial law since time can make memories susceptible.

The sacrificial acts of the Filipino people serve as a reminder of the value of democracy, the rule of law, and civil rights in a democratic society in upholding the dignity and rights of everyone. Present and future generations must learn the significance of democracy from that dark period; and that the Filipino government of the people should be by the people, for the people