21/09/2026
History is not recorded in textbooks alone, but held in the living conscience of our people.
Today, on the 54th anniversary of Martial Law, Komunida Initiative is one in ensuring that the atrocities of the past are never repeated or erased. Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr. remains one of the darkest chapters in our nationโs story, marked by authoritarian rule, relentless attacks on press freedom, and widespread human rights violations, including thousands of arbitrary arrests, cases of torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
However, remembering is not enough. As an organization firmly committed to building thriving, dignified Filipino communities, we know true freedom is achieved only through meaningful community participation and leadership. In doing so, we honor and carry forward the legacy left by the martyrs who stood in the line of fire alongside marginalized communities to advance social justice.
One of these notable figures was Lorena Barros, whose leadership in the Makabayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA) helped organize women in the struggle for womenโs liberation and national democracy. Her courage endured despite the repression of the Marcos dictatorship. Charged with subversion, she was forced to go underground before being arrested and imprisoned for her political convictions. Barros remains a prominent voice in the history of the struggle for womenโs rights and social justice.
We remember student leader Edgar โEdjopโ Jopson, who showed what it means for the youth to truly serve the people. As president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), he mobilized students to defend their democratic rights and champion student welfare, while encouraging them to look beyond the confines of their schools and engage in broader political movements alongside other sectors of society. When Martial Law was declared, his commitment only deepened, and even after his capture and torture in 1979, Edjop remained steadfast in the struggle for freedom and democracy.
We will never forget about the Southern Tagalog 10โCristina Catalla, Erwin de la Torre, Gerardo โGerryโ Faustino, Rizalina โLinaโ Ilagan, Ramon Jasul, Jessica Mendez Sales, Emmanuel Salvacruz, Salvador Panganiban, Virgilio Silva, and Modesto โBongโ Sisonโstudent leaders and educators who became victims of enforced disappearance amid state repression under the Marcos Sr. dictatorship. They were organizing and working to serve their communities when they were abducted. No act of state violence can bury their legacy, and their names remain deeply rooted in our history, lighting the path forward.
Over five decades later, as a second Marcos presidency occupies Malacaรฑang, the call for liberation echoes with renewed urgency. We honor our martyrs not through quiet remembrance, but by fostering dignified and resilient communities capable of championing their rights. Taking up the torch against grand plunder, corruption, and human rights violations, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with marginalized sectors to build a future grounded in justice, accountability, and the unyielding strength of our people.
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References:
https://learn.martiallawmuseum.ph/magaral/remembering-the-heroes-edgar-jopson/
https://bantayogngmgabayani.org/bayani/lorena-barros/
https://bantayogngmgabayani.org/southern-tagalog-10-boni-ilagan/
