21/09/2026
𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗣 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟱𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝘄
54 years have passed since Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law in 1972, which marks one of the darkest chapters in our nation's history.
There remains a continuous attempt to erase, distort, and rewrite this era. We have a duty to fight the disinformation about the stories of the thousands killed and tortured for fighting against the dictatorship. Now more than ever, as corruption and abuse of power still run rampant in our government, we must fight for the truth and hold them accountable.
𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱.
As information professionals, we must uphold and safeguard the memories, evidence, and stories of this dark period in our country. Galleries, libraries, archives, museums, and other information institutions are not merely repositories of the past. They help preserve evidence, knowledge, and records of the lives that suffered during the regime of dictatorship. When these pieces of information are destroyed, withheld, censored, or deliberately taken out of context, our ability as information professionals is now essential in providing counterknowledge against the rampant distortion of history.
As we reflect on the events of 54 years ago, we must not only remember the horrors of martial law but also renew our commitment to protect the truth. Let us honor those who fought against dictatorship by ensuring that their struggle is never forgotten.
𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲.
𝗧𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵.
