In the next two days, many institutions will turn to remembering the atrocities of the martial law period. Often dubbed by historical revisionists as the “golden era” in Philippine history, it was an overlooked period in time, marred by multiple offenses against humanity. Not all of us were born during that time; all we hear are stories that resonate so deeply in the present. With a president having the same surname as the dictator, it seems like we are confused about what will happen next.
That time was filled with military rule. My grandmother would say that they could not just leave the house at any time they wanted. They were forced to adhere to the soldiers’ commands, often getting scared to death. Others speak of extortion and torture, especially when they did not get what they wanted. Detractors would tell us to just forget and move on. The most difficult part is the latter, but it is always a choice not to forget. It is in remembering that we learn, supposedly, not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
We are seeing a repeat of those events in different forms: the silencing and threatening of the press, abuse of power, and many more. We are masked in a concept of freedom that we cannot even fully grasp. It is as if we are fooling ourselves while enjoying the liberty that we have now. I wish there was just someone who could cut across those who are dazed by that era. I wonder what it takes for them to believe that everything was real. Even the families of those who were victims live to tell the tale, but they, too, are often disregarded.
What happens next is still a blur. We are finding ourselves in a political turmoil, caught between two big political families. Both find themselves with a fanbase almost close to a cult. Their narratives are the same, including their spiels and convictions. It is as if they have been brainwashed with information only they want to believe. I feel sad that the truth is devalued unless more institutions stand up and teach what is supposed to be true.
I don’t know how many of us will still remember or if we still want to. It is indeed a choice, a hard one, but it just makes perfect sense. Remembering is not about being trapped in the past. It is about carrying its lessons into the present, especially when the same language of fear, power, and silence begins to sound familiar. Perhaps that is why memory matters most when it becomes uncomfortable.
We owe it to those who lived through that period to listen and to those who never came home to remember. Perhaps, we also owe it to ourselves to ask whether the freedoms we enjoy are being protected, or slowly being taken for granted. Forgetting may be easier but keep in mind that remembering requires courage. If history is meant to teach us anything, it is that forgetting has consequences.