IN COMMEMORATION of the 51st anniversary of Martial Law, the Ateneo community organized a series of performances, forums, and art installations throughout the month of September to promote civic engagement and combat historical distortion.

Among many other activities by student groups, Matanglawin Ateneo conducted their Martial Law Film Festival in collaboration with Active Vista, an external human rights-oriented utilizing media as an avenue for critical consciousness and social change.

Moreover, the Sanggunian Commission on Socio-Political Development (CSPD) held Limang Dekadang Panlilinlang: Ang Pakikibaka ng Atenista Laban sa Diktadura, a Martial Law Forum led by human rights lawyer Atty. Chel Diokno and Martial Law survivor Ka Boni Ilagan.

Additionally, the CSPD in collaboration with SOSS Sanggunian and the New Rizal Library (NRL) set up multiple art installations across campus, even dyeing the NRL’s fountain water red. They also partnered with Ateneo ENTABLADO for a street performance. All of these initiatives call back to this year’s general theme “Nasaan Ka, Atenista?’’ which the Ateneo Martial Law Museum (AMLM) explained is a call for reflection and an opportunity to revisit the past sacrifices of those who came before.

Co-organized with Ateneo Assembly, AMLM, and SOSS Sanggunian, the Pagpupugay sa mga Nag-Alay mobilization originally scheduled for September 22 was canceled due to the suspension of classes, student health concerns, and logistical issues involving the securance of permits to safeguard the students’ right to protest.

Deepening awareness

Expounding on CSPD’s goal, Co-commissioner Mika Tan explained that this year’s activities aimed to make Ateneans “active watchdogs” of the current government, especially given the Department of Education’s (DepEd) recent effort to remove the name of the Marcos family from class discussions about Martial Law.

To do this, CSPD Co-commissioner Joy Arcigal remarked that their forum primarily aimed to engage Ateneans in more proactive discussions related to Martial Law, providing them an avenue for political action.

Additionally, Arcigal attested to the fruitfulness of the discussion, as it touched on both past and present issues surrounding the government’s demonization of activism, their disinformation strategies, and the hypocrisy of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

Similarly, Matanglawin’s Editor-in-Chief Christian Dasalla and Managing Editor Lance Arevada shared that one of their publication’s advocacies, “mamulat at magpamulat,” came into light during this year’s commemoration. Arevada explained that their advocacy aimed to increase and enlighten the Atenean’s awareness of various issues.

To best accompany their goals for this year’s commemoration, Matanglawin chose to screen two films, with each showing having a talkback session after. The sessions featured Martial Law survivors Ilagan, Nilda Fullon, Boni Macaranas, and Jo-Ann Maglipon. The publication screened Liway and The Kingmaker—the first being about the prisoners of Martial Law while the latter focused on the Marcos family’s rise to political power.

Arevada shared that the film festival was an initiative of the publication to push past the boundaries of reporting stories, serving as their avenue to take a more active role in instilling the injustices of Martial Law. “We believe [that] we are not limited by the boundaries of a publication to just really report and cover but to actually host an event,” he shared.

Student coordination

Expressing his sentiments on the usual approach to political events and issues, Arevada mentioned how student organizations should be more proactive rather than performative, exploring avenues beyond statements, exhibits, and festivals. 

“The time has come for organizations to outreach more, [making] more outreach programs so that the value of solidarity, of unity, and becoming the person for others that we have been advocating for the longest time, will remain,” Arevada added.

Recognizing the collaborative nature of commemorations, Matanglawin mentioned plans to have another film festival with Active Vista, centered on other events such as the upcoming anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Meanwhile, CSPD is also planning to recalibrate the Pagpupugay sa mga Nag-Alay mobilization to November, during the anniversary of Marcos Sr’s burial. Moving forward, the student organizers emphasize that they will do better, with improved time management and coordination.

“We believe [a mobilization] is such a great platform to involve the student body in the continuous commemoration of the bloody regime,” Tan added.

A proactive remembrance

Ultimately, both organizations placed great importance on not only remembering the Martial Law as a dark and unjust era, but also as a haunting experience for the victims and survivors of the 14-year dictatorship.

“Buhay pa sila, pero baka kasi pinapatay na natin ‘yung [kwento] nila. Baka pinapatay na natin ‘yung karanasan nila in favor of the narratives nowadays [being] spread [by] the people in power,” Arevada asserted.

(They [Martial Law survivors] are still alive, but we might be killing their stories. We might be killing their experiences in favor of the narratives nowadays [being] spread [by] the people in power.)

Sharing similar opinions, Arcigal expressed that the issues of the past and the present entwine with each other. She also emphasized how keeping the victims’ memories alive ensures that their suffering was not in vain, allowing future generations to stand for justice and defend democracy.