Hundreds of activists took to España Blvd. to renew their calls to never forget September 21 as the day Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law. Various sectors—including the youth, labor workers, farmers, and victims of the regime—rallied against the injustices and the lives lost during the oppressive rule while raising similar matters under the Duterte and Marcos Jr. administrations.
Chants such as “Never again! Never forget!” and “Marcos, singilin! Duterte, panagutin!” reverberated in the area as the protesters walked to Mendiola St. despite the gloomy weather. Although the group tried to dodge state authorities en route, they met a battalion of policemen in full riot gear in front of the University of the East.
(Demand Marcos to be liable! Hold Duterte accountable!)
Some protesters attempted to break through the blockade, but the group eventually decided to hold the program at the location to de-escalate tensions with the police. One individual was injured following the confrontation.
Like previous rallies that slammed the oppressive nature of these administrations, this mobilization emphasized the lack of people-centric policies and atrocities against activists through a series of cultural performances, speeches, and testimonies from those who endured and were affected by Martial Law.
Film director JL Burgos criticized the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board for initially giving an X rating to his film, Alipato at Muog. He highlighted that “abducting those who tell the truth” is a greater form of censorship that Filipinos must be wary of.
“Kada dalawang buwan ay may dinudukot na isang aktibista…Balang araw, mananagot kayo! Kasama ang taong-bayan, pupunta kami [riyan] sa Malacañang,” he berated the police who stood by as they observed the scene.
(One activist is being abducted every two months…One day, you will be held accountable! Together with the people, we will go to Malacañang!)
Alipato at Muog narrates the abduction of Burgos’ brother, Jonas, a farmer and activist who was taken in broad daylight in 2007.
Members of the Makabayan senatorial slate, including Bayan Muna Chairperson Teddy Casiño, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas’ Leader Danilo Ramos, and Kilusang Mayo Uno Secretary General Jerome Adonis, also joined the march and delivered their own speeches.
Casiño pointed out that it is not only Marcos who should be blamed for extrajudicial killings but also Duterte, as counter-insurgency and his War on Drugs have led to thousands of deaths.
While Casiño highlighted human rights violations in his speech, Ramos raved on the Marcoses’ faults and their involvement in land grabbing. “Para sa amin, [ang] tunay na reporma sa lupa ay pambansang industriyalisasyon at [pagpapalakas ng] lokal na produksyon ng palay…sapagka’t ang Pilipinas ay agrikultural na bansa at hindi industriyalisado,” he said.
(For us farmers, land reform means national industrialization and strengthening local rice production…because the Philippines is not an industrialized country but an agricultural one.)
Prior to the peaceful end of the protest came Jerome Adonis, who emphasized that it had been 52 years since workers and Filipinos have immensely struggled. “Nananatili pa rin ang mababang sahod…lalong lumaki ang bilang ng mga manggagawang kontraktwal…at itinuturing ang aming unyon na terorista at winasak ang mga ‘to.”
(Low wages still persist…contractual workers have increased…and our union is still being tagged as terrorists and has been destroyed.)
Adonis called on workers to remain at the forefront of resistance, just like how former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s authoritarian regime was overthrown. “Nasa manggagawa at mamamayan ang lahat ng dahilan para tayo ay lumaban at maghimagsik…Lalaya tayo sa lahat ng porma ng pagsasamantala,” he concluded.
(The workers and the people have all the reasons for us to fight and rebel…We will be free from all forms of oppression.)
