As a Filipino, it is not new to us to be labeled as hospitable and God-fearing that we always say ‘Ang Diyos nga nagpapatawad, ako pa kayang tao.’ And we take it to extremes. We easily forgive others that we also forget what they have done and still invite them to our homes to show our hospitality? Isn’t that great? No. It is not. Especially when it comes to the Marcoses.
“Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan?” This was reiterated by Mr. Bonifacio Ilagan, a Martial Law Survivor, in an interview created by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines in 2016. And this is still a timely reminder to all of us about what happened back then should not be forgotten. Yet, Martial Law is still affecting us in a different and contradictory way calling it “the golden era” and even invalidating other Filipinos who are oppressed by that time. Thus, they are praised by some for the disinformation.
Filipinos are really great at forgetting the past and some of us even have the audacity to support the oppressors. Well, maybe the reason behind this ‘amnesia’ is because of the Martial Law itself where media was oppressed, those who spoke the truth were imprisoned, tortured, and/or killed. Other Filipinos were fed by lies and Marcoses are so good at corruption that until now they are still corrupting the minds of the current generation.
Martial Law are still affecting the decisions of many of us due to lack of heroes that can tell their stories but already murdered before they do so, a lot of propaganda materials that are circulating, and constant increase of uneducated and insensible Filipinos like Toni Gonzaga.
And as a matter of fact, we are considering being anti-Marcos as a political stand rather than a truth that we should live by to never forget and to tell ourselves “Never again!”
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