The Department of Education (DepED) on Friday, Oct. 14, denied claims that it is planning to rebrand “Batas Militar” (Martial Law) as “Bagong Lipunan” in the basic education curriculum.
“It’s not true,” Education Spokesman Michael Poa told the Manila Bulletin in a Viber message after the agency was asked to comment on a post circulating online about DedED’s supposed to rebrand the teaching of martial law.
Based on a shared post, the uploader claimed that a professor from the University of the Philippines (UP) was supposedly invited by the DepEd to “discuss changes that will happen” in the revised basic education curriculum.
Take note guys... pic.twitter.com/7aMKHpHpip
— Grandma (@Dwarrior_granny) October 10, 2022
“Sa panahon ng Batas Militar, gusto nilang gawing 'Panitikan ng Aktibismo at Bagong Lipunan'. Bali ire-replace nila yung term na 'Batas Militar' to 'Bagong Lipunan' all over the curriculum kasi ayaw nilang may kahit anong 'offensive' kay BBM sa curriculum,” the post read.
‘Incomplete’ story of Martial Law in school books
Based on the research conducted by the Far Eastern University’s Public Policy Center (FPPC), school books “failed to adequately cover the complete story of Martial Law and the 1986 People Power Revolution” as these covered only 10 percent of Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) textbooks.
The research also found out that “actual discussions are insufficient as well, with both topics typically taking up a mere two lessons despite encompassing 14 years of Philippine history.”
With the country recently commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Martial Law declaration, the FPPC is calling for a “more thorough and accurate retelling of history, alongside a stronger battle against overall false news.”
Online portal to fight historical inaccuracies launched
To help combat disinformation and misinformation and to give teachers, students, and the general public easier access to correct and verified historical information, an online interactive portal was launched by the FPPC.
FPPC, the educational research center of FEU, also held a forum dubbed “#HearLiesTheTruth History Textbook Review: Online Interactive Publication.”
The forum conducted by the FPPC also highlighted several discrepancies in the origins of Filipino values or the history and culture of indigenous people based on its research.
Aside “incomplete” story during the martial law years, the university also noted stereotyping as a common problem and saw activities that appealed to emotion rather than being evidence-based, resulting in a “lack of critical thinking skills and the building of historical prejudice among students.”
The online portal, launched during the forum, focuses on “The Dilemma of Philippine History Textbooks.”
This initiative is led by former National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chairperson and FPPC Trustee, Professor Emeritus of History Dr. Maria Serena Diokno, together with a group of educators from the UP Diliman Department of History.
“Textbooks are the primary, and in many instances the sole learning resource for our students and teachers. The history told here must always be factual,” Diokno said.
The online portal, she explained, aims to “correct the historical inaccuracies and build civic education” for the younger generation. “They must be aware of our nation’s past and continued struggle to build a free and democratic society, in a manner that is founded in true history,” Diokno added.
The interactive portal can be freely accessed by anyone who wishes to dive deeper into the facts and correct the long-standing inaccuracies perpetuated throughout our history.
However, the FPPC expressed hope that it is other educational institutions, teachers, and students who become the primary users of the website.
For FEU, it is the shared responsibility of educators to make sure that the history being passed down to the youth is “accurate and without bias.”
“Improving the quality and reliability of our historical narratives is imperative, now more than ever,” said FEU President Michael Alba who also noted that the country is “facing a tough enemy” that is plaguing the news and the education system.
“We’re hopeful that our work shines a more accurate light on our past and enhances the depth of understanding about our history, ourselves, and our nation - eventually leading us towards a brighter and more inclusive future for this country that we all love,” he added.
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https://mb.com.ph/2022/10/06/review-finds-ph-history-textbooks-contain-examples-of-factual-inaccuracies/