Despite Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte’s denial, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives has sought a congressional investigation on what they called the “whitewashing” of martial paw through the Department of Education (DepEd) and its school modules.
Under House Resolution (HR) No. 496 filed on Wednesday, Oct. 26, the Makabayan bloc called on the House Committees on Human Rights and Education to probe the alleged “rebranding” of the Marcos era martial law or historical revisionism in aid of legislation.
Makabayan is composed of House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas.
In filing the resolution, the lawmakers noted the use of “Period of New Society” or “Bagong Lipunan” on school modules to rebrand martial law in favor of the late strongman and president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“It does not only violate the intent of the RA 10368 to recognize the victims and suffering of the people during the martial law and dictatorship of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos—the darkest era of the country—whitewashing, rebranding, revisioning, and/or distorting historical facts bring more injustice to the Filipino people who suffered under the Marcos regime,” they said.
“Education must shine a light on—not whitewash—the darkness and horror cast on the people when power is concentrated on a person, his family, and cabal of economic elite. Rather, education must be the tool that will bring about critical thinkers and nationalists who have the brains to think and the hearts to feel for the masses,” the group added.
In the same resolution, the solons belonging to the leftist bloc condemned the alleged rebranding or whitewashing of martial law regime.
The group urged the House leadership to act on their resolution even as Duterte already said that the DepEd “has no time for historical revisionism” and is “not in the business of erasing facts” on martial law.
READ:DepED on Martial Law rebranding: We are not in the business of erasing facts
The Vice President issued the statement following a learning module from the senior high school curriculum that went viral on social media allegedly trying to rebrand the martial law years as “period of the New Society".
Castro said school modules—regardless of whether or not they are used for the Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) subject—should contain facts.
She cited a bill she recently filed in the lower chamber that is pushing for the restoration of Philippine History as a separate subject in the high school curriculum in order to fight back against misinformation.
The lawmaker added that her group also plans to review modules being used by high school students across the country.