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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Balanced view? Youth solon slams pro-martial law subject in proposed syllabus

Balanced view? Youth solon slams pro-martial law subject in proposed syllabus

Published Sep 20, 2023 12:54 pm

At A Glance

  • Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel is up in arms over the inclusion of a pro-martial law subject in the proposed school syllabus of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-backed think tank Center for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.

Screenshot_20220816-135923_Chrome.jpgLate former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (Wikipedia)

A Makabayan lawmaker is up in arms over the inclusion of a pro-martial law subject in the proposed school syllabus of an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-backed think tank.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel was interpellating the Department of National Defense's (DND) proposed budget for 2024 Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 20 when brought up the proposed syllabus of the Center for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.

"Bahagi ng syllabus na gustong gawin ng center na ito at ibibigay sa CHEd at DepEd ay 'Benefits of Martial Law to the Economy' (Part of the syllabus that this center plans to give to the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education is a subject called 'Benefits of Martial Law to the Economy')," an incredulous Manuel said on the House plenary floor.

Asked about what she thought of this syllabus inclusion, the DND budget sponsor, Negros Occidental 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, replied: "Mr. Speaker, the hope of the department is to present a balanced view."

"It is also imperative Mr. Speaker that the youth of today will be informed of what happened in the past and the learnings of the past," Alvarez added. She did not deny the existence of the syllabus.

Ironically, Thursday, Sept. 21 is the 51st anniversary of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s declaration of martial law. The Marcos military rule would last until 1981.

“Kasama ba ng balanced na pag-aaral ng martial law ng dikdator na si Marcos Sr...ang pagbagsak ng ekonomiya dahil sa paglobo ng utang ng ating bansa, dahil sa cuts sa social services? Ang gutom ng mga taga-Negros dahil sa famine? Ang mahabang pila ng mga kababayan natin na di makabili ng bigas tulad ngayon?" Manuel said sarcastically.

(Does the balanced study of the dictator Marcos Sr.'s martial law...include the economic downturn due to the ballooning of national debt, caused by cuts to social services? The starvation of Negros folk due to famine? The long queues of our countrymen at rice stalls similar with today?)

"We can’t accept na state-sponsored ang disinformation, dahil mismo ang state institutions natin ang may ganitong pagtingin sa martial law ng diktador na si Marcos Sr. (because it's our state institutions themselves that have this view of dictator Marcos Sr.'s martial law),” he added.

Manuel said the syllabus also considers existing subjects like Philippine history, national situation, and world situation as "NPA subjects".

NPA means New People’s Army, the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Related Tags

Kabataan party-list Martial Law ferdinand marcos sr raoul manuel
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