MAMARIL, Shaira Mae A.

8 May 2018
2014063421 4PHL2

Abstract: This paper aims to emphasize on the problem of historical forgetting and ignoring in
which greatly affects the education of the people in shaping the political sphere using prominent
Philippine histories. Furthermore, I will use Renato Constantino as my guide in the foundation of
the main problem for this paper. According to Constantino, as we study history, we produce a new
consciousness of the present to which this understanding leads to a clearer view of the future.
History sets the standards on as to how we should live and take part in the society. In our society
we are thought that history will and will always repeat itself. Inevitable as it may be, we are not
bounded by this for the things that happened in the past are just sketches of what we should paint
in the canvass of our future. This is what guides us not to commit the same mistakes again.

CONSTANTINO ON FILIPINO EDUCATION AND POLITICS: HISTORICAL

FORGETTING AND IGNORING

Mis-education among Filipinos is the most prominent problem here in the Republic of the
Philippines aside from the petty and corrupt politicians. Education is the foundation of an
individual’s understanding towards a thinking that would contribute to the future of our country.
Before learning the contemporaries, one must learn the histories first. Renato Constantino has
indeed set the fire ablaze of a thriving Filipino’s heart. He emphasized the importance of education
and historical awareness where he defined the former as:
“...the vital weapon of a people striving for economic emancipation, political
independence, and cultural renascence. We are such a people. Philippine education,
therefore, must produce Filipinos who are aware of their country’s problems, who
understand the basic solution to these problems, and who care enough to have courage
enough to work and sacrifice for their country’s salvation.”1

Forgetting and ignoring has become the hindrance to understanding the historical context
of a country’s antiquity. We tend to disregard essential things about the past that leads us to
misinterpretations. Recovering things from the past has always been essential. Historical forgetting
is that we often content ourselves with the things that we see directly hence we often forget to look
pass through it and fail to make a “redescription” out of it so what we come up out of it is far from
a “redescription” but a different kind of notion. Recovering from historical forgetting is the only
antidote to this kind of dilemma. As said in Schleiermacher’s theory of language, we must consider
the occurrences in the past to be able to fathom what seems to be unfathomable today and of course
to evade confusions and misinterpretations.

1
Constantino, R. (2000). The Mis-Education of the Filipino. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 30(3), 428.
 “Although most of our educators are engaged in the lively debate on techniques and tools
for the improved instructions, not one major educational leader has come out for a truly
nationalist education. Of course, some pedagogical experts have written on some aspects
of nationalism in education. However, no comprehensive educational programme has been
advanced as a corollary to the programmes for political and economic emancipation. This
is a tragic situation because the nationalist movement is crippled at the outset by a citizenry
that is ignorant of our basic ills and is apathetic to our national welfare.”2

If we are to speak of politics, the Philippines is famous for its circus-like quality. The
difference between public service and business needs no further explaining. In the corporate world,
you hire the brightest and weed out the incompetent. In electing people to public office, everything
will depend on the decision of the majority. While the right of suffrage is an equalizer, a vote is
always counted as one regardless of the voter’s IQ. The reality, however, is that new forms of
control, subtle and obvious, are employed by cunning politicians in order to influence voters. 3
Suffrage or our right to vote only masks the ugly truth behind Philippine politics’ true face. The
Marcos regime is one example of the illusion of freedom which led to rebellion. We might think
that our freedom was protected with his implementation of Proclamation 1081, Martial Law, on
September 21, 1972 over the entire country, which suspended the civil rights and imposed military
authority in the country.
People who didn’t experience the tyranny first-hand have had the guts to proclaim that
martial law is better for the country. Statistics on the extent of human rights violations were hair-
raising. Danilo Vizmanos, a West Point-trained Navy Captain turned activist, estimates the extent
of suffering under martial law: 7,000 victims of torture, 2,000 salvaged or summarily executed,
1,000 people disappeared (Malanes 1999, 16). His estimate is similar to the number of legal
claimants of human rights violations against the Marcoses in the Hawaii case: 9,539 (Rosales
1999, 12). To the regime, it was the “Army with a heart.” But for the victims, it is far from
the truth; far from what they experienced. For a VIP, someone from the opposition, a tycoon, or
even some of their sons, detention might be the worst thing that can happen to them during Martial
Law but since these leaders inspire dissent, the regime would instil psychological torture such as
isolation to instil fear or to shake one’s principle.

The Marcos regime has inflicted a lot of pain and trauma in the minds and hearts of
Filipinos who experienced it at first-hand. It is certain that his regime has brought great damage in
the Philippines which is being suffered from and passed on to the younger generations. People
would say that his time was the worst but it is undeniable that his administration was indeed of
great help and one of the most notable regimes among all. Without him pulling the trigger,
Filipinos would not know the essence of democracy and nationalism. The Filipinos, once again—
and this time, more bravely—wanted freedom. When the abuse of the military and the immoral
handling of Marcos took its toll upon the people, the Filipinos knew what they wanted and needed:
democracy. Amidst the terror that the Marcos regime has implanted on the mind of each Filipino,
the people learned how to be zealous for freedom. It made them realize how much they needed

2
Ibid.
3
Mabaloc, R. (2014, September 14). Inquirer. Retrieved December 5, 2016, from The face of
Philippine politics: https://www.google.com.ph/amp/opinion.inquirer.net/78473/the-face-of-philippine-
politics
democracy. Neither sweet promises nor any great and wondrous infrastructures can ever replace
the sweet taste of freedom.
The regime all in all has its positive and negative effects on the nation. Trauma and terror
has been inflicted on society as it is very evident today. Though many years have passed, our
citizens still suffer the same problems since then. Foreign debt still haunts our economy and for
that reason we are not able to rise from the ashes of our country’s greatest problem which is
poverty. People were not allowed to speak up for themselves and they would either get imprisoned
or murdered if they do.
Another example of a historical event that we should all be aware of happened in 1945
wherein atrocities have occurred. Manila, 1945 – the atrocities that were experienced were
excruciating, not just physically but also emotionally. The ferocity that Manileños suffered was
something you would never imagine to happen in your life. As the troops marched around the city,
no house or property was left unturned. Bombs and bullets were flying and crashing into the
different areas in Manila, houses were burned and establishments were shelled. Over a hundred
thousand people died - some are beheaded, slashed by a sword, bayonetted, shot, raped and tortured
to death. Even the little ones who are unaware of what was happening around them were also not
given any mercy at all. Women who refused to be raped were bayonetted; it was like choosing
between hell and hell. It was a terrible bloodbath that brought Manila down.
Manila 1945: The Forgotten Atrocities is a documentary that of which is of national
importance that the present Filipinos should be aware of. It is the liberation that will remind us of
the fight for freedom we enjoy and cherish today. We can forgive but we should never forget that
sometime in 1945 in the Philippines, it became a living hell. It was during WWII when the battle
for the liberation of Manila from Japanese forces came to an end, a month-long battle that came at
a steep price. The US troops and the Filipino guerrillas worked hand-in-hand. Although it was
mainly United States’ casualty-avoidance policy that rose the uncontrolled and indiscriminate
application of devastating firepower by forces under MacArthur, no one can blame them for
seeking low casualties. Low casualties had always been one MacArthur’s strong points and were
a major consideration in the US’ leap-frogging strategy in the Pacific. They still helped against the
Japanese invasion but with the price of a hundred thousand Filipino lives and a thousand of them.

Pity, sympathy, compassion, empathy, disgust, rage, anger and hate; all of these are what
I felt while witnessing the heartless carnage in Manila. What struck me the most in an interview
with a survivor was this, “The worst thing was, we were not permitted to cry because we’re on the
run.” The fact that you can’t even mourn and grieve was too much. I express my deepest empathy
for those who have witnessed, survived and did not and pity for those who don’t have any idea of
the terrible bloodshed that scarred our fellowmen for life. What I cannot accept is that the Japanese
are very much welcome here in the Philippines as if nothing ever happened. The saddest thing is,
there was no personal apology from the oppressors until the apology of the Japanese ambassador
here in the Philippines in 2006.
According to Ricardo C. Morales, a retired general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
“The Filipinos lost more than lives and buildings. The very routine and fabric that made the city
the envy of the region and the world was gone forever. And with it were the moorings and
foundations of a core that could have gravitated Filipino society towards a path of steady, equitable
growth and development.” We can say that we are deprived of a steady path, equitable growth,
and development.

Our foundation as a nation are the elements of the State; people, territory, government,
sovereignty and independence. Unfortunately, we are not that democratic after all, we are engaging
in a free enterprize economy with democracy. We are oblivious of what we should do while there
are tons of intelligent Filipino citiizens who would remain motionless. As stated in the
Constitution, the requirement for public office is that you must be able to read and write and you
should be a national born citizen. Changing the standard of the public officers would make a big
difference in the government, they should implement laws that no elective officers with no college
degree should be banned from running for a position. But as seen in our previous elections, the
Filipinos has proved their inability to foresee the conceivable problem that the former Davao City
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may cause. And indeed, history will always be reapated because as the
presidency became official, there’s no turning back for the 16 million Filipinos who voted for the
tough-talking Duterte. Only three months in for the president-elect, a lot can be said regarding the
Philippines’ current administration. Duterte’s approach on his war on drugs has been on extreme
measures incurring oppositions and alliances which have led to thousands of extrajudicial killings
that raised a lot of concerns regarding human rights. Even before becoming the 16th president of
the Philippines, he vowed the Filipinos that he will exterminate all drug users around the country
in a span of his first three months as president – claiming that drug dealing and addiction were
major hindrances to the country’s economic and social development.
The most recent and controversial decision that the President Duterte made was the
declaration of Martial Law and suspension of Writ of Habeas Corpus in Mindanao.4 The
declaration occurred after, Maute Group, a self-proclaimed terrorist group, committed violent acts
in the city of Marawi, Lanao Del Sur. As seen in the decision of the Supreme Court in Lagman vs
Medialdea, the President deemed it necessary to make such declaration upon being informed of
the classified reports he received. The President concluded that acts of violence from the maute
group was a “clear attempt to establish the group’s seat of power in Marawi City for their planned
establishment of a DAESH wilayat or province covering entire Mindanao.” Their purpose was
clearly corroborated by their acts of cutting lines for transportation, and actual armed
consolidation, to name a few. Furthermore, the declaration was supported by the Senate and House
of Representatives.
Several petitions were executed before the Supreme Court to nullify Proclamation 216
pertaining to the Declaration of Martial Law and suspension of Writ of Habeas Corpus in
Mindanao. Petitioners contend that the proclamation lack sufficient factual basis because the
accounts on the President’s Report was “false, inaccurate, contrived and hyperbolic.” It was also
contended that it was unconstitutional because there is no sufficient basis that there is rebellion in
the whole of Mindanao.
Despite the petition for nullification, Supreme Court rendered a decision in Lagman vs
Medialdea upholding the constitutionality of Proclamation 216. The Court recognized that the
petitions were done in accordance with paragraph 3, Section 18, Article VII of the Constitution
which gives the court authority to review the sufficiency of factual basis of the proclamation of

4
Fourth element: government by sovereignty
Martial Law through petition filed by any citizen. The said provision is a safeguard against possible
abuses or usurpation of power by the President. The Court emphasized that their scope of review
only extends up to the determination of the sufficiency of the factual basis of the declaration of
Martial Law. Furthermore, the Court can only consider facts and events known or have transpired
on or before the President signed the Proclamation. From such foregoing, the Court held that the
contention of the petitioner’s lacks merit based upon the known facts such as the actual public
uprising and taking up arms against the government at the time of the signing. Furthermore, the
Court cannot encroach upon the President’s sole authority to “determine the scope of the territorial
application” of the Proclamation therefore, contention against the scope cannot be reviewed by
the Court.
Even with the Decision rendered by the Court, it is apparent that some citizens still consider
Proclamation 216 as unconstitutional. With the previous experience of Martial Law during the
Marcos Regime, it cannot be helped that some people are cautious and defiant against matters
concerning their freedom and rights. As stated above, democracy has been practiced in the
Philippine since the pre-colonial period. Hence, totalitarianism which is similar to choosing
dictatorship, is uncommon and is generally not accepted. With the similarities of former President
Marcos and current President Duterte’s actions, it can be said that the people’s defiance and
mistrust is not entirely unfounded.
This path that some Filipinos chose continued on for the next generations, and in these
troubled times, we are in need of more Renato Constantinos that are nationalistic in a sense of not
being too extreme towards change but considers the past first in order to understand the present
and the future better and to be able to make a change that would lead to the betterment of our
country. A more liberated education for the Filipinos would help reshaping societal and more so,
political spheres in the Philippines. It is not yet too late for us to attain true democracy, historical
awareness and proper education are very significant when it comes to shaping one’s way of
thinking. Revisiting the past in order to reshape the future will always be relevant there are various
examples from the Philippine setting that would help us to do better for our country.