Pagbutlak

Fifty-three years since Ferdinand Marcos Sr. placed the nation under Martial Law, the wounds of dictatorship remain open. The atrocities committed—from killings, torture, and disappearances to the plunder of public coffers—continue to haunt the present, especially as authoritarian legacies and Marcosian distortions resurface. In the face of repression, corruption, and historical revisionism, students, organizations, and formations within UP Visayas are uniting to remember, resist, and demand accountability.

As early as September 3, 2025, build-up activities for #ML53 have begun, with initiatives such as banner installations, flyerings, production work, and collective statements. These efforts culminate in a week-long series of events and mobilizations that challenge attempts to sanitize history and remind the public: Never Again, Never Forget.

Here is the schedule of build-up and commemoration activities for #ML53:

BANNER INSTALLATIONS AND INFORMATION PANEL
From September 15 to 21, banners declaring “Never Again, Never Forget” and “Karapatan at Hustisya, ‘di sa iilan, Ibalik sa Masa ang Kapangyarihan” are displayed at Pidlaoan Hall of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) building. Alongside these are information panels featuring images of Martial Law atrocities and the call for justice for desaparecidos abducted by state forces. These installations are spearheaded by the CFOS Student Council (CFOS SC) to educate the public and to keep memory alive against the tide of revisionism.

EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSIONS (EDS)

On September 12, the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CAS SC) launched SIKLAB: Educational Discussion on Student Power and the Tasks of the Second Propaganda Movement at the CAS SC Office, CAS Park. This was followed by the School of Technology Student Council’s (SOTECH SC) ED on September 13, held during their general assembly. Both sessions grounded students in the history of state repression and the continuing struggle for democratic rights.

The series continues with Dial In: Voices of Resistance on September 17, Wednesday, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the MILC-AVR, CAS Building. Spearheaded by CASSC and its academic organizations—Elektrons, Clovers, Skimmers, and Redbolts—the event features background discussions on Martial Law, explorations of its implications on health and the environment, a statement-writing workshop, and a public speaking workshop. These discussions aim to equip students with the tools to resist distortion and reclaim narratives of truth.

CULTURAL EVENTS
Film remains a weapon in the struggle for memory. On September 16, Tanaw: A Film Showing will run from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the MILC-AVR, CAS Building. A second screening is set for September 18, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Organized by the CASSC, the event harnesses cinema as a medium of resistance—foregrounding narratives of Martial Law while drawing urgent connections to contemporary realities.

On September 19, Friday, at 5:30 p.m., simultaneous Cultural Nights and Candle Lighting ceremonies will take place at both Miagao and Iloilo City campuses. In Miagao, the Pidlaoan Hall at CFOS will host cultural performances, followed by a solemn candle-lighting at CFOS Park. These tributes remember victims and martyrs of Martial Law and affirm the people’s demand for justice.

On September 23, Tuesday, Balikda, a collaborative event of CAS SC with UPV Kamaragtas, will revisit the history of Martial Law through testimonies and performances. Balikda brings forward the stories of political prisoners and victims, giving a human face to the statistics of state terror and reminding the youth of their duty to continue the struggle.

MULTI-SECTORAL MOBILIZATION
The week’s activities will culminate in a multisectoral mobilization on September 21, Sunday, coinciding with the nationwide day of action. Marking the 53rd year since the declaration of Martial Law, participants will march through Iloilo City to demand justice for victims of dictatorship, accountability from the Marcos-Duterte administration, and concrete solutions to pressing local issues, including the 300 percent Real Property Tax hike, the displacement caused by the Enhanced Local Public Transport Route Plan, and ongoing water privatization.

More than an act of remembrance, the mobilization serves as a reckoning with the present. In a time of rising inflation and inadequate social services, public outrage continues to mount over billions allotted for flood control and other projects mired in allegations of corruption. The commemoration of Martial Law thus becomes not only a tribute to the struggles of the past but also a renewed call to resist the repetition of history. Never again, never forget.

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