MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines will mark this week the 50th anniversary of the Martial Law declaration by the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

The commemoration of the declaration is commonly observed every Sept. 21, the day in 1972 when Marcos signed Proclamation No. 1081. There have been calls though for it to be done every Sept. 23, the day he announced he had placed the entire country under military rule.

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The declaration lasted until January 1981, and the period was marred by human rights violations and massive corruption.

According to reports from global human rights watchdog Amnesty International, there were 100,000 victims of martial law, with 3,000 killed, 34,000 tortured and 70,000 arrested.

The Marcoses also amassed an estimated $5 to 10 billion, or some P500 billion, in ill-gotten wealth, based on the World Bank-United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Stolen Asset Recovery report.

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Various groups are holding a number of events starting this week to remember what they say was a dark chapter in the country’s history and reiterate their “Never Again, Never Forget” campaign, particularly in light of the return of the Marcoses to Malacañang.

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Some of the activities that have commenced prior to this week include a series called “The Legal Construction of Dictatorship: We Remember” by the UP Institute of Human Rights.

It is a presentation on the institute’s Facebook page from Sept. 12 until 21, of major events that led up to the Martial Law declaration, as well as those that came after.

“This series aims to help the post-EDSA generation understand how the one-man rule was sustained from the proclamation of Martial Law in 1972 to the ouster of the dictator in 1986,” the UP IHR said.

“It will look at how the law was used to legitimize the dictatorship. It will enable and empower today’s generation to be wary of similar attempts these days, and alert them to seemingly subtle maneuvers that erode our democracy.”

On Sunday, Akbayan Party and other groups organized a bus and walking tour at various Martial Law-related sites in Metro Manila.

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"This is a profound journey for the truth, for the memory of those who gave their lives for the freedoms we have now, and the lessons that this dark past should teach us," Akbayan spokesperson RJ Naguit said of the activity.

Meanwhile, here are some of the activities slated for Tuesday and onwards:

Sept. 20, 2022

MartialLaw@50: Golden Years Nga Ba? A Photo and Book Exhibit (until Sept. 23), at the Loyola House of Studies and Loyola School of Theology Main Lobby, Ateneo de Manila University [*announced by ADMU]

9 a.m.-4 p.m. - Kamao ang Hugis ng Puso: Neil Doloricon retrospective (exhibition until Sept. 30) at Gallery One, College of Fine Arts, UP Diliman, Quezon City [*announced by the UP Fine Arts Gallery]

10:15-11 a.m. - Pagtindig at Pakikibaka: Ang Mga Lider- Estudyante Laban sa Tiraniya at Diktadura, on DZUP 1602kHZ [*announced by DZUP]

2-5 p.m. - Martial Law Era Film Series: Lino Brocka’s Manila in the Claws of Light, at the UP Film Institute, UP Diliman, Quezon City [*announced by the UP Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts or UP Diliman OICA]

2:30-5 p.m. - SINGKWENTA: A Students’ Forum on Human Rights During the Time of Martial Law (open to all students of DLSU Manila), at Br. Andrew Gonzales, FSC Building in DLSU [*announced by La Salle Students for Human Rights and Democracy]

3-4 p.m. - Martial Law: Up Close and Personal w/Dr. Tina Montiel (Office of Vice President for Mission Integration), ADMU [*shared by Martial Law Museum]

5 p.m. - ALAY. ALAALA. BUHAY: Misa at Pag-aalay ng mga Bulaklak at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, Quezon City [*announced by ML50]

8 p.m. - Gabi ng PAGBABADYA (candle-lighting and offering of prayers) at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, Quezon City [*announced by NeverAgain, NeverForget PH]

Sept. 21, 2022

Tao sa Tao: Mga Totoong Kwento ng Martial Law (to be held also on Sept. 24, and Oct. 1, 8 and 15) at the Multi-Purpose Hall and Lobby Area, College of Fine Arts Gallery, UP Diliman, Quezon City [*announced by the Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission]

Sining Protesta: Imahe at Tema, Anyo at Pagkilos (outdoor exhibition, until Oct. 9), at the UP Diliman Academic Oval, Quezon City [*announced by UP Diliman OICA]

10:15-11 a.m. - Martial Law and Cinema: Pagtuturo ng Estado ng Pelikulang Pilipino sa Panahon ng Batas Militar, on DZUP 1602kHZ [*announced by DZUP]

11:30 a.m.-12nn - Sugod Singkwenta: Silent Protest/Prayer Vigil, ASHS Sanggunian, ADMU [*shared by Martial Law Museum]

1 p.m. - 50 years after Martial Law: Should the media be worried, via Zoom [*announced by event moderator Manny Mogato]

1-5 p.m. - Historians’ Meet: Manindidgan sa Katotohanan, Itanghal ang Katarungan, @ TVUP Studio [*announced by UP Departamento ng Kasaysayn]

4 p.m. - SINGKWENTA: Mga Kanta at Kwento Tungkol sa Martial Law, at the University Avenue, UP Diliman, QuezonCity [*announced by ML50 and CARMMA]

5-6:30 p.m. - Mga Tinig ng Pagtindig: A University Community Gathering and Concert, at Arte Ubuntu Lobby, Ateneo de Manila University [*announced by Martial Law Museum]

6-9 p.m. - Premiere/Outdoor screening of "11,103", a film about Martial Law survivors in the Philippines, at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, Quezon City [*announced by 11,103 Facebook page]

Sept. 22, 2022

9-11 a.m. - Conference on Martial Law (Online Webina), by the University of the Philippines Visayas [*announced by UP Visayas]

10:15-11 a.m. - Brodkasting sa Panahon ng Batas Militar, on DZUP 1602kHZ [*announced by DZUP]

Sept. 23, 2022

10:15-11 a.m. - ML in Classroom: Ang Pagtuturo ng Kasaysayan ng Martial Law sa Kabataang Pilipino, on DZUP 1602kHZ [*announced by DZUP]

2-4 p.m. - #NeverAgain: The Stories of Martial Law Survivors, at the Loyola House of Studies Oratory, Ateneo de Manila University [*announced by ADMU]

3-5 p.m. - Pagtindig: Mga Tala sa Papel ng Akademikong Larang ng Malikhaing Pagsulat, Panitikan at Wika Kontra Batas Militar Hanggang Kasalukuyan (Mga Panayam at Koleksyon Online) [*announced by UP Diliman OICA]

4 p.m. - The Marcos Regime Research: In Print and Online (Book and Website Launch), at Third World Studies Center Conference Room, Palma Hall, UP DIliman, Quezon [*announced by UP Diliman OICA]

Sept. 24, 2022

6 p.m. - “A Name by Candlelight”: Subversive Lives Then and Now (Virtual or Hybrid Stage Reading) [*announced by UP Diliman OICA]

Sept. 26, 2022

4 p.m. - KAL Bahaginan Research Forum: BANWAG: Sining sa Panahon ng Batas Militar, Paglikha para sa Bayan at Kinabukasan (until Sept. 30) [*announced by UP DIliman OICA]

Sept. 27, 2022

4 p.m. - Martial Law Forum, at Sanggunian-CSPD, ADMU [*shared by Martial Law Museum]

Sept. 28, 2022

The Art of Disquiet and Rage (Hybrid Symposium) [*announced by UP Diliman OICA]

Sept. 29, 2022

Stories of Struggle and Triumph: Never Again to Martial Law at Institute of Philippine Culture, ADMU [*shared by Martial Law Museum]

Sept. 30, 2022

10 a.m. - 12 nn - Kuwentong Mulat: Paglulunsad ng Virtual Tour
3-5 p.m. - Onsite Walking Tour
[*announced by the UP Asian Institute of Tourism and UP Diliman OICA]

3-5 p.m. - Pagtindig: Mga Tala sa Papel ng Akademikong Larang ng Malikhaing Pagsulat, Panitikan at Wika Kontra Batas Militar Hanggang Kasalukuyan (Mga Panayam at Koleksyon Online) [*announced by UP Diliman OICA]

4 p.m. - Remembering the Wounds: A Martial Law Forum at the Development Society of the Ateneo, ADMU [*shared by the Martial Law Museum]

This list may be updated as schedule of relevant events becomes available or in case organizers announce changes.

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