Amid UST’s silence, SCs call to #NeverForget
By Ian Patrick Laqui
Unlike the previous years, the University had not posted about the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law on Sept. 21.
Prior to yesterday’s commemoration, UST had posted about Martial Law during its anniversary in 2021 and 2018.
The UST Central Student Council however denounced the political climate that “remained,” where “corruption and bad governance” exists with the “proliferation of fake news to distort past events.”
“On this grim day, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by the despot, tyrant, and dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., heralding decades of corruption, unnecessary imeldific opulence, murder & violence, and the shackling of democracy,” the statement read.
“Thomasians will remember. We will never forget,” it added.
Other student councils also urged Thomasians not to forget the atrocities that happened during Martial Law.
To show their support, some councils released a statement. While others posted an infographic and changed their profile photos to black and white.
Here are the statements of each student council:
- UST Engineering Student Council
- UST Artlets Student Council
- UST-AMV Student Council
- UST Faculty of Pharmacy Student Council
- UST Conservatory of Music Student Council
- UST College of Science Student Council
- UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences Student Council
- UST Faculty of Civil Law Student Council
- UST Medicine Student Council
- UST College of Tourism and Hospitality Management
- UST College of Architecture Student Council
- UST Junior High School Student Council
- UST Nursing Central Board of Students
- UST College of Education Student Council
Last June, former executive secretary, now current Presidential Chief-of-Staff Vic Rodriguez, a graduate of UST, visited the University for a “closed-door” meeting with some University officials.
‘Nakita na natin ang liwanag, huwag na tayong bumalik sa dilim.’
Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula also urged Filipinos to never forget the lessons learned during Martial Law.
In a statement posted on Manila Cathedral’s Facebook page, Advincula, a Thomasian, said that Filipinos should not forget the “dark past” so it will not be repeated.
“Ngunit ang amag mahahalagang aral na itomay hindi natin matututunan kung pilit nating itatanggi o kakalimutan ang kasaysayan…huwag nawa nating kalimutan ang mga aral mula sa panahon ng Martial Law,” the statement read.
“Nakita na natin ang liwanag, Huwan na tayong bumalik sa dilim,” the statement ended.
The bells of the Manila Cathedral played the song “Bayan Ko” throughout the day and rang 50 times in commemoration to those who “offered their lives for truth and for freedom.”
This is the first Martial Law anniversary commemorated during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who signed Proclamation 1081 in 1972.
The Martial Law years saw 70,000 imprisoned, 34,000 tortured, and 3,240 killed during the period. — with reports from Angela Atejera
