ILOILO City – Ilonggos will gather for a forum-discussion and candle lighting this Saturday, September 21, to mark the 52nd anniversary of the declaration of martial law.
The forum is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Hoffbauer Hall, St. Clement’s Compound, La Paz district, followed by a march to the Iloilo provincial capitol for a candle lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.
In September 21, 1972 dictator President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr. declared martial law, claiming that it was the last defense against the rising disorder caused by increasingly violent student demonstrations, the alleged threats of communist insurgency by the new Communist Party of the Philippines, and the Muslim separatist movement of the Moro National Liberation Front. But one of his first actions was to arrest opposition politicians.
The martial law anniversary forum will be led by Reverend Monsignor Meliton Oso, director of the Jaro Archdiocese Social Action Center; Reverend Monsignor Marco Sulayao, chairperson of the Promotion of Church People’s Response; and Elmer Forro, secretary gteneral of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Panay.
According to Forro, the forum will focus on “examining various aspects of the current situation that reflect ongoing forms of tyranny and the revival of the Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) Panay to strengthen our collective resistance to oppression and injustice.”
Forro highlighted the need to revive the Movement Against Tyranny Panay, citing parallels between the leadership styles of the late President Marcos Sr. and current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr.
He pointed out the ongoing economic crisis, corruption, high inflation rate, human rights violations, and destruction of livelihoods as persisting issues from the Marcos Sr. era that continue under the current administration.
“The severe economic crisis we face, rampant corruption in government, and the similarity in approach between the two administrations are alarming,” Forro told Panay News.
He urged the Marcos Jr. administration to respect human rights, resolve the economic crisis, raise worker salaries, ensure food security, and address basic national problems to improve the lives of all Filipinos.
In an official statement, Oso, Sulayao, and Forro criticized the administration of Marcos Jr. for exacerbating poverty through debt-driven policies favoring large and foreign corporations, while the president’s allies benefit from unaccounted government funds and pork barrel allocations.
They also lamented substandard projects like the Ungka Flyover and the placation of the poor with minimal cash assistance through various programs.
The group also expressed concerns about escalating militarization and red-tagging in both urban and rural areas of Panay Island, leading to community disruption and fear. They highlighted the negative impact of the Enhanced Local Public Transport Route Plan on commuters and transport workers.
“These programs provide just enough to prevent unrest, but far too little to genuinely improve their living conditions,” the group stated, emphasizing the continued relevance of martial law lessons and the moral duty to resist tyranny and injustice./PN
