Miles Geraldine A.

Navarro
P-PGC-1

Martial Law in One’s Perspective

The mere mention of ‘martial law’ invokes so many emotions that are hard to contain as
we reminisce what was done to thousands of Filipinos during the Marcos’ era. For me, martial law
became synonymous with the words human rights abuse, torture, murders, and dictatorship. The
years 1972-1981 were dark times for our homeland. Marcos got free reign over the Philippines.
He abused his powers as the president and did the things he wanted to do without anyone hindering
him. He closed the Congress, closed down the media, and arrested anyone who disagreed with
him. During the 1972 martial law, freedom for our Filipino people was almost non-existent.

When I interviewed my aunt about her experience during the Marcos administration, I was
not surprised to learn that she was against it. She was 16 years old when Marcos declared Martial
law. She lived in Manila and was only in third year high school. She said that she still remembers
the unforgiving days. “It was difficult and tiring,” she said as she describes her experience to me.
“Kung ikaw takot kang umuwi after your curfew kasi mapapagalitan ka ni nanay, ako takot ako
lumagpas ng curfew kasi baka mahuli ako ng sundalo.” She claimed that Manila was very different
from the place that I enjoy today. There were always soldiers roaming the streets, making sure that
everyone was following the rules and regulations. Enforcement of laws was stern even if they were
questionable.

My aunt said that the most apparent suppressed right for her was freedom of speech. As a
teenager and a student who was not allowed to join rallies, she can only watch from the sidelines
with the help of the media. Unfortunately, the news was biased since it only showed one side of
the government – the good and bright side. She told me, “iba mapapanood mo sa TV at makikita
mo sa labas ng bahay”. She even told me how there were times when the government will suspend
classes in schools and gather the students to one place and give them free food. The media would
always be present, always ready to film the whole thing just to showcase how generous our
government was. Marcos made sure that the media portrayed his government as wholesome and
clean as if nothing was wrong with our country. She said that only when Ninoy Aquino interfered
with Marcos she recognized everything that was not right about the Martial law. She was in college
when she realized and truly understood the impact it has with our economy. She described how
the crime rates went up, how the corruption became world-class, and how the extra-judicial killings
were evident.

After I made her describe her experience, I asked my aunt what she thinks are the positive
effect of martial law. Her answers were limited. She said that being under martial law was actually
not bad if only the president did not end up being corrupt. She said that it improved the discipline
of the Filipino people and increased the chance for peace. The martial law also eliminated any
signs of terrorism if there were really any. She said it was peaceful, in a way, before everything
blew up and became a mess. My aunt told me that Marcos’ administration was not bad when he
was first elected. He was actually one of the most promising presidents we had. When I asked her
to describe him before proclaiming martial law she actually said that he was magaling at matalino.
“The Philippines then was like Singapore today,” she told me, “Marcos was the reason why Manila
got so modernized. Sa kanya ata nag-equal ang value ng US dollar at piso.” For her, Marcos made
remarkable progress for the Philippine economy prior to martial law. After 1972, everything went
down the drain because of corruption. Marcos was so hungry for power that he sacrificed
everything he built, the development he made, and his credibility.

In culmination of everything I learned from interviewing of my aunt, watching the 30-

minute video clip, and reading history books, I can say that cons will always outweigh pros when
it comes to martial law. Any person who will be president is only human and he or she is prone to
be blinded with the power martial law comes with. Martial law provides anyone with authority
free reign over the country. It may be successful to address the peace and order issues and other
articulated reasons for its declaration, but when this authority is put into wrong hands (like
Marcos’), it will only end up badly.