Educators vow active role vs historical revisionism under Marcos Jr's presidency

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) — Educators and scholars in the Philippines and abroad signed a manifesto to combat all attempts at historical revisionism as Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr and Sara Duterte are set to be proclaimed next week as the country's next president and vice president.

At least 1,200 academics signed the manifesto initiated by faculty members of Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, Kyoto University, University of Cambridge, Kyoto University, Deakin University, and University of Hawaii at Manoa.

They said the victory of the Marcos-Duterte tandem signals an "intensified struggle over historical knowledge and pedagogy, the erasure of traumatic personal and collective memories of plunder and human rights violations under Martial Law, and unbridled myth-making about a so-called “Golden Age“ presided over by the conjugal dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos."

Marcos is the son and namesake of ousted dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, whose over 20-year rule was riddled with widespread corruption and human rights abuses.

The scholars said they oppose all forms of disinformation done through fabrication, manipulation, and deceptive rebranding using social media and other platforms.

"We pledge to combat all attempts at historical revisionism that distort and falsify history to suit the dynastic interests of the Marcoses and their allies and to fortify their power," they said in the manifesto, released Thursday.

They added they will also fight against academic distortion and censorship by preserving books, records, and other materials pertaining to the regime of the late tyrant. They also urged fellow scholars and academics to spearhead activities to ensure the truth about martial law will reach more people.

"We shall critically intervene in the vetting, writing, and teaching of history and other textbooks and educational materials," the manifesto read.

Marcos Jr. has previously said educational institutions should revise the content of history textbooks which have depicted their family in a bad light.

Duterte is also set to be appointed as the secretary of the Department of Education under the incoming Marcos administration.