#POPCULTURE | A lens into Martial Law
by Jaden Coen Reyes & Amira Batino
Martial Law happened. It was oppressive. It was vile. And it was real. The unscrupulous peddlers of fake news and disinformation would try their best to convince those who never lived through the Marcos military regime that the torture, murder, corruption, and plunder did not happen. Thankfully, there are not only news archives and essays about it, but also books and movies depicting the horrors of that dark era in Philippine history.
To mark the 50th anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s declaration of Martial Law, here’s a list of recommendations: movies, books, and plays to help understand and never forget the atrocities committed — and to never let them happen again.
Set in the final years of the Marcos regime, this movie is about an anti-Marcos dissident, Commander Liway (Glaiza de Castro), and her son, Dakip (Kenken Nuyad), who grew up in a prison camp. Liway shielded Dakip from the horrors of reality by regaling him with folklore and mythology where she wove her experiences during the dictatorship. The film was based on actual events from the life of its director, Kip Oebanda. Liway pays homage to an important part of our history and honors mothers and the sacrifices they make so their children can live normal lives, even under difficult circumstances.
Barber’s Tales is the story of Marilou (Eugene Domingo), a widow who took over the only barber shop in town when her husband died. Initially reluctant about the business, she mustered enough courage to reopen the shop so she could support herself. Unfortunately, she couldn’t draw any customers because the sexist men in town refused to go to a female barber. That is, not until Marilou became friends with prostitutes from the local brothel who convinced their clients to start patronizing her business. The movie was set against the backdrop of the early days of the Martial Law era and tackled the themes of female solidarity and liberation under a patriarchal society beset by political turmoil.
Pisay is a touching coming-of-age film about a group of students who entered Philippine Science High School during the final years of the Marcos dictatorship. It shows how they navigated the challenges of academic life at a time when so many things were unfolding outside the campus.
Dream Eden
This book, written by Linda Ty-Casper and published in 1996, tells the story of a lawyer who aspired to keep his integrity in the corrupt political climate that his childhood friend was basking in. The story was set during Corazon Aquino’s rise to power after the 1986 EDSA revolution and the challenges she faced while in office as she endured at least six plots to overthrow her administration.
Canal de la Reina
Written by Liwayway A. Arceo, Canal de la Reina is a tale of two families set in the esteros of Binondo. It contrasts the rich and the poor and portrays how greed corrupts. The book, in the end, shows that good nature can overcome darkness and evil.
Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage: The First Quarter Storm & Other Related Events
One of the more popular books about Martial Law, this was a compilation of essays by Jose F. Lacaba years before Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law. As a first-hand account, Lacaba wrote about the events that foreshadowed the turmoil leading to the First Quarter Storm, a period marked by violent clashes between protesters and the police and military.
Dekada ‘70: The Musical
Adapted from the well-known book by Lualhati Bautista, Dekada ‘70 is about a middle-class family whose life took a tumultuous turn when it got exposed to the political violence that swept the country during Martial Law. The story also discusses how the female lead, Amanda Bartolome, a mother of five boys, strived to assert her identity against a husband who would constantly say, “It’s a man’s world.” The musical showcased themes of abuse of power and the struggle to gain one’s personal freedom.
Desaparesidos
Another adaptation of a book by Lualhati Bautista, Desaparesidos portrays the struggles of political activists who sacrificed their families to fight for their cause. The narrative also presents the other side of the story, which was the broken lives of the people they left. In this case, one of these people was Malaya, the daughter of student-activist Anna, who was left in the care of another revolutionary. The theatre production four years ago, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was a brilliant fusion of fury, fear, and a faint glimmer of hope.
Buwan at Baril sa Eb Major
This play has five acts, each with narrating stories that mirrored real-life events that happened during Marcos Sr.’s military rule. It presented characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds — a farmer and a laborer, an urban poor, a socialite, a wife, and a student — all victimized by the horrors of Martial Law.
The list above is only the tip of the trove of materials on Martial Law that we must try to dig up and appreciate before it’s too late. Surely, these expressions of history will show that the Marcos era was far from the “golden age” portrayed by the current president and his supporters. We don’t have to be there — we have a rich source of materials to take us to when and where it happened, to know now what is real and fake and to be able to say with conviction — never again! No to distortion of facts! We must safeguard our archives, the writings and performances that are in danger of being revised, if not completely erased. That’s why we must consume to learn, and preserve to remember.
