21/09/2026
The student organizations within the School of Teacher Education (SOTE) come together to commemorate the declaration of Martial Law and to pay tribute to those many Filipinos who were victimized during a period in which civil liberties were curtailed, human rights were violated, there was censorship, arbitrary arrests, people went missing, and the democratic institutions were weakened.
As future educators, we reject any attempt to mislead or change the lessons of history. We believe that the commemoration of Martial Law is not a matter of division but rather an effort made in pursuit of truth and justice. The plight of the victims and survivors serves as a warning of the consequences of unrestrained power and silence in the face of oppression.
Thus, in view of the threats to democracy, human rights, press freedom, and accountability, we have an obligation to remain vigilant everywhere and whenever there is a breakdown of the government institutions which fail to act transparently as dissent is being punished by repression and public officials put their interests above the people.
The SOTE organizations from English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Home Economics, Physical Education, Culture and Arts Education, Elementary Education, Special Needs Education, and Early Childhood Education condemn all forms of authoritarianism, historical revisionism, and attacks against democratic freedoms. We affirm that education must serve as a force for truth, critical thinking, and social responsibility. As future educators, we have a duty to empower learners to engage with history critically and to defend the principles of justice, freedom, and human dignity.
We stand in solidarity with all those who continue to seek truth, accountability, and remembrance.
Never Again to Martial Law. Never Again to Dictatorship. Never Again to Historical Revisionism.