My initial Martial Law anniversary (September 21,2025) Reflections

A Past Revisted, Connecting the Dots, part 22

My initial Martial Law anniversary (September 21,2025) Reflections

Kudos to the people who participated in the September 21 protests in the Philippines—coinciding with the anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s 1972 Martial Law declaration—can be described as courageous, vigilant, and historically conscious. Their presence in the streets was not just a reaction to current corruption scandals, but a deliberate act of remembrance and resistance, rooted in a long tradition of people power.

From the news reports, the people are:

• Students and youth activists: Leading the “Baha sa Luneta” rally, they invoked the legacy of campus resistance and demanded transparency, accountability, and the abolition A of pork barrel funds.

• Church leaders and civil society groups: Spearheading the “Trillion Peso March” at EDSA, they framed the protests as moral and spiritual calls for integrity in governance.

• Artists, celebrities, and cultural workers: Figures like Ben&Ben, Angel Aquino, and Noel Cabangon joined the mobilizations, blending art and advocacy to amplify public outrage.

• Regional communities: From Bohol to Cebu, thousands rallied in plazas and parks, lighting candles and singing songs of hope, turning remembrance into collective action.

What drives them?

• Historical memory: September 21 is not just a date—it’s a scar. Protesters invoked the trauma of Martial Law to critique present-day abuses, corruption, and impunity.

• Moral outrage: The rallies were sparked by revelations of ghost and substandard flood-control projects, with billions allegedly siphoned off. Protesters demanded asset disclosures and bank secrecy waivers from officials.

• Solidarity and bayanihan: Jeepney drivers offered free rides, churches opened their doors, and organizers coordinated across sectors. It was a choreography of resistance, echoing the spirit of EDSA.

How do they express themselves?

• Through chants like “Don’t steal our taxes!” and placards calling Marcos Jr. the “OG nepo-baby,” they fused satire with critique .

• Through prayerful marches, candlelight vigils, and songs of hope, they reclaimed public spaces as sites of memory and moral reckoning .

• Through visual protest, tarpaulins, and symbolic gestures—like gathering at the Rizal Monument—they connected past and present struggles.

In essence, these Filipinos are not just protesting—they are remembering, resisting, and reimagining the nation. Their actions embody kamalayang pangkasaysayan, transforming September 21 from a date of dictatorship into a day of defiant democracy.

I wish I could be among the thousands protesting in the Philippines today, just as I was present during Marcos’s declaration of Martial Law in 1972 and his ouster in the 1986 People Power Uprising.

I reflect on the significance of participating in demonstrations during pivotal moments in Philippine history, such as the people's protest movement before the declaration of Martial Law by President Marcos in September 1972 and his subsequent removal during the People Power Uprising in 1986.

It is notable that these events coincided with the Great Philippine Flood of July–August 1972, which stands as one of the country's most severe and prolonged flooding incidents, impacting much of Luzon and serving as a backdrop—both literally and symbolically—for the imposition of Martial Law.

The deluge was triggered by a succession of typhoons: Gloring (Typhoon Rita), Huaning, Isang, and Konsing.

• These storms brought intermittent torrential rains for nearly a month, overwhelming rivers, dikes, and flood control systems.

• PAGASA (then the Weather Bureau) declared it the heaviest rainfall since 1911.

 Thousands were stranded on rooftops for days, awaiting rescue.

• Food, drinking water, and medicine shortages plagued affected areas.

• Vehicles were submerged, and entire road systems were destroyed, paralyzing mobility and relief efforts.

Then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. personally visited flood-stricken areas and set up camp in Pangasinan to oversee relief operations.

• He later cited the floods as part of the rationale for declaring a state of emergency, which preceded the Martial Law proclamation on September 21, 1972.

The flood was not just a natural disaster—it became a metaphor for national crisis, used to justify authoritarian control. The waters that submerged Luzon also obscured civil liberties, as the regime moved swiftly from emergency relief to emergency rule.

What I find coincidence is hearing the gospel at St Patrick's Church in San Francisco. We were reminded by Fr. Ted that September 21 is celebrated as the Feast Day of Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the author of the Gospel according to Matthew.

Originally a tax collector named Levi, he was called by Jesus with the words “Follow me,” and he left everything to become a disciple. His transformation from a collaborator with Roman authorities to a herald of Christ’s teachings is seen as a powerful symbol of redemption and vocation.

This is my reflections of the September 21st events in the Philippines.