Teachers press ‘Diktadura’ issue
IF there was no political pressure, why change the term “Diktadurang Marcos” to plain “Diktadura”?
This was the question raised by the Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) yesterday, a day after the Department of Education claimed there was no political pressure from the current administration in its move to drop “Marcos” from the “Diktadurang Marcos” phrase found in the Grade 6 Araling Panlipunan subject under the MATATAG curriculum.
“Ang paliwanag nila wala namang pressure mula sa gobyerno or whoever hinggil dito. Pero kung wala naman pala, bakit kailangan pa ninyong gawin ‘yun (They claimed there was no pressure from the government or whoever. But if there was no pressure, why did they do it?),” TDC chairperson Benjo Basas told radio DZBB yesterday.
Basas said that even if there was pressure, it would do well for the department tasked to educate the Filipino youth about the country’s history, including the martial law years and the Marcos dictatorship, to stand pat on facts and historical records.
“Kung meron man, hindi naman natin dapat gawin ‘yun (Even if there was pressure, they should not have done it),” he said, adding the consensus of the academic community was that abuses and plunder took place under the Marcos dictatorship.
“Kung titingnan natin ang evidence, mga verifiable records at sinasabi ng mga subject matter experts, magkakasundo ang academic community na ang mga naganap ng mga panahon na ‘yan ay diktadura at ang bansa ay nasa ilalim ng pangulo na ang pangalan ay Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (If we look at the evidence, verifiable records and what the experts are saying, the academic community is united that what happened during that period was a dictatorship and the country was under the rule of a president whose name is Ferdinand Marcos Sr.),” Basas said, adding there was no denying what happened under the 20-year rule of Marcos Sr.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND) had also slammed the DepEd’s move, accusing it of committing historical misinformation and distortion.
Last year, Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte assured the public the department is not into the business of erasing historical facts and engaging in revisionism amid concerns about the “re-branding” of modules and teaching materials used in some public schools to teach the dark days of martial law.
Duterte is a close ally and the running mate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2022 elections.
Last Monday, DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn Andaya refuted claims of historical distortion or revisionism.
Andaya also denied they were under political pressure to remove the term “Marcos” in the “Diktadurang Marcos” phrase in the Araling Panlipunan subject, adding the change in nomenclature was only made “after the arduous process of review and revision was done under the guidance and scrutiny of experts, the review of stakeholders, and the public and the launch of the MATATAG curriculum.”
She also said the new curriculum would still touch on topics regarding martial law, the Marcos dictatorship, the emasculation of democratic institutions such as the legislature, human rights abuses, ill-gotten wealth, the fight against the dictatorship, and the killing of opposition Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino in 1983.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
The Coordinating Council of Private Education Associations (COCOPEA) said private schools have some leeway on DepEd policies, including the issue of teaching the Marcos dictatorship to their students.
COCOPEA legal counsel Kristine Carmina Manaog said private schools have some flexibility that allows them to go beyond the standard curriculum but added they are still subject to the department’s reasonable regulation and supervision.
“Though we follow the minimum prescribed curriculum of DepEd, we have certain flexibility or discretion to offer additional subjects, additional topics, additional electives that are not necessarily required or offered in public schools,” Manaog told Teleradyo.
She said this flexibility would allow private schools to ensure that Philippine history, including the martial law years, is “properly taught to its students.”
“Hindi natin tinatanggal (removing) ang ganung mga (those) details, the important or specific details about our country’s history. As educators, we need to be authentic and accurate in the discussion and teaching of details about our history,” Manaog added.
SAME POSITION
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday said certain things just cannot be changed to better guide the people “to a better future.”
Hontiveros made the remark after the DepEd changed some terminologies referring to the regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in the basic education curriculum.
Hontiveros said her “position has not changed over the years” on the human rights abuses committed during the 20-year rule of Marcos Sr.
“Memory and truth-telling are the cornerstone of justice. An accurate historical record is a guide to a better future,” Hontiveros said.
The DepEd earned criticisms after it was reported that its Curriculum and Teaching Management Committee issued a memorandum last September 6 changing the terms referring to the former strongman in the Araling Panlipunan subject.
Hontiveros said some things can never be really changed.
“May mga bagay na ‘di dapat pinapayagan ang rebranding (Some things should not be allowed to be rebranded),” she added. — With Raymond Africa
