For those without firsthand experience of how the country was governed during Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s declaration of Martial Law, September 21 may seem like nothing more than an ordinary date on the calendar—easily dismissible.
For the more than 8,000 individuals—including senators, civil libertarians, journalists, and activists—who, according to the government’s Official Gazette, were detained without due process following the declaration of Martial Law, however, it cannot be easily dismissed. For them, September 21 was a date of reckoning, marking the start of the repression of their civil liberties and public dissent.
When the late dictator imposed Martial Law nationwide, it triggered the slow descent of the country toward systemic corruption and normalized human rights violations. Trust in institutions eroded and public resources were continuously siphoned. The free press was gutted. Only administration-approved news media agencies were allowed to operate. Many of them were owned and controlled by Marcos cronies.
Now, 54 years after Martial Law was declared, we once again find ourselves confronting circumstances reminiscent of those our elders once lived through. After five decades, the nation appears to have come full circle, finding itself in an era of unrelenting corruption and rampant disinformation anew.
Scandals over anomalous flood-control projects continue to make waves in national media as natural calamities worsen. Allegations of misuse of public funds and calls for greater transparency and accountability from officials remain the battle cry of the public. Ballooning inflation and a high cost of living continue to exacerbate poverty in the country.
Despite the restoration of the free press with the EDSA Revolution of 1986, disinformation and deception have continued, perhaps worsened by social media.
Memories of the suffering endured during Martial Law seem to be slowly fading from the minds of Filipinos. The clearest example of this is the election of the scion of the deposed strongman in 2022. The removal of the EDSA anniversary from the country’s list of public holidays also serves as irrevocable proof of the lengths that revisionists go through to erase the nation’s dark past.
Still, vestiges of the courage that defined earlier generations continue to flicker within the hearts of the younger Filipinos. This can be seen in the myriad demonstrations that broke out last year, as people from different public sectors and demographics banded together on September 21 and November 30, 2025, to protest the government’s alleged corruption.
Known as the Trillion Peso March, the movement drew its name from the alleged trillion-peso losses attributed to various public officials through ghost projects and defective flood-control infrastructure. Church groups, civil society organizations, political coalitions, and progressive groups joined the protest, which drew at least 100,000 people, according to modest estimates.
This year, various youth sectors and progressive groups have come together to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. These groups demand accountability and transparency from the government, particularly in light of the controversy surrounding flood-control projects.
This is a welcome development for the country that has grown indifferent and apathetic to its own suffering. Now, Filipinos must continue on this path, channeling the flames of revolution no matter how small the embers become. If they do not act now, they will inherit a country riddled with impunity and patronage. They would be inheriting a broken system that is simply beyond repair.
For the younger generation, September 21 must never be reduced to just another date on the calendar. It must be remembered for what it truly was: a date of reckoning for people who lived through the hardships, fear, and suffering Martial Law brought about.
If Filipinos continue down the path of apathy that so many of our countrymen appear to be taking, we may find ourselves facing another date of reckoning sooner than we think.
