VICE President Sara Duterte, who is also secretary of the Department of Education (Deped), denied on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, claims of rebranding Martial Law into “New Society.”
In a statement, Duterte said her department is busy with programs intended to improve the quality of education in the country and they have no time for “historical revisionism.”
“Una nang nasabi ng DepEd spokesperson na hindi totoo ang sinasabing rebranding ng ating kasaysayan. At inuulit ko ang sinabi ni Atty. Michael Poa: hindi totoo ang rebranding,” he said.
(The DepEd spokesperson first said that the alleged rebranding of our history is not true. And I repeat what Atty. Michael Poa said: Rebranding is not real.)
Duterte said she is well-aware of the importance of Martial Law, as well as the Edsa revolution in the country’s history, and as the secretary of DepEd, destroying the integrity of history is not within her mandate.
“Bilang bata, hindi ko mabilang ang mga yellow pages sa directory ng telepono na ginupit ko para gawing confetti ng mga Yellow Friday Movement demonstrations sa pangunguna ni Soledad Duterte, ang aking yumaong lola, sa Davao City. Mukhang mas marami tayong ambag sa mga pagkilos laban sa Martial Law kaysa sa ilang maiingay na anti-Marcos ngayon,” she said.
(As a child, I couldn't count the yellow pages in the phone directory that I cut to make confetti for the Yellow Friday Movement demonstrations led by Soledad Duterte, my late grandmother, in Davao City. We seem to have more to contribute to the anti-Martial Law actions than some of today's vociferous anti-Marcos.)
The issue on Martial Law rebranding came after teachers called on the withdrawal of some Senior High School modules where Martial Law was referred to as “period of the New Society.”
Duterte said the terms New Society (Bagong Lipunan) and Martial Law are both historical facts.
“It is a historical fact that New Society refers to the program launched by former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. during his administration. And it is another historical fact that Martial Law refers to the 14-year rule of the former President,” she said.
“Both terms have been used in DepEd textbooks since 2000 — within their proper context,” she added.
She maintained that the DepEd is not in the business of erasing such facts and replacing them with something else.
Duterte said the social media posts of some learners who expressed concern about what was written in their module only showed some parts of it.
“Ibig sabihin, kulang ito sa konteksto at maaari itong baluktutin ayon sa naratibo ng mga bumabatikos sa DepEd at nagpapakalat ng kasinungalingan tungkol sa rebranding at historical revisionism,” she said.
(That is, it lacks context and can be distorted according to the narrative of those who criticize DepEd and spread lies about rebranding and historical revisionism.)
“Ang buong pahina ay malinaw na tumatalakay sa mahabang panahon ng batas militar o Martial Law at ng EDSA Revolution. Hinihikayat ko ang lahat na mag-ingat sa mga pagkilos na malisyoso at naglalayong pag-alabin ang mga damdamin ng ating mga kababayan laban sa Martial Law gamit ang DepEd,” she added.
(The whole page clearly deals with the long period of Martial Law and the Edsa Revolution. I encourage everyone to beware of malicious actions aimed at inflaming the sentiments of our countrymen against Martial Law using the DepEd.) (SunStar Philippines)