Activists Commemorate Golden Anniversary of Martial Law

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Niñalyn C. Marcial

Activist groups, along with professors and students from other universities, wore black to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Martial Law on September 21, 2022 at the University of the Philippines – Diliman.

Kasama TK (Timog Katagalugan), a federation of farmers and victims of the Guinayangan massacre in Quezon province, where two people died while 27 were wounded, participated.

They refused to call Martial Law the ‘Golden Era,’ but instead called it the ‘Golden Kuhol’, a snail introduced to the farmers during the 80s. The Marcos government brought 79,130 golden kuhol, promising a bountiful harvest to the farmers, yet the snails became pests, eating their crops.

Similarly, Sining ng Naglilingkod sa Bayan (SINAGBAYAN), demands justice for the victims of the Escalante massacre and the hunger of thousands of Filipino in Negros Occidental during martial law, where 20 agricultural workers died while 30 were injured. Moreover, in 2019, some artists, who are also farm workers planning to re-enact the event, were arrested and remained prisoners until now.

Furthermore, Migrante, an alliance of overseas Filipinos and their families, appeals to bring Mary Jane Veloso, who was arrested for smuggling heroin in Indonesia, back home.

They also urge President Bongbong Marcos to create more job opportunities inside the country, which he did not mention in his platforms during the campaign period, leaving them assuming that he has no intention to open more job opportunities. <w>