We belong to the generation that asks of the Martial Law: "Was it really that bad?" We have poor or zero recollection of the past. It has been 40 years.
It is hard to write something that is foreign—outside of myself. About two months ago, I was invited to attend the book launch of Tibak Rising, stories of the Revolution. What’s more, I was asked to use my thespic skills and read excerpts from one of the essays in the book. Tibak Rising is a great read. I got amazing insight into the lives of activists during the Martial Law from firsthand accounts.
The closest I can get to exploring Martial Law in depth was through a play I did before: Griselda Gambaro’s Information for Foreigners. Under the direction of Anton Juan, we traversed lives of the desaperacidos, weaving in and out of the audience these stories that few newspapers care to report.
Today, on the 40th Anniversary of the Declaration of Martial Law, I remember the many Communists, men, women, rebels, activists, artists, who lost their lives because they rose against a dictator.
It’s been said that the only thing it takes for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing. We’re Filipinos. The blood of dictators, traitors, heroes, and revolutionaries, run through our veins. The question is, which side are you on?
Look around you. There is still evil lurking around. Will you stand around and do nothing?
