Today, Filipinos once again commemorate a dark time in Philippine history in honor of rights defenders and their families who endured repression, corruption, and grave human rights abuses under Marcos’ Martial Law. Their sacrifices remind us of the high cost of speaking up and standing strong against injustices of an authoritarian regime, and how the power of collective action spurs resistance towards freedom where no one gets left behind.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte helped pave a seamless road for the Marcos family to fulfill their lifelong mission of distorting history and shrouding the Filipino peoples’ memory with doubts in their desire to reinstall their family’s influence and clout in Philippine politics and business. Only a little over a year in the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., the horrors of his father’s dictatorship marked by human rights violations, abuses, and atrocities have already been botched using subtle but significant load of propaganda and political nudges, ironically being maneuvered using taxpayers’ money, creeping its way one institution after another.

Election fever is sweeping the Philippines as rallies and debates are held in the lead-up to the 2022 national poll, which will see the country elect a new president, vice-president and thousands of other positions including senators, congressional representatives and mayors.