Research and read a primary source document from the nineteenth century to early 20 th century.

Write
an essay discussing:

1. The importance of the text,

2. The background of the text author’s,
3. The content of the document
4. The text contribution to the understanding of Philippine history.

PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENT:

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/declaration-of-martial-law/

1. The primary source document that I find relevant and important in Philippine history is the 1972
declaration of Martial Law by the former president, Ferdinand E. Marcos. In September of 1972,
Marcos declared martial law, claiming that it was the last defense against the rising disorder
caused by increasingly violent student demonstrations, the alleged threats of communist
insurgency by the new Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and the Muslim separatist
movement of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). This primary document is more than
just a text or a piece of speech in the Philippine history, rather, it served as the medium that led
to the most unprecedented, bloody, tragic, and ferocious period in the whole history of the
Philippines. Thus, this document is very important and relevant in way it helps students, like me,
relate in a personal way to events of the past and promote deeper understanding of history as a
series of human events. My parents weren’t even born that time but I am very much aware of
how many innocent Filipinos suffered and died during that time through other sources like
articles and movies which were hinged on the 1972 Martial Law era. Through this primary
source document, I could start a research concerning historical facts and corroborate it with
other secondary documents to be able to compare and contrast. With that, I’ll be able to come
up with conclusions and derive additional facts from it which I can make use in my future
endeavors both as a student but as a Filipino citizen.

2. The name “Ferdinand E. Marcos” does not only ring the bell of a former president or a mere
politician. For so many years of his service in the Philippine government, he has made both
major accomplishments as a president and grave misdeeds as a dictator. The former president
Ferdinand E. Marcos, the author of the declaration of this 1972 Martial Law was born on
September 11, 1917, in Ilocos Norte province, was a member of the Philippine House of
Representatives (1949-1959) and Senate (1959-1965) before winning the presidential election.
Marcos was inaugurated on December 30, 1965. His first presidential term was notable for his
decision to send troops into the fray of the Vietnam War, a move he had previously opposed as
a Liberal Party senator. He also focused on construction projects and bolstering the country's
rice production. Marcos was reelected in 1969, the first Filipino president to win a second term,
but violence and fraud were associated with his campaign, which was believed to be funded
with millions from the national treasury. What arose from the campaign unrest became known
as the First Quarter Storm, during which leftists took to the streets to demonstrate against both
American involvement in Philippine affairs and the increasingly apparent dictatorial style of
Ferdinand Marcos. After winning a second term, he declared martial law in 1972, establishing
 with wife Imelda an autocratic regime based on widespread favoritism that eventually lead to
economic stagnation and recurring reports of human rights violations. Marcos held onto the
presidency until 1986, when his people rose against his dictatorial rule and he was forced to
flee. He died on September 28, 1989 in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii.

3. The speech of the former president about the declaration of Martial Law contained the specific
and clear guidelines of its implementation as well as the reasons why it had to be imposed.
Proclamation No. 1081, s. 1972, an act proclaiming a state of Martial Law in the Philippines
suspended the civil rights and imposed military authority in the country. Marcos defended the
declaration stressing the need for extra powers to quell the rising wave of violence allegedly
caused by communists. The emergency rule was also intended to eradicate the roots of
rebellion and promote a rapid trend for national development. The autocrat assured the country
of the legality of Martial Law emphasizing the need for control over civil disobedience that
displays lawlessness. Marcos explained citing the provisions from the Philippine Constitution
that Martial Law is a strategic approach to legally defend the Constitution and protect the
welfare of the Filipino people from the dangerous threats posed by Muslim rebel groups and
Christian vigilantes that places national security at risk during the time. Marcos explained that
martial law was not a military takeover but was then the only option to resolve the country’s
dilemma on rebellion that stages national chaos threatening the peace and order of the country.
The emergency rule, according to Marcos’s plan, was to lead the country into what he calls a
“New Society”. The move was initially supported by most Filipinos and was viewed by some
critics as a change that solved the massive corruption in the country. Martial law ceased the
clash between the executive and legislative branches of the government and a bureaucracy
characterized by special interest. Marcos started to implement reforms on social and political
values that hindered effective modernization. To match the accomplishments of its Asian
neighbors, Marcos imposed the need for self-sacrifice for the attainment of national welfare. His
reforms targeted his rivals within the elite depriving them of their power and patronage but did
not affect their supporters.

4. A lot of events, both tragedies and adversities, have happened in our past. But the thing is, how
should we draw the line between a past and a history? Does a past automatically become a
history? Or a past should still have to prove something in order to be considered as a history?
Well, with my prior learnings about history, I could say that for a past to be named as a history,
it must have contributed something worth of a blood and sweat, or a deep knowledge in its own
land. A past could be a history if it influenced the views, opinions, and the way of living of
people not just in a certain period of time but even throughout the coming generations. This
primary text that declared the Martial Law – the epoch that has changed the lives and views of
many Filipinos before up until now, is something that I strongly consider to have contributed a
great influence to the Philippine history. Without this text, many people could be misled about
what truly happened that time. There could also be misinterpretations concerning the purpose
and basis of the imposition of such strict laws and policies. This document has enlightened and
guided many Filipinos, especially the younger generations like mine, regarding the era that has
significantly affected millions of lives. This text did not only serve as an evidence of what
happened in the past, instead, it became a strong ground on the furtherance of the studies of
many historians toward the goal of fully understanding the Philippine history. The causes behind
every tradition, protest, and annual events being executed or celebrated in the present time
could be traced back in this text containing the declaration of Martial Law. The prosecution and
the criticisms thrown at the Marcos’s are just one of the effects of the Martial Law which they
have declared. The protests and the endless petitions perpetrated by the victims and the family
of the victims during the Martial Law period have always been a constant dilemma in the
present time even though many administrations have already passed since 1972. This means
that despite the couple of decades, multiple presidents and administrations that have been long
way gone, the Martial Law is still something that every Filipino considers unforgettable,
remarkable, and life changing – hence, a history.