Apo on the wall is a poem written by Bj Patino that talks about the 

time when the Philippines

is under the dictator of President.

What is the message of the poem Apo on the wall?

BACKGROUND Apo on the wall by Bj Patino is a poem that talks about the narration of
a child’s point of view about his rigorous Father and the hanging photo around the wall
called “Apo”. The poem tells the reality of life during the reigning of Marcos alongside
with the Martial Law.

What do you think about BJ Patino’s poem Apo on the wall?

I once read a poem entitled Apo on the Wall by BJ Patino. A poem which talks about the
Martial Law Era in Marcos reign. This poem caught my attention because it’s not like of
many poems that I’ve read about martial which is more on perspective of an adult.

What is the meaning of the poem Apo on the wall?

Apo on the wall is a mirror and an eye opener. Mirror of the past and an eye opener of
today's generation.This poem enlighten us about the untold stories in the past. Reading
this poem without understanding is not enough.To capture the meaning is about reading
between the lines.

Fast Facts: Ferdinand Marcos

 Known For: Philippines dictator
 Also Known As: Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr.
 Born: September 11, 1917 in Sarrat, Philippines
 Parents: Mariano Marcos, Josefa Edralin
 Died: September 28, 1989 in Honolulu, Hawaii

Martial Law
Martial law is the temporary imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or
suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency where
civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.

 Gun confiscation is common and your right to bear arms is infringed

 Your right to free speech is also at risk
 Your free travel will be impeded or suspended
 You will have no protections against search and seizure
 Curfews are often instilled
bad

It is bad because it clearly sums up that the people of a specific country can't be

controlled in a democratic form of government. Martial Law is executed when there is a
rise of tension between the people and the government and it is not a good sign of a
good governance

Apo on the Wall by: Bj Patino: The persona can be described as an inquisitive child and his
father could possibly be a strict dad. Their relationship is most likely to be very casual since a
child with a strict father would most likely be reserved and quiet at his father's presence.

Apo on the Wall by: Bj Patino: The persona can be described as an inquisitive child and his
father could possibly be a strict dad. Their relationship is most likely to be very casual since a
child with a strict father would most likely be reserved and quiet at his father's presence.

The Apo on the wall and the scary Jesus in the hallway both seem to always know what the
kid is doing. It says in the last 5 lines of the poem that, "That photo of Apo on the wall was
already looking at me around, his eyes following me like he was that scary Jesus in the hallway,
saying I know what you're doing.

The poem tells the reality of life during the reigning of Marcos alongside with the Martial
Law. It is a reflection of the scenario of what and how the Filipinos experienced the tragic and
traumatic event throughout the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.

What is the message of the poem martial law?

The poem tells the reality of life during the reigning of Marcos alongside with the Martial
Law. It is a reflection of the scenario of what and how the Filipinos experienced the
tragic and traumatic event throughout the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the
Philippines
Apo is obviously our former president, Ferdinand
Marcos. It was stated in the poem that the picture on
the wall was his father's boss, his father is a military or
a high-ranked one. The clue was when the persona
described his fathers uniform. During Marcos'reign in
our country, one of the attributes he's best describe
then was him being scary and a man full of authority
emitting from his aura. If you re-read the poem, his
father told him that there's no place for a boy but only
men, means that, chaos is just around the corner. It
made me realize that there must have been a chaotic
event happened then and it was, I believe, martial law,
the ruling of Marcos. It was the only time when our
country was ruled by a dictator where turmoil and
uprising revolution was held that contributed a highly
significant role in our history today.