Revelo 1

Kisha Revelo

Judith R. McCann

English 1301-129

14 October 2022

Ensuing Martial Law: Restoration of Faith in the Philippines

In the Pearl of the Orient Seas, the nation wherein the

people exercised their intangible right to voice their opinions,

only to be met with unimaginable consequences. Proclamation

No. 1081 was passed in the Philippines on September 21, 1972

by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, placing the entirety

of the country under Martial Law. Marcos and his military

possessed total power over the government and the people,

leading the lives of many individuals, who merely opposed his

agenda, to be threatened. It heightened the matter of life or

death, placing civilians in the face of human rights abuse, and the acts held no such limit or

exemption. Tens of thousands were detained, tortured, and even killed, but a distinct number of

lives lost remains a mystery today. Although Ferdinand E. Marcos’ Martial Law regime came to

an end in 1986, it seemingly served as a catalyst for succeeding presidents and their comparable

actions as different instances of Martial Law continued to be enforced in the Philippines.

Filipinos took a stand to combat against former President Rodrigo Duterte declaring Martial Law

in Mindanao, the southern region of the country, causing widespread protests to erupt throughout

the Philippines. In this Martial Law Poster, Kim Yutuc implements placement and size, profound
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symbolism, and striking sayings to raise awareness on the detrimental actions of presidents that

have enforced Martial Law in the Philippines.

With much emphasis, the placement and size of the aspects in the poster develop an

overall context, alluding to a deeper message on the comparison between the two figures and the

group of individuals who are seemingly protesting. As if emerging from the darkness, the

distinctive figures of former presidents Ferdinand E. Marcos and Rodrigo Duterte are plastered

as the largest aspect of the image, immediately capturing the attention of the audience. With their

placement above the people, it implies the immeasurable power they held on the people. These

presidents and the government within their terms were seen as highly superior, and the ensuing

outcome of the enforcement of Martial Law was heavily reflected upon the people who were

directly affected by their actions. The size of the presidents’ figures is significantly greater in

comparison to the Lumads, human rights groups, and other activists who are placed below them.

Along with the particular placement of both aspects, the following insinuates how no matter how

vast the group of protesters may be, it cannot trump their level in society, draining the

effectiveness of their fight against Martial Law in the Philippines. In addition to the central

image of the poster, the #NeverAgain is presented with a larger font size compared to the

caption. In the history of protests against the Martial Law regime, dating back from Marcos to

Duterte’s own agenda targeted towards certain groups in Mindanao, the slogan #NeverAgain is

continuously chanted in the protests against the inhumane acts that promote the rise of a

dictatorship in the Philippines. With these elements implemented together in the poster, the

harmful aftermath of Martial Law being imposed in the country is successfully presented, along

with a substantial reasoning as to how it creates the foundation for the poster as a whole.
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Evidently, the focal point of the poster is the unique details that are involved in the

central image, which each entails to the profound symbolism that contribute to the general

message. Almost instantly, the audience is drawn to the two former presidents, whose figures

reserve the most space in the poster. Both pairs of eyes are crossed out in white, which can

possibly represent how they turned a blind eye on the consequences of their actions. To this day,

the reality of the Martial Law regime of Marcos and Duterte remains inconceivable. With much

of it being underestimated and diminished by these presidents, similarly as to how they held

immense control over what information could circulate within the press. As they were presented

as the highest figures in the nation, the white shading that surrounds them from their shoulders

can be seen as clouds. Stemming from this idea, former presidents Marcos and Duterte are

further proven to be placed on the pedestal that implies the decisions they are making are for the

betterment of the Philippines and its people like some sort of “saviors”. Shifting the focus onto

the groups of people beneath the figures, the use of red flags undoubtedly captures the attention

of the audience. The term “red-tagging” continues to hold an unfortunate contingency today, as it

became a practice used by the government to combat against human rights groups and activists

who so much oppose Duterte’s regime. The outcome of this approach reached to the extent of

being tortured and killed, only increasing the count of people’s lives sacrificed in the fight

against Martial Law in the Philippines.

Within the poster, the texts are implemented to create a clearer context, providing

specifics on who was directly affected by the enforcement of Martial Law. In the native tongue

of the Philippines, the saying “Biguin ang panunumbalik ng diktadurya!” directly translates to

“Stop the return of dictatorship!”. With the saying presented in the national language Tagalog,

the message is strengthened and comes across with a deeper sense of authenticity. Two particular
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groups who were targeted by the former presidents, each of them respectively, are shown with

signs on hand that exclaim “DON’T BOMB LUMAD SCHOOLS” and “STOP THE

KILLINGS”. In the presidency term of Ferdinand E. Marcos, human rights violations swept the

country, leading individuals to protest for the deaths of many youth activists, journalists, and

anyone who opposed Marcos’ agenda when he was in office. In the case of former president

Rodrigo Duterte, he imposed Martial Law in Mindanao, targeting the Lumads. The indigenous

community was on the other end of Duterte’s “counterinsurgency”, which involved him publicly

claiming he will have Lumad schools bombed. The texts grasp a striking impact on the overall

poster, conveying the reality of what these groups had to overcome through the times of Martial

Law in the Philippines.

Overall, the state of the Philippines during these periods of Martial Law left an immense

influence on both the government and the nation’s people, encouraging more individuals to fight

for their human rights. The artist, Kim Yutuc, raised awareness on the actions of former

presidents that have imposed Martial Law in the Philippines through the use of placement and

size, profound symbolism, and striking sayings. Ideally, Martial Law should only be imposed in

times of when a normally functioning democratic society and government is greatly threatened,

and the security and safety of the nation and its people are at stake. With this Martial Law poster,

more individuals in the Philippines and worldwide possess a deeper understanding of the reality

of how Martial Law was implemented and the devastating outcome that remains engraved on the

country’s history.