Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Kisha Revelo
Judith R. McCann
English 1301-129
16 October 2022
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
2017, 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
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and size, striking sayings, and profound symbolism to raise awareness on the detrimental actions
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 aspects 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 deemed untouchable, 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, showing its significance as a slogan in the series of protests against the Martial Law
regime. 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
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 history of
protests against the Martial Law regime, dating back from Marcos to Duterte’s own agenda
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targeted towards certain groups in Mindanao, the slogan #NeverAgain is continuously chanted
against the inhumane acts that promote the rise of a dictatorship in the Philippines. 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 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. In a broader scope, the sign “NO TO ML”
provides evidence of the matter that is brought to light. Presented candidly, the texts grasp a
striking impact on the overall poster, conveying the reality of what these groups had to overcome
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, possibly
representing how they turned a blind eye on the consequences of their actions. To this day, the
reality of Marcos and Duterte’s Martial Law regime remains inconceivable. With much of it
being underestimated and diminished by these presidents, similarly as to how they held immense
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control over what information circulated 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 a pedestal that implies the decisions they are making are for the greater good of the
Philippines and its people, painting them as “saviors”. Shifting the focus onto the groups of
people beneath the figures, the use of red flags undoubtedly captures the attention of the
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. Most prominently, the darkness beneath the group of
protesters casts a representation of a black void, gradually encompassing the crowd. The
symbolism provides a sense of urgency within the message, suggesting that the unfathomable
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, striking sayings, and profound symbolism. 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
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of how Martial Law was implemented and the devastating outcome that remains engraved on the
country’s history.
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Works Cited
Palatino, Mong. “Protests Mark 50th Anniversary of Martial Law Declaration in the
https://globalvoices.org/2022/09/22/protests-mark-50th-anniversary-of-martial-law-declar
ation-in-the-philippines/.
“Philippines: End Deadly 'Red-Tagging' of Activists.” Human Rights Watch, 17 Jan. 2022,
https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/17/philippines-end-deadly-red-tagging-activists.