Group 6

How Martial Law affects communication?

The open exchange of information is an essential characteristic of each and every
democracy. People have a basic right to receive and engage this information in order to
properly assess what is happening in the country and how all of this affects them.
Newspapers, radio, and television, along with other forms of media, play a vital role in
ensuring that important information reaches the public.
President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued Proclamation No. 1081 declaring martial law in the
Philippines on September 21, 1972. During the time that it was proclaimed, the whole
catastrophe began. Since the media served as a powerful tool for sharing and
communicating information, Marcos abused his power to control and suppress anyone who
attempted to oppose him. Silencing others is the key in maintaining his position. Journalists,
in particular, are being threatened or killed if they attempt to expose the government's
failures. During the martial law period, several major media outlets, including the ABS-CBN
network, Channel 5, and various radio stations around the country, were compelled to shut
down. Marcos was accusing the aforementioned media sources because he simply saw the
media's facts as a discredit to the government by releasing information that exposed its flaws
in order to fuel the flames of the Communist movement. He shut down the competing voices
and set up media outlets that were under his control; he simply took away the voice of each
individual just for the sake of his own benefits.
How do he and the citizens communicate? It’s more like individuals try to communicate by
voicing out, while Marcos way is through dominance and violence. His ignorance of the
Filipinos' cries was enough to criticize and hold him accountable. What the people wanted
was freedom, but due to an incompetent leader, it was difficult for them to get or experience
it. The lives of each individual who suffers during his regime should be heard, but even that
was taken away since those in authority used their power to conceal the truth for the sake of
their own image.
What they call the "Golden Era" was most likely a nightmare for everyone, but after all of
Marcos' lies and cruelty, each individuals chose to take a stance and end his dictatorship,
and thus the EDSA People Power Revolution was born. The EDSA march was filled with
hope for a new era and true democracy. Millions have gathered to show that they will not be
silenced by a man who believes he is more powerful than the rest of the people. One of his
mistakes is that he underestimates the Filipino's capabilities. He forgot that the individuals
who put him in the position he is currently in may also put him down and overthrow him to
the place that he rightfully belongs. Even though this entire event has become history, we
must never forget how it began, the lesson it taught, and, most importantly, the victims who
spoke up for the truth just to get the democracy that we’re living in right now.