By SHERWIN DE VERA
www.nordis.net
BAGUIO CITY — A recent academic discussion at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Ilocos Norte has reignited debate over the rule of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., with critics warning of potential historical distortion.
Youth group Anakabyan Ilocos has criticized the President FEM Lecture Series, saying the event “contributes to and institutionalizes” historical distortion.
In a September 16 statement, Anakbayan Ilocos said universities like MMSU should foster intellectual discourse, and not become venues to spread historical inaccuracies and misinformation.
“While engaging different perspectives, we must remember that not all perspectives have the same weight and deserve the same validation,” the group said, pointing out that the voices of those victimized by Marcos’s regime “hold more weight.”
The annual lecture, held on September 10 at MMSU’s Teatro Ilocandia and streamed on Facebook, focused on his life, legacy, and influence on Philippine history and Ilocano society.

Concerns over Marcos glorification
Human rights and academic groups have also condemned the event, expressing concerns that it glorifies the late dictator and Martial Law.
Karapatan called the lecture as “mythmaking,” while the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law described it as “an attack on the intelligence and critical thinking of students and the community.”
Historians from Tanggol Kasaysayan also voiced their concern, stating that it was troubling to see fellow teachers and historians leading such an event.
Despite these criticisms, university officials defended the lecture series during the event.
Professor Prima Fe Franco, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Officer-in-Charge of the university’s Office of the President, called the event “another milestone” in MMSU’s history.
Director Herdy Yumul of the Office for Strategic Communication and chair of the lecture series, responded to the criticism, asserting that universities are spaces for debate and the examination of ideas.
In his opening remarks, part of which is on his Facebook, Yumul took aim at critics, saying, “Tila ba para sa ilang maiingay na Dilawan, Pinklawan at komunista, sila lang ang may puso, talino, at pagmamahal sa bayan. Anong kabulastugan yan?
(It seems that for some noisy Yellows, Pinks, and communists, they think they’re the only ones with compassion, intelligence, and love for the country. What nonsense?)
“The narrative that these critics push is that they are the only one worth listening to and deserves to be heard,” he added.
Yellows refers to supporters of the Liberal Party, while Pinks refers to backers of former Vice President Leni Robredo.
Anakbayan, however, argued that their criticisms are based on facts, not narratives, citing economic data and documented human rights violations.
“We cannot ensure the objectivity of the lecture if its chairman resorts to name-calling when faced with criticism and is prejudiced in favor of the Marcos dictatorship,” the group said, recalling Yumul’s February 2017 remarks about 1986 People Power being a “fake revolution.”
Bongbong’s victory not an absolution
Anakbayan also took issue with Yumul’s suggestion that the 2022 election victory of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the dictator’s son, absolves the Marcos family of past abuses.
The group said Marcos 2022 election victory “does not erase or justify the well-documented atrocities of his father’s regime.”
In his speech, Yumul noted that 32 million people voted for Bongbong, adding that critics “would have us believe that all 32 million Filipinos were somehow misguided or uninformed.” He repeated this point during an open forum, saying that the late dictator’s “biggest vindication” was his son’s majority win.
“We must take into account that years before the election, historical revisionism aimed to rehabilitate the Marcos dictatorship’s image became prevalent in online and offline spaces,” the Anakbayan said, adding that “pointing out this problem is not insulting the intelligence of voters.”
Reports from Vera Files and Rappler, highlighted how online disinformation supported Bongbong’s presidential campaign and shaped public perception of the Marcos dictatorship

Skewed historical view
During the activity, Professor Imelda Najorda from MMSU’s College of Teacher Education proposed teaching themes and methods on the Marcos era for Generation Z.
She stressed the need for a balanced perspective, covering both the achievements of the Marcos, Sr presidency and controversies, including Martial Law, human rights violations, and the allegations of corruption and fraud. She explained that this comprehensive approach fosters critical thinking, allowing students to form their own conclusions.
“While Apo Lakay’s (Marcos Sr) administration, where discussion is always associated with Martial Law and the People Power Revolution, there are achievements from his presidency that often go unnoticed or overshadowed by these controversies,” Najorda said.
However, in an interview, Ruel Caricativo, a social science lecturer at UP Baguio and regional coordinator for the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, warned that this “balanced” framing risks distorting history in a way that unintentionally favors the Marcos narrative.
“When did it become acceptable to weigh the lives of thousands of innocent civilians and activists against supposed progress?” he asked, referencing the atrocities committed during martial law
Caricativo also argued that many of Marcos’s infrastructure and economic reforms were driven by loans and marred by corruption, benefiting only a few. He further stated that martial law was widely condemned as a means for Marcos to extend his rule and suppress political opposition.
“It underplays the severe human rights abuses, widespread corruption, cronyism, and violations of democratic norms that occurred under the dictatorship,” he said. # nordis.net