HISTORY WITHOUT THE OVERCOAT

I believe in what Ambeth Ocampo said: “REAL History is about TRUTH, not lies, not fiction.” Being an engineer, writer-journalist and researcher, I believe that history, the “real” history, must be based on facts that are precise, consistent and irrefutable. Can we, however, say that to the current written Philippine History?

History to me is like a continuously flowing river. It carries with it whatever falls on its rapids: Dusts and stones, leaves and timbers, lives and deaths, freshness and pollutions, natural and man-made, everything becomes part of its waters. When you try to search for something, it will always be there but maybe difficult to find. Then there are instances when the river’s path is changed, either out of necessity or greed, either by nature or man’s machines. Yet when by the act of GOD, it takes just one instance and everything reverts back to its natural course.

Similarly, like the flow of a river being displaced, there are many instances when history is distorted by the people in power or by the one who wrote them.

For instance, many parts of Philippine history, especially those written by Spanish and American authors are half-truths and distorted. Examples: Many accounts about Lapulapu, the mock battle of Manila Bay, MacArthur's claim of the Liberation of the Philippines, etc.

In 1986, when Cory Aquino took over government, among her first orders were the purging, burning and destruction of all files, documents, records pertaining to programs and achievements of the Marcos administration. I am a witness to that. Then she ordered that school textbooks entries be revised, which made it possible, in a “biased” way, that she and her husband, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, be declared as heroes at the same time demonizing President Ferdinand Marcos. Then Aquino’s media collaborators – the oligarchs-owned radio-TV networks and newspapers – started to disseminate maligning information about the Marcoses. They invented gruesome stories about President Marcos, many of which are mere fabrications. This can be considered as the “chismis” part of our history. They did this for more than three decades. Many of the youth after the 1986 EDSA Revolt and the ensuing Yellow Regime, the so-called Martial Law babies, were led to believe that these entries in history were the untainted truth.

Fortunately, some concerned citizens were able to keep some of the pre-EDSA documents and records of the Marcos administration safe. These same documents and records, thanks to the Internet and social media, are being released for the public to read so as to understand the other side of the issues. These are physical and tangible evidences and not fake news or fabricated propaganda. It is not to revise history but, in a way, it is history being corrected from the distortions and biases imposed upon it. 

With regards to Ella Cruz, I believe in her youthful enthusiasm and unbiased comments about Philippine history. In a sense, she is also correct, because Philippine history, in its many segments is full of distorted entries; full of filtrations and added fabrications, biased in favor of the one who perpetrated those segments.

In fact, I admire the young actress’ exuberance and show of respect for everyone’s opinion, and her courage to voice out her viewpoints amid such a high-profile issue. The words “no comment” can sometimes be attributed to playing-safe or being dumb. Well, she is definitely not. She is smart and witty, unlike some bitter worn-out starlet of the past or some yellow activist-pretender. Then came model-starlet Dawn Chang, comedian-actress Pokwang (real name Marietta Subong O'Brian), radio-TV newscaster Arnold Clavio, et al., all bitter losers, who have been ganging up on her. No one has the right to teach her what to say, or teach her lessons she can get herself, from research, school, or her parents’ counsels. So, for those self-proclaiming know-all social intriguers, I suggest you also respect every person’s opinion and stop making a fool of yourselves.

Furthermore, those who make comments about her in social media are making a fool of themselves. Like Giselle Toengi who posted she “would love to share” to Ella her experience “at 8 years old in 1986” as she “marched to the streets along with countless others who were part of history...” How can that be? When she was already 15 years old when she first came to Manila to live with her mother. Now, who’s gossiping?!

Lastly, I also believe that history has the uncanny ability to correct itself, no matter how long it takes, no matter how big the obstacles are, the truth can never be hidden forever. And karma, once the road to redemption begins, will clearly show which segments of history were written correctly!

 

NOTE: Photos are taken from Facebook posts, and hereby given due courtesy to Philippine Star, Global Daily Mirror and Balita.