Hontiveros hits textbooks ‘whitewashing’ martial law

Senator Risa Hontiveros slammed on Wednesday the textbooks that allegedly conceal the supposed human rights violation during the martial law era under the administration of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Hontiveros said her office recently discovered two textbooks that “whitewash the atrocities committed during martial law” being used by some schools.

The senator attended Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance of the 2019 budget of the Department Education.  She asked Secretary Leonor Briones of the status of the said reading materials.

“Have these textbooks been pulled out from our schools and replaced? Is there an approved set of textbooks that factually, truthfully, and completely narrate the Marcos dictatorship?” she asked.

Hontiveros was referring to a book titled “Pilipinas: Bansang Papaunlad” that narrates the Philippine history but stops in 1946, when the Third Republic of the Philippines was inaugurated.

She said the book being used in Bulacan schools says nothing about the Marcos dictatorship.

Meanwhile, another textbook in Valenzuela City schools titled “Makabayan: Kasaysayang Pilipino,” discusses the supposed merits of Marcos presidency.

Hontiveros said the country’s education system should equip students with correct information and critical thinking skills amid an age of fake news.

“Miseducation is a mortal misstep, especially in matters concerning civic education because it has direct implications for our political and democratic life,” she said.

The senator also noted that the mandatory teaching of martial law is required under the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013. /ee

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