THE CATHOLIC Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), comprising more than 1,400 Catholic schools, has joined the clamor against Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s alleged attempt “to canonize” his father’s dictatorial regime.
“The Trustees of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, representing the 1,425 CEAP member-schools, colleges and universities, support the faculty of the Ateneo de Manila University in their call against the attempt of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to canonize the harrowing horrors of martial rule,” the CEAP said in a statement.
CEAP issued the statement after professors of the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University expressed strong opposition to the younger Marcos’ “willful distortion of history,” denouncing the vice presidential aspirant’s continuous denial of the abuses committed during the repressive regime of his late father, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
The Ateneo faculty members were reacting in particular to a statement of the Senator that the assessment of his late father’s leadership must be left to teachers and students of history.
“With the same fervor, we cry our hearts out, ‘Never Again!’ ” the CEAP said in the statement titled, “CEAP Supports Call Against Marcosian Snares and Imeldific Lies.”
The CEAP said it remained committed to teach the truth, calling upon the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education to have “the same level of introspection.”
However, the association also acknowledged some possible shortcomings.
“It seems that we have been remiss in instilling in the youth’s consciousness the regime’s brutal savagery. Instead, they have been drowned by the Marcosian snares and the Imeldific lies,” it said.
“The revolution, however, is unfinished. The fullness of democratization, especially the creation of a social order which respects the dignity of all Filipinos, has yet to be achieved. It is our responsibility now as a people to continue and complete this unfinished struggle. We must start with the truth,” it added.