It’s an occasion to revise the facts to conform with somebody’s post truths. — Dr. Madeline Quiamco, dean, SU College of Mass Communication
Those calling for a revision of the textbooks should first prove that these textbooks contain lies. The books we now use are products of extensive research. — Prof. Jan Antoni Credo, History professor
Denying the facts that have been long-established in courts and in law destroys institutions. Mr. Marcos has no business leading this country if he is out to destroy the institutions that keep us strong as a nation. — Atty. Golda Benjamin, Law professor, SU College of Law
I would agree that there are a number of erroneous information found in books for Basic Education. But if those calling for the revision of textbooks are only referring to books on the Martial Law era, then maybe they could just add information through the spectacle of the Marcos group, and provide an opportunity for juxtaposition so that the students themselves would judge if the ousting of former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos in 1986 was the right call. After all, 21st century learning aims to develop critical literacy. — Jasper Eric Catan, SU College of Education
Allow the children to read and listen to those who were victims of the Martial Law/Dictatorship, and those who believe that Marcos’ reign were the Golden Years of the Philippines. Teach them to know both sides of the story, and allow them to decide what is moral for humanity. That is the essence of education. — Dr. Michele Joan Valbuena, Psychology professor, SU College of Arts & Sciences
Coming from the mouth of the soon-to-be-sovereign-executive of the country, the call for a revision of our textbooks is very alarming and disturbing for many reasons, foremost of which are the following: first, the President is not a historian nor a scholar-teacher, thus, his comment is but a pure assertion of will and malicious insinuation of facts. This is alarming because this pronouncement seems to indicate that we have someone at the helm who seems to demonstrate already the tendency to willfully undermine a generally- accepted truth and scholarly consensus, without scientific support and validation. Without scientific evidence, pure assertion is but an authoritarian exercise of power. Without empirical proof, malicious insinuation is but a sectarian operation of demonizing others. In my mind, we are in a perilous path when our leader has this kind of mindset that is shaped by monarchical medievalism of the past.
Second, while his statement is painful to hear on a personal level because it really sounds like an insult and disrespectful to my profession (and I come from a family of teachers so I also take his comments offensive and an affront to the work and dedication of my aunts and uncles who are/were committed educators of our country), on a collective level, this statement is a disturbing development as this only signals his intent to erase certain memory of the past that has sustained and instructed us in the present, and can only continue to provide us with a compass as we navigate our future.
Third, his statement does not only weaken our educational system and compromise the integrity of public reason, but more disturbingly, encourages more “fake news and information” that only serves a certain political narrative to influence and saturate our public consciousness. In other words, the clear and present danger that his statement promotes is this: alternative facts, while fake, are considered acceptable as public reason. In sum, his call for a revision of textbooks is a direct threat to our common and shared life, indeed, to our already-in-peril project of a democratically-constituted order. — Dr. Karl James Villarmea, Theology professor, Silliman University
The “truth” as peddled by the powers-that-be should always be treated with skepticism. — Dessa Quesada-Palm, creative director, Youth Advocates through Theater Arts
In a recent ABS-CBN interview with Karen Davila, Sen. Imee Marcos explicitly said that they will not revise history but will share their side of the story. For me, I don’t see any problem with their family coming out with their side, provided however, that they can prove it with facts vis-í -vis the facts that have been proven by victims and witnesses of the atrocities committed during Martial Law.
As an educator, it is our primordial task to teach our learners in basic education to think critically. They should know how to differentiate facts vs. opinion. More than ever, education plays a vital role in this age of misinformation and fake news. — Dr. Claudio Sun Jr., principal, Dumaguete City National High School
A revision of textbooks would be necessary for now, in the sense that errors found in textbooks need to be revisited for updating and correction, if deemed necessary. President Marcos Jr. should focus on the rehabilitation of school buildings and educational instruction to compete for the global trend in the field of education .We cannot change past history but we can correct the present history. — Penn Larena, History professor, St. Paul University Dumaguete
No to revisionism . Those books were published based on facts during those times, so let those be, leave those alone. The President can do better now that he is in command, rather than repeat history, and be documented negatively like Marcos Senior. — Prof. Donald Antone, Communication professor, SU College of Mass Communication
In the day and age of the Internet, the focus must be on actually giving our children the capacity to hone their critical thinking skills. Our textbooks contain text that need to be verified in all angles and capacities, as it is. The question is: what kind of “revision” of the text is being called for? I have a child in the elementary school, and I have been in many ways able to take a peek into what they currently have in their text books. There are things that actually need to be further verified, if such is what this “revising” entails, then by all means, please. For as long as the effort will go to rectifying what is really lacking so that our children are able to embrace the reality of who the Filipino is. — Dr. Louanne Florendo-Piñero, Psychology professor, Silliman University
In a recent interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila over ANC, Sen. Imee Marcos, the self-styled “super Ate of the President” a.k.a. Special Assistant to the President (SAP), denied allegations that her brother’s incoming administration is planning to revise the historical contents of textbooks. However, in the same breath, she said that the Marcos family may come up with their version of the truth. (Or words to that effect.) That’s the catch. And that’s the scary, not the exciting, part. The questions that beg for answers: Will the Marcos family’s “version of the truth” find its way into the textbooks? If so, wouldn’t that be revising the historical contents of textbooks? And is the Marcos family’s version the REAL truth? — Dr. Rosario Maxino-Baseleres, director, Center for Educational Broadcasting, Holy Name University
