23/09/2026
StatSoc Never Forgets.
As we mark the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, the UP Statistical Society (UP StatSoc) stands as one with the Filipino people in remembering the lived experiences, honoring the heroes, and recognizing the struggles waged against the Marcos dictatorship. We believe that statistics and data are not merely cold numbers; they bear witness to the history of abuse, fascism, and impoverishment endured by our nation.
On September 21, 1972, then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. signed Proclamation No. 1081, placing the Philippines under Martial Law for over 8 years, where he maintained his dictatorial powers for the next 6 years until he was ousted from the position during the EDSA People Power Revolution on February 25, 1986. Today, under the administration of his son, the history of those tragic years continues to be contested and distorted. Most recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution a special working holiday, a decision that has drawn criticism over its potential to diminish the historical significance of the event. Yet regardless, historical revisionism and propaganda can never erase the concrete evidence of economic decay and documented human rights violations under the Marcos Sr. regime. 40% to 60% of ordinary Filipinos were plunged into poverty. Daily wages of agricultural workers dropped by 30%. Prices of basic goods tripled, while the country's international debt skyrocketed 77 times (in nominal terms). Roughly 11,000 Filipinos were abused, tortured, and violated, 3,500 of these were extrajudicial-killing (EJK) related deaths. At most, 800 are still missing to this day. At least 100,000 were arrested or imprisoned without due process. We will never forget the atrocities, punishments, and widespread human rights abuses inflicted by the Marcos regime on the Filipino people. We remember them not only as a painful chapter of our past, but also as a warning of what happens when abuse of power remains unchallenged, especially with another Marcos once again holding the presidential position. The dark events of Martial Law do not belong solely in the past; their consequences continuously shape how we understand the present as the country confronts ongoing crises and controversies under the Marcos-Duterte administration.
The persistent suffering of many families from extreme floods is driven by failures in public infrastructure and rampant corruption, particularly amid the ongoing controversy surrounding flood control projects and the misuse of confidential and intelligence funds. As of September 17, 9.6 million Filipinos had been affected by the floods, with 44 confirmed deaths and five people still missing. Meanwhile, the livelihoods of agricultural workers and Indigenous communities face potential displacement due to land and resource grabbing issues brought by the data center projects under Pax Silica, where about 500 families in Barangay Sta. Lucia alone are expected to be affected. The pressures on ordinary Filipinos are further compounded by disruptions in global oil trade and domestic taxes brought by the Oil Deregulation Law, Value-Added Tax (VAT), and excise taxes, which cause a domino effect on the depreciation of the peso, further weighing on the rising cost of fuel and other daily necessities.
These issues merely represent a fraction of the status quo, and will persist unless we collectively unite to demand what is right for the nation. UP StatSoc firmly stands to expose the real and current conditions of society under Marcos Jr.โs administration, reflective of the same lived experiences under Martial Law, the same regime of the current presidentโs own father. Who knew that the apple doesnโt fall far from the tree, even when itโs rotten?
In solidarity with the Filipino people, we continue to assert and raise our calls. We demand accountability from the current administration for their continued abuses, negligence, and infliction of hardship on the nation. We collectively strive to advance justice, accountability, and service for those who offered their strength and lives for the country. We commit ourselves to utilizing our excellence in statistics as a tool to reveal the truth and combat any form of historical revisionism and abuse.
NEVER AGAIN. NEVER FORGET.
ISKOLAR-ESTADISTIKO NG BAYAN, NGAYON AY LUMALABAN!
