Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission

𝗣𝘂𝗻𝗼 𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽: 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 🌿

Isang masining at makabuluhang araw ng pagtitipon ang inihahanda ng Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) para sa ating mga magigiting na Martial Law Survivors (1972-1986) sa darating na ika-20 ng Hunyo 2026.

Inaanyayahan namin ang mga survivors na lumahok sa isang Expressive Arts Workshop na may pamagat na "Puno ng Pangarap" na gaganapin sa Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC).

Sa pamamagitan ng mga simpleng gawaing sining at pag-uugnay sa mga tema ng kalikasan, nakatuon ang pagtitipong ito sa pagbibigay ng espasyo para sa pagninilay at kolektibong pangarap.

📅 𝗞𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻: 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘆𝗼 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗼)
📍 𝗦𝗮𝗮𝗻: 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗼𝘆 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝗡𝗔𝗣𝗪𝗖), 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆

Ang rehistrasyon ay libre at bukas para sa lahat ng mga survivors. Limitado lamang ang mga slot upang matiyak ang tahimik at makabuluhang karanasan para sa bawat isa.

🔗 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗼: https://forms.gle/g5h5gKrxc1nzYrXL9

Inaasahan po namin ang inyong pagdalo. ❤️

Katuwang ng Komisyon ang Bantayog ng mga Bayani at Survivor's Hub sa pagsasagawa ng workshop ito.

𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘀’ 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗛𝗥𝗩𝗩𝗠𝗖), through its Research and Education Division, successfully conducted the two-day 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 last 20–21 May 2026 at The Tribute Hotel, Quezon City, and via Zoom.

The workshop gathered educators, researchers, advocates, and students in a collaborative effort to develop Grade 11 teaching modules under Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino, particularly on the thematic cluster “Diktadura.” A total of forty (40) participants joined the first day of the workshop through onsite and virtual participation, engaging in discussions, workshops, and breakout sessions on how human rights, historical memory, and local memorialization practices may be meaningfully integrated into classroom learning.

Dr. Melanie Magpantay discussed Martial Law and Human Rights Violations, while Mr. Peter Patrick Garcia led conversations on Pedagogy and Memorialization-based Education. Throughout the two-day workshop, participants explored ways of teaching sensitive historical topics through trauma-informed, gender-responsive, and evidence-based approaches that help learners distinguish historical fact from disinformation.

Participants who completed the workshop and evaluation process rated the activity positively in terms of program design, learning outcomes, and overall service quality. Through guided workshops and breakout sessions, participants also produced five (5) draft teaching modules integrating historical narratives, survivor testimonies, local memory sites, and classroom-based learning activities.

Beyond lectures and discussions, the activity became a shared space for reflection on historical truth, democratic vigilance, and the importance of remembering the experiences of Martial Law victims and survivors through education and community memory. The HRVVMC remains committed to advancing historical memory, public education, and memorialization initiatives that uphold the stories and struggles of Martial Law victims and survivors.

Digital copies of the workshop module guide, together with participant-produced draft modules, will soon be available through the HRVVMC Online Compendium: https://hrvvmc.gov.ph/the-hrvvmc-compendium/

Please be informed that the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) will be closed on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, pursuant to Proclamation No. 1264, s. 2026, declaring the observance of Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) as a Regular Holiday throughout the country.

In line with this, the 𝗛𝗥𝗩𝗩𝗠𝗖 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, as well as 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆, will likewise be closed on the said date. Regular operations will resume on the next working day.

For inquiries and requests, clients may contact HRVVMC through our official email address: [email protected].

𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗗𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗬

Please be informed that the HRVVMC Library and Archives will be closed on 26 May 2026 (Tuesday) in view of the event “Archives as Sites of Truth and Memory: Stories of Martial Law from the Archives,” hosted by the Resource and Archives Division (RAD).

For inquiries or concerns related to the RAD, please email [email protected].

On the 35th death anniversary of Lino Brocka, we revisit a body of work forged under censorship, repression, and risk. This timeline traces how his films, like Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, Insiang, Jaguar, Bona, Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim, and Orapronobis, cut through the manufactured image of the “New Society” by centering the lives of workers, women, migrants, and the urban poor.

Working during Martial Law in the Philippines, Brocka faced bans, intimidation, and the constant threat of silencing. Some of his films were nearly suppressed; others had to be smuggled abroad just to be seen. Yet he persisted, on screen and on the streets, co-founding the Concerned Artists of the Philippines and even enduring arrest and detention for his activism.

His realist cinema refuses easy comfort. It shows how exploitation is structured, how violence settles into everyday life, and how women’s bodies often bear the weight of poverty and power. At the same time, it gestures toward collective resistance, insisting that change does not come from isolated acts, but from people moving together.

Brocka’s legacy extends beyond film. In the years following the fall of dictatorship, he was part of a broader struggle that secured protections for “Freedom of Expression” in the 1987 Constitution; a right he had actively fought for during the years it was denied.

Remembering Brocka today is not only about honoring a genius filmmaker. It is about recognizing his cinema as a testimonial archive of lived realities that counters denial, disinformation, and historical erasure. His work remains urgent for conversations on transitional justice and gender, reminding us that truth-telling is inseparable from accountability, and that the stories of the marginalized are central to any vision of justice.

Sources:
Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation. “Brocka, Catalino ‘Lino’ Ortiz.” Accessed at
https://bantayogngmgabayani.org/bayani/lino-brocka/.

Blackwood, Christian, dir. Signed: Lino Brocka. 1987. Produced by Christian Blackwood Productions Inc., Bavaria
Media Television, and Channel Four Television. Video. Accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8Uo3ZLZTc

Capino, José B. Martial Law Melodrama: Lino Brocka’s Cinema Politics. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2020. Available for research at the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) Library.

Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission. Essential Truths About the Martial Law Era, Book 9: Protest
Art and Culture. Quezon City: HRVVMC, n.d. Available at https://hrvvmc.gov.ph/hrvvmc-publications/.

Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission. “Roll of Victims.” Accessed at https://hrvvmc.gov.ph/roll-of-victims/. Includes officially recognized Martial Law victims, including Lino Brocka.

In celebration of International Archives Day, the HRVVMC Resource and Archives Division (RAD) will host an event titled “Archives as Sites of Truth and Memory: Stories of Martial Law from the Archives” on 26 May 2026 (Tuesday), from 9AM to 3PM at Microtel by Wyndham, UP Technohub.

The event aims to raise public awareness about the critical role archives play in preserving the stories and historical memory of victims and survivors of human rights violations during the Martial Law period. Furthermore, it will spotlight the experiences of women, youth, and other marginalized sectors, whose stories are often underrepresented in mainstream historical narratives.

Please note that slots are limited. Successful registrants will receive a confirmation email, and all attendees will be awarded a certificate of participation.

Limited slots are still available!

The Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) will conduct a two-day workshop on 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬–𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆-𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆), from 𝟴:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝟱:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠, at the 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹, located at 99 Scout Gandia Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Diliman, Quezon City.

This workshop brings together educators to co-develop a teaching module focused on human rights, historical memory, and how communities remember the Martial Law.

In-person slots are still available. Head to this link to secure your physical slots -
https://tinyurl.com/ModularWorkshopRegistration2

All participants will be able to receive a Certificate of Participation equivalent to 16 hours of training. Additionally, in-person participants shall receive a free book publication and token from HRVVMC.

For those who have pre-registered before and have confirmed your participation, please monitor your emails for further updates on the workshop.

Thank you for supporting efforts to strengthen human rights education and historical memory.

𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) will conduct a two-day workshop on 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬–𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆-𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆), from 𝟴:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝟱:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠, at the 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹, located at 𝟵𝟵 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁, 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗗𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲).

This workshop brings together educators to co-develop a teaching module focused on human rights, historical memory, and how communities remember the Martial Law.

We thank all pre-registered participants for their interest. The workshop will accommodate 40 in-person participants. Those who have received a registration confirmation are kindly advised to check their inbox (including Spam Folders) for further instructions. Final confirmation of your participation is until 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, (𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆) 𝗮𝘁 𝟱:𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗺.

Due to limited in-person slots, selected participants may be accommodated through virtual participation. Additional details will be shared via email. We ask the registered participants to regularly monitor their email for updates.

All participants will be able to receive a Certificate of Participation equivalent to 16 hours of training.

Stay tuned for further announcements.

Thank you for supporting efforts to strengthen human rights education and historical memory.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀.

This ten-part series focuses on the following aspects:

1. Declaration of Martial Law
2. Economy
3. Human Rights
4. Institutions of Faith
5. Rule of Law
6. Corruption
7. Environment
8. Media
9. Protest Art and Culture
10. People Power

These booklets cover key topics from the Martial Law era in a way that is easier to read, share, and use for learning and discussions.

How to request:

1. Fill out the request form: https://tinyurl.com/ETBookletsRequest

2. Check your email within 3 working days and reply for confirmation

3. Pick up the HRVVMC Finance and Administration Division (Mon–Thu, 9 AM–3 PM) or arrange courier delivery @ Sunnymede IT Center 1st Floor, Quezon Avenue, Quezon
City Digital copies are also available at https://hrvvmc.gov.ph/hrvvmc-compendium/

By requesting a copy, you help keep these histories visible and accessible.