History is not ‘pagma-Marites’
A TEACHERS’ group has urged incoming House Leadership to prioritize House Bill 207 or An Act Mandating the Inclusion of Philippine History as a Subject in the High School Curriculum following comments from Ella Cruz stating that history is like ‘tsismis.’
“Pinatunayan lamang muli na kailangang kailangan talaga na ibalik ang Philippine History bilang asignatura sa high school dahil ngayon, tinuturing na lamang itong ‘tsismis’ ng iilan upang baluktutin ang kasaysayan ng ating mamamayan,”said Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Rep. France Castro.
Castro filed House Bill 207 as part of her priority legislation in the 19th Congress and is included in her first 10 priority bills filed last June 30. The measure was first filed in the 18th Congress as a response to the clamor of various professional organizations and Philippine History advocates.
“As part of the so-called ‘educational reforms’ under K to 12, the Department of Education through DepEd Order 20 removed Philippine History from the curriculum of high school students. In effect, discussions of events in Philippine history are only integrated in several subjects instead of an independent subject focused on teaching the narration of facts and ensuring that the students understand the implications of these events in our daily lives today,” Castro stated.
“Hindi dapat simpleng isinisingit na lamang ang kasaysayan sa ibang mga asignatura ng mga kabataan. Nawawala ang fundamentals na ipagiiba ang kasaysayan na bahagi ng social science sa simpleng ‘tsismis’ o pagmamarites,” Castro added.
“Hindi ‘kwentong barbero’ ang pag-aaral ng kasaysayan dahil ito ay may siyentipikong paraan ng pagpapatunay at fact-checking. Natural na may bias ang kasaysayan dahil ang kwento ng mga mamamayan ang inilalahad nito and iniuugnay sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng ating bansa,” Castro stated.
Castro added they are already seeing the destructive effects of the absence of Philippine History as a subject in basic education. “Our history, especially during the times of the martial law of Marcos Sr. and its effects in our lives today has been denied and distorted.”
“We urge the incoming House Leadership to prioritize passing this measure into law. We also challenge the next secretary of education to ensure the return of Philippine History to the high school curriculum,” said Castro.
She stressed it is up to the government to ensure that education is a priority, that our educators have adequate support and that the curriculum does not aid historical revisionism and denialism for the sins against the Filipino people.
