Right to assemble: Filipinos’ defiance from martial law to today

The Philippine Constitution protects the liberty of Filipinos to “peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” This basic human right was one of several suppressed or stripped away entirely on 21 September 1972, when President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. Despite this, Filipinos remained steadfast in their pursuit of justice, as seen through fearless demonstrations over the years.

Pre-Martial Law

In the late 1960s, the Philippine economy under Marcos Sr.’s rule was rapidly declining. A once-thriving financial state saw growing income inequality, inflation, and debt. Fears of American imperialism and a possible charter change led to mass social unrest, culminating in a series of student-led protests during the first three months of 1970, now known as the “First Quarter Storm.” At least six people were killed and many more injured. The following year, University of the Philippines students staged the Diliman Commune, barricading the campus against military and police while protesting a hike in oil prices.

Multiple bombing incidents from 1971 to 1972, including the Plaza Miranda bombing, were initially attributed to demonstrations against the Marcos administration. These attacks are now speculated to have been “false flag” operations committed by the regime to stoke fear among Filipinos and pave the way for martial law.

During Martial Law

President Marcos banned all forms of free speech, including freedom of the press and the right to assemble without government approval. Despite mass arrests and strict surveillance, Filipinos fought to regain democracy by taking the fight underground. With newspapers, radio, and television either shut down or controlled by the regime, students, workers, and religious leaders established an underground press system. Marcos dubbed them the “mosquito press,” for their disruptive persistence, but they became the voice of truth against government misinformation.

Labor unrest persisted. Workers from La Tondeña Distillery in Tondo staged the first strike under martial law, defying Marcos’ prohibition on strikes to protest unfair labor practices and poor wages. Religious groups joined in solidarity, giving the strike visibility and some protection. Over 200 strikes would follow in the next two years, signaling growing dissatisfaction.

Filipinos also expressed their discontent creatively, most notably during the 1978 noise barrage. With the regime preparing for rigged elections for the Interim Batasang Pambansa, opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., then incarcerated, and the LABAN party urged supporters to make noise by banging pots, blowing whistles, and honking horns. It became one of the largest shows of dissent under martial law.

People Power and the Fall of Marcos

Though Marcos formally lifted martial law in 1981, his authoritarian grip persisted. Underground movements continued as press freedom remained virtually nonexistent. Public discontent exploded after Aquino was assassinated on 21 August 1983, upon returning from exile in the United States. His funeral drew half a million mourners, and the image of Aquino’s bloodied body became a rallying cry for resistance.

In 1986, after disputed snap elections between Marcos and Corazon Aquino, Cardinal Jaime Sin called on Filipinos to gather peacefully along EDSA. From Feb. 22–25, the People Power Revolution brought over 2 million Filipinos together in nonviolent protest. Human barricades, prayers, and food offerings to soldiers marked a defining moment of resilience and compassion. Marcos fled into exile, ending his two-decade rule.

Commemorations and successive struggles

Even after democracy was restored, Filipinos continued to use people power against corruption and abuse. EDSA II toppled President Joseph Estrada in 2001. Protests erupted against Marcos’ burial at the Heroes’ Cemetery in 2016, and the pork barrel scandal in 2013 mobilized thousands against systemic graft.

Today marks the 53rd anniversary of martial law’s declaration. At the time of writing, Filipinos are once again in the streets, protesting ghost flood control projects and the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. History continues to be written. The Filipino people have not, and will not, stand silent in the face of injustice.