Can a new law stop historical revisionism in schools? Lawmaker pushes for urgent passing of HB 207
A lawmaker urged the House to pass a bill restoring Philippine history as a separate subject in high schools, emphasizing the need to prevent historical revisionism.
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro stressed the importance of House Bill No. 207 (HB 207) for ensuring students learn an accurate version of Philippine history.
“If we are serious about teaching our youth accurate and comprehensive Philippine history, we must ensure that it is given proper attention in our curriculum,” Castro said in a media statement.
Castro’s appeal follows a recent directive by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the Department of Education, instructing it to prioritize the teaching of Philippine history.
Marcos stressed that a stronger focus on history is needed to help students understand Filipino identity.
“President Marcos Jr.’s directive underscores the urgent need to pass House Bill 207,” Castro said, adding that it is crucial to safeguard against misinformation and attempts to distort historical facts.
She specifically noted concerns about the potential for revising the narrative of the Marcos era.
Castro pointed out that Philippine history was removed from high school curriculum in 2014 under the K to 12 education reforms, and its content was spread across different subjects.
She argued this diluted history’s focus, making misinformation easier to spread.
“There have been attempts to distort historical narratives, particularly the events during the Marcos Sr. era,” Castro said.
“History is not ‘pagma-Marites’ or mere gossip,” Castro emphasized, underlining the importance of rigorous study and fact-checking in historical education.
She urged her fellow lawmakers to prioritize the bill, not only to follow the President’s order, but also to help students become critical thinkers and informed citizens.
In a statement, advocacy group Tanggol Kasaysayan expressed concern over President Marcos Jr.’s directive, citing his family’s history of distorting facts.
The group noted Marcos Jr.’s past denials of historical truths during the 2022 elections and urged vigilance against any attempts to sanitize the Martial Law era.
As the bill awaits discussion in the House, Castro called on both the legislative and executive branches to collaborate on strengthening the teaching of Philippine history.
In February, during the 38th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, which led to the ouster of Marcos Sr., President Marcos Jr. spoke about the importance of history, acknowledging its role in shaping national identity and future directions.
