Ambeth Ocampo on Marcos dictatorship: Where Filipino people went wrong, and how we could learn from it

Historian Ambeth Ocampo talked about the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who placed the Philippines under martial law.

In an episode of “The Howie Severino Podcast,” Ocampo said that although Marcos declared martial law, the Filipino people were also accountable for letting it happen.

“As a historian, I want to understand what was it in the Philippines and the Filipinos that made Marcos possible,” he said.

The historian said that at first, when Marcos declared martial law, he was scared and thought people would revolt. But instead there was silence.

“Tapos tuwang-tuwa na siya. ‘Ay hindi sila pumalag.’ (And he was glad. ‘Oh, they didn’t fight back,’)” he said.

“So in a sense ... martial law kasalanan din nu’ng mga tao (is also the people’s fault),” Ocampo added.

“It’s not all Marcos’ fault. We made him possible.”

Ocampo said that until now, the country was still reacting to what Marcos had done, and he emphasized that history was a reflection to show us our faults. 

“Why didn’t we fight back? Why did the people collaborate?” he said in Filipino.

“So it’s a more nuanced … deeper look into Philippine character,” the historian added.

And until we understand that, he said martial law and the time of the “colonials” could happen again.

“So we have to understand Philippine nature, Filipino nature by looking at history in a more objective, nuanced way,” he said.

“We can only correct it when we know it, when we accept it. [But] unfortunately, malayo pa tayo roon (we are far from that).”

Ocampo also shared his insights starting from the arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on our shores 500 years ago and noted the recurring behavior that had been present during the American period, Marcos’ regime, and even until now.

He said according to the readings of Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian scholar who joined Magellan in his expedition, the Portuguese involved himself in local politics and sided with Humabon, an enemy of Lapulapu.

Humabon, in turn, converted to Christianity and paid tribute to Magellan. Lapulapu, meanwhile, refused to side with them.

“My realization when I read that, it’s not only that Magellan got involved in a petty local problem. The problem of the Philippines has always been the betrayal by the elite,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“So from Humabon, that’s been the case. Why did we go under Spanish rule? It’s because our elite sided with them.”

The historian said that when the Americans arrived, the local elites became their allies. They also did the same thing with Marcos, he added.

“Whoever is in power, for their self-interest, they will go to that side. And I think, that’s the whole lesson of 1521. We have to see what was the behavior back then that is still present until now.” – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News