Philippines marks 54th anniversary of Martial Law declaration

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 21, 2026

Photo courtesy: Positively Filipino

The Philippines on Monday, September 21, marked the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law under former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., with commemorative activities and protests held to remember the period and its victims.

Marcos signed Proclamation No. 1081 on September 21, 1972, placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law. The proclamation was publicly announced two days later, on September 23.

Under the proclamation, Marcos ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to maintain public order and suppress what his government described as lawless violence, insurrection and rebellion. Formal Martial Law remained in place until January 17, 1981, when Marcos issued Proclamation No. 2045 terminating it nationwide.

The Marcos government continued until February 1986, when the People Power Revolution ended his presidency.

The Martial Law period remains associated with documented human rights violations. The government-created Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board eventually recognized 11,103 claimants as eligible for monetary reparations for human rights violations committed during the Marcos regime. The Commission on Human Rights said the recognized cases involved victims of summary execution, torture, enforced or involuntary disappearance and other gross human rights violations.

Republic Act No. 10368, enacted in 2013, established the system for recognizing and compensating victims of human rights violations committed during the Marcos regime and provided for the preservation of their experiences through a memorial commission.

This year, the University of the Philippines marked September 21 as its Day of Remembrance, recalling what it described as an era of political suppression, serious human rights abuses and corruption.

Public demonstrations were also scheduled in several areas of Metro Manila. The Philippine National Police said more than 17,000 personnel would be deployed for activities related to the anniversary, while authorities said officers had been instructed to observe maximum tolerance during peaceful assemblies.

Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. respects the public’s right to protest and express grievances, while appealing for demonstrations to remain peaceful.

The anniversary continues to be observed by universities, civil society organizations and human rights groups as a day to remember those affected by Martial Law and the events that shaped the country from 1972 until the end of the Marcos Sr. government in 1986.