LIST: Community events, activities on 54th Martial Law commemoration

From card games and pop culture trivia to film screenings and other activities, here are engaging ways to reflect and honor history this Martial Law anniversary

AT A GLANCE

• Filipinos will commemorate the 54th anniversary of Martial Law on September 21, 2026, marking a period of human rights abuses under Ferdinand Marcos.
• Various events including educational forums, film screenings, art exhibits, and protests are planned across the country to remember the anniversary.
• Key activities include the 1081 exhibit at UP Cebu, film showings at UP Los Baños, and protests in Metro Manila, highlighting ongoing struggles for accountability and historical truth.

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MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos will mark the 54th anniversary of Martial Law on September 21, 2026, commemorating the declaration of Proclamation No. 1081 by then-president Ferdinand E. Marcos. It ushered in a dark period in Philippine history, marked by widespread human rights abuses and a crackdown on free speech.

While street protests remain a central fixture of remembrance, several groups are set to organize educational forums, film screenings, art exhibits, and interactive community gatherings across the country.

Here is a running list you can check to participate in this year’s Martial Law Anniversary:  

Outside Metro Manila

1081 exhibit at UP Cebu

The ninth installment of the 1081 exhibit, honoring the victims of Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship, is open to visitors until Monday, September 21, at the UP Cebu Performing Arts Hall.

UP Baguio alternatibong klase

Students from UP Baguio will conduct alternative educational sessions in commemoration of the anniversary. Baguio-Benguet Laban sa Korapsyon will host talks, forums, and film viewings throughout the week, leading up to an assembly at the university on Monday, September 21, at 5:30 pm.

UP Los Baños film showing (Martial Law short films)

The UP Los Baños College of Arts and Sciences will screen seven short films about the Martial Law period at the CAS Auditorium on Monday, September 21, at 4 pm. Admission is free with online registration.

Panel and educational discussion – Anakbayan Toronto

On Monday, September 21, at 6 pm EDT (720 Spadina Ave, Canada), Anakbayan Toronto will host an educational discussion on historical resistance, anti-fascism, and organizing.

Metro Manila

Diktador game night

DIKTADOR! is an immersive role-playing card game about Martial Law history and Filipino resistance organized by Project Gunita. The creators are partnering with different organizations to hold game nights throughout the month:

• Project Gunita: Saturday, September 19, 9 am, at the Constantino Foundation
• DLSU University Student Government: Thursday to Friday, September 24 to 25, 4:15 pm at the Exhibit Area, Henry Sy Sr. Hall. Interested participants can register online.
• UP Diliman CSWCD: Friday, September 25, 4 pm, at Bulwagang Tandang Sora (Registration details on their page)

Sunday trivia hangout on political pop culture

The Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau Inc. is organizing a trivia night about Martial Law history and current events on Sunday, September 20, 12 pm, at Sunshineboy Cafe in Mahinhin 57, Quezon City. The event will also feature Project Gunita’s DIKTADOR! card game. Register for free (solo or as a team) online.

Igpaw Pasulong: Film showing, talkback session

GABRIELA Youth UP Manila and AlterMidya are hosting a screening of Igpaw Pasulong, which highlights stories of the Filipino masses during Martial Law. The event takes place at the UP Manila Theater on Wednesday, September 23, at 1 pm, followed by a discussion with women activists linking these narratives to present struggles. Registration fee is P30.

DLSU USG film screening of ‘Aswang’

The DLSU Committee on National Issues and Concerns (CoNIC), in partnership with Active Vista, is screening Aswang on Thursday, September 24, 2:30 pm, at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium. The 2019 documentary investigates extrajudicial killings during the war on drugs. Online registration is required.

‘Marcos, Martial Law, and the Complexities of Memory’ book talk

The UP Diliman Department of History will host a roundtable discussion on the book Marcos, Martial Law, and the Complexities of Memory in the Philippines on Tuesday, September 22 at Palma Hall. Editors and select authors will discuss how the memory of Martial Law continues to shape modern politics.

54th Martial Law anniversary candle lighting

Bantayog ng mga Bayani, Buhay Ang People Power, August Twenty-One Movement, and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation will host a candle-lighting ceremony for martyrs, heroes, and survivors on Monday, September 21, 5 pm, at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.

EDSA Shrine mass rally

Multiple contingents will march on Sunday, September 20, to demand accountability from corrupt leaders and commemorate Martial Law:

• Akbayan Youth: Marches from DLSU Greenhills at 9 am
• People’s Assembly & Tindig: Gathers at Congress South Gate at 8 am
• August Twenty-One Movement: Assembles at Quezon Avenue at 7 am before marching to the Supreme Court
• Combined Mass Program: All groups meet at the EDSA Shrine at 10 am

Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot Protest

The Kilusang Bayan Kontra Kurakot (KPKK) will hold an anti-corruption rally on Monday, September 21, 3 pm, at Liwasang Bonifacio. The mobilization marks the anniversary of Martial Law alongside the first anniversary of the Baha sa Luneta and Trillion Peso March, linking past human rights struggles to current anti-corruption advocacy.

Makabayan Mendiola protest

The Makabayan party will join forces with KPKK for a protest on Monday, September 21, at 5 pm in Mendiola, Manila, demanding government accountability and historical truth.

Do you know of other events, protests, or activities commemorating the 54th anniversary of the Martial Law declaration? Send the details to move.ph@rappler.com — Rappler.com

Alyana Fabela is a volunteer for MovePH. She is a fourth-year AB Communication student at Ateneo de Manila University.