Bantayog ng mga Bayani in the Filipino language means “Monument to the Heroes.” It is a landscaped memorial center honoring those individuals who lived and died in defiance of the repressive regime that ruled over the Philippines from 1972 to 1986.
A 14-meter Inang Bayan (Mother Philippines) Monument designed by the sculptor Eduardo Castrillo stands on the grounds of the memorial center, depicting the self-sacrifice of a fallen figure of a man, held in one hand by the rising figure of a woman who symbolizes the Motherland, while her other hand reaches for the glorious sun of freedom. In the distance stands a Wall of Remembrance, where the names of martyrs are inscribed. The Monument and the Wall of Remembrance were unveiled on 30 November 1992.
Inspiration
After visiting the Philippines immediately after the 1986 People Power Revolution to rejoice over the downfall of an authoritarian regime, Dr. Ruben Mallari, a Filipino-American medical doctor, suggested the establishment of a memorial to honor those martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom and justice but failed to witness the dawn of freedom.
A group of Filipinos responded to this suggestion and organized the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Memorial Foundation. Dr. Ledivina V. Cariño, former Dean of the University of the Philippines’ College of Public Administration, helped draft the concept paper based on the suggestion of Dr. Mallari. The final concept paper stated the rationale for Bantayog:
Freedom has dawned magnificently upon us brought about by our own will, with the help of Divine Providence. We stood together with linked arms as we proclaimed our unity, our dedication to liberty and democracy, and our commitment to our country. With boundless faith, we broke the chains which enslaved us in a regime of terror, intimidation and fraud. But as we enjoy our liberation, let us not forget those who fell during the night. Let us honor the Filipino patriots who struggled valiantly against the unjust and repressive rule of Ferdinand Marcos. Let us build a memorial to those men and women who offered their lives so that we may all see the dawn.
For as we remember those victims of authoritarian rule, we shall become more vigilant about preserving our freedom, defending our rights, and opposing any attempt by anyone to foist another dictatorship upon us.
In honoring our martyrs, we proclaim our determination to be free forever.
Dr. Ledivina V. Cariño
The Bantayog Center aims to reach out mainly to schoolchildren and college students, hoping to help them understand and learn from the people’s struggle against repression. “Never Again!” is a recurring theme of the activities.
Preserving the Memory
Individuals who died or disappeared during the Marcos authoritarian regime and dictatorship from 1965 to 1987, whose passing was directly or indirectly caused by the regime), or those who participated in the struggle, survived it, but have since died, may be nominated to the Bantayog roster of martyrs and heroes. A Research and Documentation Committee accepts these nominations and conducts its own investigations. The Board of Trustees, and its Screening Committee, act on and approve the nominations.
The names of the first sixty-five martyrs, some of them well- known such as Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. and many others not as well-known, were enshrined in 1992. The following year, after long reflection, the Foundation decided to include as heroes those who gave their all for the sake of freedom, justice, and democracy during the Marcos years but died after the EDSA Revolution.
Since then, hundreds of heroes and martyrs of the martial law dictatorship have been honored by their names being inscribed on the black granite Wall of Remembrance.
Right behind the Wall of Remembrance is the Jovito R. Salonga Building, which is named after a distinguished political leader who fought against the authoritarian regime. Salonga continues to add his powerful voice to the democratic people’s movement clamoring for human rights, justice and the rule of law.
The Bantayog Museum (Museo ng Bantayog) occupies more than a hundred square meters of space on the second floor of the Jovito R. Salonga Building.
On the same floor is the Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco Auditorium where programs, meetings, and cultural activities such as concerts, film-showings and poetry-readings are held. It is named after the late businessman and philanthropist Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco, who once served as the country’s ambassador to China and Japan, and was one of the Foundation’s strongest supporters.
The Bantayog library and archives is on the ground floor of the building. Students, journalists and researchers often com to use this facility.
Making History Alive
At the Museo ng Bantayog, visitors will see the story of the Marcos dictatorship and its many events, facets and historical context. Displayed are photographs and material objects from the period of dictatorship (1972 to 1986), as well as of circumstances that gave rise to the regime and the events that followed, tracing for example the difficulties a society faces when recovering from a militarization and tyranny.
Much space is dedicated to photographs and memorabilia from the people’s resistance to the dictatorship, which grew steadily until it gave rise to the People Power Revolution that finally drove the Marcoses out in February 1986. The Museo also mounts special exhibits from time to time.
Winning Public Interest
Bantayog has hosted about 100,000 visitors since it opened. Many come because they are survivors of the regime. They bring members of their family with them to see the exhibits and recount the time when they put their own lives at stake for the sake of “truth, freedom, justice and democracy” – the watchwords of Bantayog Museum even today.
Most visitors, however, come from schools or are sent by history teachers to enrich their students’ understanding of past events.
Photographers, bloggers, sketchers, and bikers also come to see the unique ambience of Bantayog as a place that represents history, freedom and struggle. Bantayog frequently gets press coverage. “At last a museum of rare courage,” reads one headline. One columnist said, “…(S)pend a nice Sunday afternoon there, while the breezes blow and the sun shines, looking at the names carved on the Wall of Remembrance, which belong to those who did something heroic for us in more recent times, which claimed many of their lives, and which is why the breezes blow, and the sun shines for us today.” “A “little shop of horrors,” was one’s reaction to the depiction of the dictatorship’s atrocities.
Hope For The Future
Bantayog moves to the future with great resolve to continue with its research projects, expand its museum, library and archival facilities, and hold public events that raise awareness about the Filipino people’s struggle against tyranny. It will develop its digital resources and projects in order to reach an even wider audience.
The words of the late Senator Jovito R. Salonga continue to be an inspiration:
We shall proclaim our firm resolve to keep faith with our martyrs and heroes and our deepest conviction that this land of the morning, the repository of our hopes and dreams, is worth living for and dying for.
Senator Jovito R. Salonga
