As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approaches the final 21 months of his term, the Philippine political landscape is becoming increasingly restless, drawing uncomfortable parallels to the era of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Fifty-four years ago, the elder Marcos maneuvered to maintain power beyond his constitutional limits by declaring martial law, a period defined by systematic corruption, the silencing of dissent, and the brutal suppression of human rights. Today, as students and activists take to the streets to commemorate the anniversary of that declaration, there is a palpable concern that history could repeat itself, with critics accusing the current administration of mirroring the graft-heavy governance that once characterized the family’s kleptocracy.

The legacy of the Marcos regime remains a painful scar on the nation, marked by thousands of documented cases of torture, disappearance, and murder used to stifle opposition. While the current president has expressed a desire to protect his family's legacy and rehabilitate their reputation, recent allegations of misappropriated funds and suspicious budget allocations have only fueled public skepticism. Despite these efforts to reshape the narrative, the resurgence of youth activism signifies a collective commitment to memory. Survivors and younger generations alike are standing firm, asserting that the country will not slide back into the authoritarian darkness of the past, reinforcing the powerful rallying cry: "Never again to martial law."