More than 200 campus journalists attended the National Campus Press Olympiad (NCPO)’s Virtual Press Conference last May 22, joined by the High School Philippine History Movement who led the webinar and advocated for the return of Philippine History in the high school curriculum. 

 

The High School Philippine History Movement was represented by organizational President Jamaico Ignacio, Vice President for Professional Affairs Emmanuel Caliwan, and Government Engagement Director Joey Dela Cruz. With Ignacio leading the webinar, he gave a lecture on the movement’s mission to re-establish Philippine History as a dedicated subject after its removal from the K to 12 Basic Education Program. 

 

“Our stance is — dapat maibalik ang pagtuturo ng kasaysayan sa Pilipinas sa High School dahil makakatulong ito upang, hindi lamang palalimin ang ating pag-iisip, pagiging Makabayan o nasyonalismo but more importantly — isang magandang instrumento din siya upang palakasing ang ating critical thinking skills nang ating mga kabataan,” Ignacio stated.

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Ignacio went on to describe the rise of disinformation with the use of social media, especially amongst the youth. He also clarified the difference between “Historical Revisionism” and “Historical Distortion,” saying that while historical distortion re-tells a history, it is often falsified or flawed due to a personal agenda and prejudice. Meanwhile, historical revisionism re-interprets a historical account based on facts and evidence. 

 

“Dapat magkaroon ng culture building, mapag-usapan ang usaping na nawala nga Philippine History sa high school na ginagawa nga namin sa aming mga webinar — podcasts, at — legal approach,” Caliwan added after Ignacio had finished his talk.

 

Caliwan mentioned that narratives should contain facts as well as evidence and truth regardless of what the State and textbooks say. 

 

The webinar ended with Ignacio, Caliwan, and Dela Cruz answering the young delegates’ questions during the Zoom call that was organized by Best Designed Campus Papers of the Philippines (BDCP) for the NCPO.