The Department of Education (DepEd) announced that it would implement a revised version of the grade 1-10 curriculum dubbed “MATATAG” on Thursday, August 10 as a response to the education crisis in the Philippines. According to DepEd Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, MATATAG will have four critical components: MAke the curriculum relevant to produce competent and job-ready, active, and responsible citizens; TAke steps to accelerate delivery of basic education facilities and services; TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusive education, and a positive learning environment; and Give support to teachers to teach better.
The new curriculum will cut out almost 70% of the current one as it focuses on the following core areas: Language, Reading and Literacy, Mathematics, Makabansa (nationalism), Good manners and Right Conduct (GMRC), and per grade, it will focus on the following:
- 1st grade – Reading and literacy, language, mathematics, Makabansa, GMRC
- 2nd grade – Filipino, English, math, Makabansa, GMRC
- 3rd grade – Filipino, English, math, Makabansa, GMRC, science
- 4th to 10th grade: Filipino, English, math, science, Araling Panlipunan (social studies), technology and livelihood education, GMRC, MAPEH
On the surface, MATATAG looks like a well-thought-out, effective plan made in earnest to patch up the potholes of K-12. What’s striking, however, is the specific subject termed “Makabansa”. Duterte has pushed for the incorporation of “peace-competencies” in the subject, stressing that “there is a need to highlight non-violent actions and the development of resolution skills in learners” and that students who are “healthy, resilient, and patriotic” are needed in the country. This might sound innocent enough at first glance until you look into the younger Duterte’s long history of relentless red-tagging. Do these so-called “peace-competencies” act as a sheep’s skin hiding a more sinister, wolfish agenda or is there nothing more to it but genuine nationalism?
The Duterte Special
Red-tagging, the act of labeling individuals or groups as threats, can be considered the Duterte family’s heirloom. The father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, has gained notoriety for harassing and intimidating political activists and critics all throughout his terms as a government official, and his daughter Sara, even as Davao City Mayor, tagged Lumad schools as factories for communist insurgents and her recent mudslinging towards the Alliance of Concerned Teachers as DepEd Secretary, shows that the apple does indeed not fall far from the tree.
“Duterte bringing that attitude into DepEd’s drawing room is a dangerous prospect. “
Duterte bringing that attitude into DepEd’s drawing room is a dangerous prospect. She has expressed interest in the implementation of mandatory ROTC, a program riddled with countless accounts of abuse of power throughout its history. Even though this issue has been put on the sidelines by bigger problems, it shows Duterte’s fixation on the indoctrination of our youth.
It is not hard to imagine what Duterte thinks of student activists and liberal youth organizations; enemies of the state. Vilifying those who push for systematic change, making them choose between staying quiet or getting shot, enables authoritarian leaders to maintain their iron grip on the country. After all, they have no interest in reshaping a world that suits them so well.
Tag Team
Moreover, we must remember the elephant in the room, a Marcos at the country’s helm. With the political family struggling to defend themselves against hard evidence of ill-gotten wealth, tens of thousands of recorded human rights abuses, and other sins that would make this article even longer, it is in their best interest to revise history, to change the narrative, to erase everything that they did wrong from the people’s memory. Even if the Marcoses insist on it not being the case, their actions speak otherwise: Imelda Marcos playing victim in interviews for “The Kingmaker”, evidence of “Networked Political Manipulation” on social media, and President Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr.’s constant dodging of questions regarding his dictator father’s regime. What easier way to make the public forget but to trick the old and lie to the young? The Marcoses’ interests in keeping up the “Golden Age” narrative align perfectly with Duterte’s ambitions to silence dissent.
Conversely, it can be argued that the sins of the father are not the sins of the son, or daughter in this scenario. It is unfair to put the blame on someone who had no part in their parents’ actions, but the younger Marcos and Duterte are exceptions to this principle. As stated prior, Bongbong refuses to take accountability for his family’s actions. He must be scrutinized as he has benefited from the stolen wealth and has played a role in his father’s reign as Ilocos vice-governor (1980) and governor (1983) among other positions. Details of BBM’s political career are scarce and vague, possibly due to the smoke screening they did in the media.
Sara Duterte is a part of the Duterte political dynasty in Davao City. Serving as vice mayor prior to her three-term stint as mayor starting 2010. As highlighted above Duterte has records of being an authoritarian leader dead-set on targeting those who oppose her. However her concerns of the younger generations having weak nationalism is valid. Due to the rise of globalization, the love of our nation has been greatly diminished. Young Filipinos are less proud of being Filipino in general, but forcing patriotic ideals down their throats does not work to truly hammer in these values.
Contrary to Duterte’s view on the matter, youth activism is not a sign of rebellion, but a sign of nationalism. We cannot just tell the kids to love their country, they have to learn that themselves. When they see the state of our nation, the poverty and the suffering, and choose to care about it; That’s how patriotism is genuinely formed. We must not declaw our youth, we must make them see and make them feel motivated to take action without fear of getting harassed or targeted by the very government that’s supposed to protect them. True nationalism is after all, choosing to empathize with the struggles of the people and fighting for change.
