THE Alliance of Concerned Teachers denounced the government’s move through the Department of Education to distort history and undermine the historical truth about Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship.

The group criticized the directive of the Department of Education’s Curriculum and Teaching Management Committee to its Bureau of Curriculum Development to change “Diktadurang Marcos” to “Diktadura” found in the Quarter 3 of 2023 MATATAG Grade 6 Araling Panlipunan Curriculum

“The alteration of historical terminology is not only distortion but also undermines the truth about one of the darkest periods in Philippine history. Ferdinand Marcos Sr. ruled the Philippines with an iron fist, suspending civil liberties, suppressing dissent, and committing numerous human rights violations during his regime,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairperson, said.

“To reduce his oppressive rule to a mere “Diktadura” is a disservice to the countless victims of his dictatorship and an affront to the pursuit of historical accuracy and truth,” he added.

“DepEd bears a solemn responsibility to provide students with an accurate and comprehensive understanding of their country’s history. By attempting to sanitize and whitewash the term “Diktadurang Marcos,” it is failing in its duty to promote critical thinking and historical consciousness among Filipino youth,” Quetua said.

The group called on DepEd to immediately retract this directive and ensure that the Grade 6 Araling Panlipunan Curriculum accurately reflects the historical truths of the Marcos dictatorship.