These E-Books on Martial Law, Fascism, and Dictatorship Can Be Downloaded for Free

On February 25, 2026, the Philippines commemorates the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, a series of non-violent demonstrations that led to the departure of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and ultimately ended the 20-year dictatorship. It is also known as the EDSA Revolution, having transpired along the Metro Manila thoroughfare from February 22 to 25, 1986.

From 2002 to 2023, the day has been declared as a special non-working holiday to allow Filipinos to pay their respects to the victims of the regime and recognize the bloodless revolution as a key turning point in the struggle against fascism. But most recently, with the Marcoses back in Malacañang, February 25 is no longer included in the list of holidays. In 2024, it was pointed out by President Bongbong Marcos that the day "falls on a Sunday" [anyway]; and in 2025, it was proclaimed as a special working day. Still, many academic institutions opted to suspend classes or implement alternative learning modes, hoping to not further erase this part of our history from the minds of the youth.

With the Internet (as well as several books, movies, shows, and all kinds of media) available to us, we really have no excuse not to know the facts about the People Power Revolution. The University of the Philippines Diliman's Sentro ng Wikang Filipino likewise has several e-books available for download by the public through the SWF website.

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Published in 2022 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, PS 21 Wika, Panitikan, at Kultura sa Ilalim ng Batas Militar highlights the importance of teaching Philippine Studies 21, a General Education course at the University of the Philippines. The subject was introduced by the UP Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature (College of Arts and Letters) in the second semester of the school year 2019-2020.

The volume contains lectures by UP professors, including "Kasaysayan ng Batas Militar at Rebisyonismong Historikal" by Rowena R. Boquiren, "Masigabong Panitikan at Sining sa Panahon ng Batas Militar" by Reuel M. Aguila, "Sinematikong Alaala at Batas Militar" by Laurence Marvin S. Castillo, and other related literature. Likewise, it also features essays on teaching PS21.

Gonzalo Campoamor II, in Wika at Pasismo: Politika ng Wika at Araling Wika sa Panahon ng Diktadura (2018), emphasizes how language can be an instrument of power, especially under Martial Law. Book chapters include discussions on dominant language, the study of language itself, and the politics of language.

Balaraw: Mga Tula at Dagli sa Panahon ng Pandemya at Pasismo (2021) recognizes that fascism in the Philippines never really ended, and it was even felt during the pandemic, when the fault in our systems was exposed. The volume includes creative works in Filipino and other Philippine languages that serve as battlecries against oppression, systemic violence, and other modes of socio-political crises. It features poems and short stories by Tresia Siplante Traqueña, Ronnel V. Talusan, Renz Rosario, Paolo Manalo, May M. Dolis, Kris Berse, Katherine T. Jayme, Juan Ekis, Joshua Mari Lumbera, Faye Cura, Christine Marie L. Magpile, Beverly W. Siy, Von Mark Viñas, Stefani J Alvarez, Roma Estrada, Mark Angeles, and Ansherina May D. Jazul.

Raymond V. Palatino, a blogger, activist, and former Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (under Kabataan Partylist), writes about blogging as a platform for critical discourse.

"May hugot ang mga pinili kong sanaysay sa mga nagdaang rehimen at marami ay naglalaman ng mga salitang hango sa balita na maaaring hindi na pamilyar sa konteksto sa kasalukuyan. Kaya isang byahe sa malapit na nakaraan ang alay ng kompilasyong ito. Gayunpaman, hindi lang ito komentaryo patungkol sa nakalipas na dekada. Ito ay may layong magbigay din ng kritika sa pulitika ng bansa habang nagbibigay-diin sa halaga ng pakikisangkot ng marami, lalo na ng kabataan, sa pagtulak ng pagbabago," he writes in his introduction for Mga Piling Tala ng Isang Blogger (2019).

It is well documented that thousands of individuals, from critics to journalists, activists, and students, were forcibly abducted, detained, tortured, and killed by state forces during the 20-year Martial Law era under Marcos. There's even a monument called "Bantayog ng mga Desaparecido" (in Baclaran, Paranaque) that bears the names of more than 1,300 people who were forcibly disappeared (desaparecido). Pag-angkop sa Kagipitan at Ligalig (2020) not only contains reported numbers of these cases from 1977 to 1983, but also narrates the experiences of political prisoners and their families.

In Pagtatahip-Dunong (2022), Joel C. Malabanan surveys the evolution and development of protest songs from 1986 to 2018.

"Paano magagamit ang mga ito sa pagtuturo? Ano-ano ang mga awit na nalikha noong 1986-2018 na itinatanghal ng mga kilusang bayan sa Kalakhang Maynila magmula 1986 hanggang 2018? Paano sinasalamin ng mga awit ang kalagayan ng lipunan at paano nagkabisa ang mga ito sa pakikibaka ng mga kilusang bayan? Paano magagamit ang mga musikang makabayan sa pagtatahip-dunong upang higit na mapahalagahan ang pag-aaral ng wika at panitikan (sa elementarya at hayskul) at labanan ang paglaganap ng kaisipang kolonyal sa kabataan sa kasalukuyan?," he writes in his introduction.

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