Never Again, Never Forget: Overseas Filipinos Rise Against Corruption and Dictatorship

On September 21, 1972, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law, plunging the Philippines into one of the darkest chapters in our history. For fourteen years, the Filipino people endured and fought back against the dictatorship, plunder, and repression. Tens of thousands were arrested without warrant, tortured, killed or forcibly disappeared. The regime plundered billions from the nation’s coffers, leaving our country in deep debt and crisis.

But the crimes of Martial Law were not only the killings and corruption. Marcos Sr. also laid the foundation for economic policies of all post-Marcos Sr. governments that favour foreign interests and big landlord and big business interests over that of the Filipino people. His dictatorship institutionalized labour export as state policy, abandoning the duty to build national industries and provide decent work at home. Instead of securing dignified lives in the Philippines, millions of Filipinos were forced to work abroad and leave their families behind. Successive governments like that of Corazon Aquino proclaimed overseas workers as “new economic heroes” or “bagong bayani” because of their remittances. Her successor Fidel Ramos called them “internationally shared human resources”, another way of saying OFWs were export commodities. OFWs have always kept the economy afloat with remittances, yet migrants were denied and continue to be denied the protection, rights, and adequate services from the very government that profits from their sacrifices.

Today, 53 years later, the legacy of Martial Law continues under the US-Marcos Jr. regime. Corruption, extravagance, and neglect define the government’s priorities. Overseas Filipinos continue to pay high fees, endure embassy inaction, and face abuse without protection. The state still values remittances over our dignity.

Meanwhile, the Duterte clique, once allied with the Marcoses, now finds itself in crisis. The impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte over corruption and misuse of funds shows the deep rottenness of the ruling elite. Whether Marcos or Duterte, both represent a corrupt system that exploits the Filipino people and abandons overseas Filipino migrants.

As Overseas Filipinos, we know the cost of state abandonment. We endure separation from families, exploitation in foreign lands, and neglect from our own government. Yet we also know our strength. Migrants are not passive victims — we are part of the Filipino people’s struggle for justice, democracy, and genuine change.

We are enraged and we join our kababayan back home in calling out the systemic corruption in the Philippines that is rooted in bureaucrat capitalism. Migrante Canada calls on our friends and families back home to join the protest at the Luneta on September 21st! Bahain ng protesta ang korap na sistema! Flood the corrupt system with protests!

On the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law, we declare: Never Again, Never Forget! We call on all Overseas Filipinos to:

Organize migrant associations, unions, and solidarity networks abroad to fight systemic government corruption in the Philippines.

Expose and oppose corruption from Marcos Jr. to Sara Duterte.

Defend historical truth against lies and distortion about Martial Law.

Unite with workers, peasants, women, and youth in the Philippines fighting for genuine democracy and sovereignty.

The fight against dictatorship and corruption, far from being history, is a continuation of the Filipino people’s struggle, being lived out every day, in the cities and countryside, and in the host countries where overseas Filipinos work. From Martial Law to Marcos Jr. and Duterte, the people’s demands remain the same: Justice, Accountability, and Dignity.

Never Again to Martial Law! Never Again to Dictatorship!