#MaJoHa flooded the internet after a teen referred to Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora as “MaJoHa” instead of “GomBurZa” in a Pinoy Big Brother video. Clearly, changes in our educational system are in order. And no, reinstating Philippine History in high school as proposed by teachers to the Department of Education (DepEd) will not address the root of the problem.
Over the years, students have become so attuned to memorization during history classes that its importance is overlooked. No matter how many years are added to study the subject, the lack of interest and opportunities for reflection will make the efforts of teachers and students pointless.
For one, the lack of comprehension will have history repeat itself. With the many details to learn, students end up simply memorizing for the examination and passively absorbing the content. A study by Heidi L. Luhan and Stephen E. DiCarlo affirms that passive learning (where students receive information directly from the instructor) compromises understanding and lifelong learning. If the focus doesn’t shift to real-life applications, humanity will keep reliving past mistakes, never truly learning from them.
For instance, the latter of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s presidential terms was an era of human rights violations and economic crisis—with extrajudicial killings, no freedom of the press, and the lowest Gross Domestic Product (an indicator for economic growth) recorded during this time. In a united display against dictatorship, Filipinos marched the streets of EDSA in February 1986 in what became known as the first People Power Revolution. Yet, almost forty years later, many continue to believe it to be the “Golden Age” of the Philippines—an idea that is constantly emphasized in the Marcoses’ political life. The 2022 Philippine elections are no exception, with people falling victim to propaganda and popular beliefs, and electing his son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., as the presumptive 17th Philippine president.
Without a solid foundation on the subject, the truth can be distorted, and the past can be rewritten, leaving people in the same situation that our ancestors fought so hard against.
In line with this, passive learning fails to honor the sacrifices of our predecessors. The objective of teaching Philippine history is to salute our heroes’ sacrifices and instill in children the same values that have shaped their narratives. However, if lessons are centered on the names of the people, places, and events involved (whether or not intentional), then the weight of their sacrifices is undermined.
The “MaJoHa” mix-up in the Pinoy Big Brother video is evidence of this, with years of studying not resulting in that unwavering familiarity and deep appreciation that many hope for.
One might point out that learning concrete information about a person’s background is still crucial in preserving their memories. While this is true, the key messages of their stories tend to be buried in the vast amount of details. Imparting only the necessary information, such as the names of key figures and notable events, for children to expound on their learnings would be the best way to honor our national heroes.
Alternatively, instead of allocating more years for studying Philippine history, schools can decrease the volume of information covered to increase the quality of education. Luhan and DiCarlo’s paper states that our current system leans more toward lecture-based methods because much information must be covered in a short span of time. For example, the Senior High School curriculum is composed of heavy coursework usually crammed into one semester.
Limiting the curriculum to only the essential details will provide more opportunities for reflection. While these should be addressed by DepEd, third-party specialists should review the proposed curriculum for accountability. Activities can be more open-ended, encouraging students to use their knowledge to answer questions that will promote critical thinking and form connections between the past and present.
History is more than a compilation of stories and a reservoir of information—it is a letter for future generations. We should stop defiling history by painting it as a subject of data, but instead focus on its essence, which is to recognize the true value of the past and what it has to offer to the present. We are just a small adjustment away from change. If we don’t choose to resolve this issue now, then we risk not only our country’s dignity but our identity as well.
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