Daytoy ti Bannawag (English: This is the Dawn), also known as the Ferdinand Marcos Monument, is a public statue located at the city plaza of Batac, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. It depicts former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and was inaugurated in 1977. The work is attributed to Italian modernist sculptor Giuseppe Marinucci (1925–1981), and is the only known statue by him in the Philippines.[1]
The monument is officially titled Daytoy ti Bannawag, which in Ilocano translates to This is the Dawn.[3] The phrase alludes to the idea of a “new beginning” or “awakening,” reflecting Marcos’s portrayal of his presidency as ushering in a period of national renewal. Critics, however, argue that the title functions as political propaganda, framing the authoritarian period under martial law as a dawn of progress rather than a time of repression.[4]
The monument was originally installed beside the Ferdinand E. Marcos Presidential Center in Batac. It was subsequently transferred to the city plaza, where it stands today.[5]
The work is attributed to Italian modernist sculptor Giuseppe Marinucci (1925–1981), who was active in Rome in the mid-20th century. Marinucci produced a range of figurative and religious bronze works, often characterised by simplified human forms and monumental scale.[6] Daytoy ti Bannawag is the only known statue by Marinucci in the Philippines, making it a unique example of his international output.[7]
Scholars have noted that such monuments formed part of the Marcos regime’s wider cult of personality, aimed at cultivating myths of national revival and strength under martial law.[8]
Relocation and unveiling of historical marker in 2017
President Bongbong Marcos delivering a speech at the monument during the annual Marcos Day commemoration in 2025.
In 2017, the monument was relocated and renovated as the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) unveiled a historical marker for Ferdinand Marcos on 11 September to coincide with the centenary of his birth.[7][9] The marker formally recognises Marcos’s birth in Sarrat and his political career, but it has drawn criticism from historians and advocacy groups for contributing to state-sponsored historical distortion, as it omits references to human rights abuses, censorship, and corruption during his rule.[10]
Since assuming office in 2022, President Bongbong Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos’s son, has led annual wreath-laying ceremonies at the site every 11 September, now officially commemorated as Marcos Day in Ilocos Norte.[11]
The monument, along with the annual Marcos Day commemorations in Ilocos Norte, has been the subject of controversy. Critics argue that such state-supported practices glorify an authoritarian regime responsible for corruption and human rights violations.[12]
According to a study by the University of the Philippines Third World Studies Center (UP TWSC), the monument is one of 143 sites across Luzon dedicated to or named after Marcos and his family.[13] These are concentrated in the Ilocos Region and the National Capital Region, forming what scholars describe as a “landscape of memory” that reinforces the family’s political presence.[14]
The installation of the NHCP marker in 2017 was criticised by historians, civil society groups, and victims of the martial law regime, who described it as an act of state-sanctioned historical distortion.[7] The unveiling coincided with the Marcos centennial, which was marked by family-led ceremonies despite continuing public opposition.[15]
Legislation declaring 11 September as a special holiday in Ilocos Norte has also been contested in Congress and in public debate. Opponents argue that it legitimises the commemoration of Marcos despite his record of authoritarian rule, while proponents justify it as a matter of local tradition.[16]
Scholars and civic groups argue that these monuments perpetuate historical distortion by portraying the Marcos regime in a favourable light while ignoring or minimising martial law-era abuses.[17] The persistence of such memorials has been linked to the continued political influence of the Marcos family in Ilocos Norte and their rehabilitation in national politics, culminating in the election of Bongbong Marcos as president in 2022.[18]
↑ Aguilar, Delia D. (1982). "The Myths of the New Filipino: Philippine Government Propaganda During the Early Years of Martial Law". Philippine Studies. 30 (3–4). Ateneo de Manila University Press: 373–399. JSTOR29791974.
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