Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa (Filipino for "One Nation, One Spirit") was the national motto of the Philippines from 1978 to 1986, during the presidency of President Ferdinand Marcos. It was adopted on June 9, 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1413. The motto has been criticized and has been denounced as "the slogan of a fascist regime".
"Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa" was adopted on June 9, 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1413, [1] a key element in Marcos's vision of building his "New Society". When the new motto was finally unveiled three days later on Independence Day during the 1978 State of the Nation Address, Marcos claimed that it was imperative for the nation to build a united though diverse political community. [2]
It shall remain the paramount concern of our government to unite our country behind the cause of justice and dignity, to lift those who live in conditions of poverty, ignorance and lack of opportunity, so that together they may form one united political community. And regardless of differences in our views, we shall strive to be one nation, in which one will be free to disagree with another without undermining national unity. We shall be a nation with one purpose, no matter how differently individuals express themselves.
The precise meaning and rationale of "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa" remains disputed, although it has been argued that the motto was part and parcel of the state's projection of its political power towards building the New Society, especially with the imposition of Martial Law in 1972. The motto in turn arguably embodied the New Society's cultural consciousness, developed in part through First Lady Imelda Marcos's socio-cultural projects. [3] It was incorporated into the national coat of arms, and even a patriotic song from the period, Ako ay Pilipino ("I am Filipino") by George Canseco, incorporated the new motto in its chorus. [4]
Following Marcos's ouster in the People Power Revolution, "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa" was abolished by his successor, Corazon Aquino, on September 10, 1986 by virtue of Memorandum Order No. 34, which revoked the decree making the motto official. [5] Public usages of the motto were quickly removed thereafter; for example, the motto was dropped from the coat of arms with the passage of the Administrative Code of 1987. [6] The Philippines would not have another national motto until 1998, when the current motto, " Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa " ("For God, People, Nature and Country") was adopted under Republic Act No. 8491 (the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines), promulgated during the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos. [7]
Despite its abolition, unofficial use of the motto has persisted. "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa" has been invoked in the speeches of prominent politicians and government officials, including Manila mayor Isko Moreno, [8] Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, [9] and Philippine ambassador to Switzerland Denis Lepatan, [10] while presidential candidate Eddie Gil used it for the name of his political party in the 2004 Philippine presidential election. [11] The motto has also been referenced in a song about the rehabilitation of Marawi, [12] and is also invoked by persons and groups who remain loyal to Ferdinand Marcos, [13] even being used by Marcos' son, Bongbong Marcos, to forward his own political ambitions. [14]
"Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa" has been criticized and denounced as being "the slogan of a fascist regime". [15] [16] [17]
Architect and author Gerard Lico claims that the motto builds on a narrative of national palingenesis or rebirth, with the motto being seen as the culmination of the Marcoses' desire to build a single national identity that ultimately centered around their cult of personality. [18] Meanwhile, Dr. Michael Tan, Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Diliman, criticized the motto for embodying a predominantly Catholic, Tagalophone monocultural national identity that came at the expense of the country's other religions, ethnic groups and languages. [19] The Tagalophone aspect of this identity was further criticized by Philippine Star columnist Bobit Avila, who claimed that the motto embodied poorly executed Jacobinist thought. [20]
The motto however is not without its defenders. Columnist Kitch Ortego, writing in the Manila Standard , invoked "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa" as being representative of a former culture of consensus in Philippine politics, [21] while former Senator and Marcos-era Information Minister Francisco Tatad, writing in the Manila Times , claimed that the motto was unfairly victimized by Corazon Aquino administration's vilification of Marcos's achievements — part of a larger claim that he makes accusing her, former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and their son, President Benigno Aquino III, of being overly vindictive towards Marcos and his family. [22]
"Lupang Hinirang", originally titled in Spanish as "Marcha Nacional Filipina", and commonly and informally known by its incipit "Bayang Magiliw", is the national anthem of the Philippines. Its music was composed in 1898 by Julián Felipe, and the lyrics were adopted from the Spanish poem "Filipinas", written by José Palma in 1899.
The coat of arms of the Philippines features the eight-rayed sun of the Philippines with each ray representing the eight provinces which were placed under martial law by Governor-General Ramón Blanco Sr. during the Philippine Revolution, and the three five-pointed stars representing the three major island groups of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Filipino is a language under the Austronesian language family. It is the national language of the Philippines, and one of the two official languages of the country, with English. It is a standardized variety of Tagalog based on the native dialect, spoken and written, in Metro Manila, the National Capital Region, and in other urban centers of the archipelago. The 1987 Constitution mandates that Filipino be further enriched and developed by the other languages of the Philippines.
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of civil resistance against regime violence and electoral fraud. The nonviolent revolution led to the departure of Ferdinand Marcos, the end of his 20-year dictatorship and the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.
Renato Reyes Constantino Sr. was a Filipino historian known for being part of the leftist tradition of Philippine historiography. Apart from being a historian, Constantino was also engaged in foreign service, working for the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) was the main political multi-party electoral alliance of the traditional political opposition during the turbulent last years of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in the mid-1980s. It was formed in January 1980, and was originally known as the United Democratic Opposition from 1980 to 1982. It was initially a union of eight major and minor political parties and organizations with the main aim to oust President Marcos through a legal political process. In April 1982, the coalition received its present name, and increased its members to twelve parties. Shortly after the assassination of popular opposition senator Benigno Aquino Jr., the party was led by Senator Salvador Laurel of Batangas.
Lope K. Santos was a Filipino Tagalog-language writer and former senator of the Philippines. He is best known for his 1906 socialist novel, Banaag at Sikat and for his contributions to the development of Filipino grammar and Tagalog orthography.
Ligaya G. Tiamson-Rubin, is a Filipino writer. A multiple Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature recipient, and currently a professor of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Today, she is teaching Filipino 25, Mga Ideya at Estilo under the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature at the College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines Diliman in Diliman, Quezon City.
Francisco "Soc" Aldana Rodrigo was a Filipino playwright, lawyer, broadcaster, and a Senator of the Philippines from 1955 to 1967.
"Sa Aking Mga Kabatà" is a poem about the love of one's native language written in Tagalog. It is widely attributed to the Filipino national hero José Rizal, who supposedly wrote it in 1868 at the age of eight. There is not enough evidence, however, to support authorship by Rizal and several historians now believe it to be a hoax.
"Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo", released in English as "A New and Better Way—The People's Anthem," is a 1986 song recorded in Filipino by a supergroup composed of 15 Filipino artists. The song serves to commemorate the bloodless People Power Revolution which ended President Ferdinand Marcos's 20-year rule, as well as a benefit single for the rehabilitation of Radio Veritas, a public affairs radio station instrumental in the revolution. The lyrics of the song are inscribed on a wall of Our Lady of EDSA Shrine, the center of the revolution.
Elections for the House of Representatives in the Philippines were held on May 11, 1987. This was the first legislative election since 1984, the first House of Representatives elections since 1969, and the first election since the People Power Revolution that overthrew president Ferdinand Marcos and brought Corazon Aquino to power after alleged election fraud by the former during the 1986 presidential election against the latter.
The Ang Bagong Lipunan Series is the name used to refer to Philippine banknotes and coins issued by the Central Bank of the Philippines from 1973 to 1985. It was succeeded by the New Design series of banknotes. The lowest denomination of the series is 2-piso and the highest is 100-piso.
The Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino is a liberal political party in the Philippines.
Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa is the national motto of the Philippines. Derived from the last four lines of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine Flag, it was adopted on February 12, 1998 with the passage of Republic Act No. 8491, the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, during the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos. Its adoption came twelve years after the abolition of the country's previous motto, "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa", which was adopted during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos in 1979.
Tanggol Wika or Alyansa ng Mga Tagapagtanggol ng Wikang Filipino is a Philippine-based organization founded in 2014 in an assembly of more than 300 professors, students, writers and cultural activists at the De La Salle University-Manila, as a response to the abolition of formerly mandatory Filipino language subjects in Philippine colleges and universities because of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order No. 20, Series of 2013, which implements a new General Education Curriculum (GEC) as part and parcel of the Philippine government's adoption of the Kindergarten to 12 years of basic education or K to 12 program.
The Great Seal of the Philippines is used to authenticate official documents of the government of the Philippines.
Zeus Atayza Salazar is a Filipino historian, anthropologist, and philosopher of history, best known for pioneering an emic perspective in Philippine history called Pantayong Pananaw, earning him the title "Father of New Philippine Historiography." He is a major player in the indigenization campaign in the Philippines. Salazar spent 30 years teaching at University of the Philippines Diliman and held both history department chair and college dean positions.
Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, simply known as Buwan ng Wika, is a month-long annual observance in the Philippines held every August to promote the national language, Filipino. The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) is the lead agency in charge of organizing events in relation to the observances.
"We may have differences in languages, culture, and traditions and in fact naturally we have been divided by nature that isang Pilipinas tayo nothing more, nothing less. isang bansa, isang diwa sa puso natin, tayong lahat ay Pilipino (One country, one spirit in our hearts, we're all Filipinos)," Domagoso said.
This is our new hope at alam naman namin na may awa ang Diyos at makakaraos din tayo. Kapit lang! Isang bansa, isang diwa, sama-sama, walang away-away. Vaccination is the solution to the nation.[This is our new hope and we know anyway that the Lord has compassion and we will get through this. Let's hold on! One nation, one spirit, together, no arguments. Vaccination is the solution to the nation.]
He added that, "It was the will and determination of the people that made us a nation "isang bansa, isang diwa (one country, one spirit)".
Every supporter was handed a sticker bearing the former president's face and with the words "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa #SalamatApo."
Marcos vowed to lead a movement to restore unity for "Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa, Isang Gawa" a slogan his father used under his campaign for a so-called New Society during his martial law regime.
