Regretful UP president vows courses on Marcos’ Martial Law, victims memorial, etc.

University of the Philippines President Danny Concepcion on Friday bared plans to make sure the horrors of Ferdinand Marcos' implementation of Martial Law were remembered on campus and in the classroom.

In an open letter to the UP community, Concepcion again apologized for his attendance at the reunion of Kabataang Barangay officers, which included the late dictator's daughter Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos.

The event was allowed at the UP Bahay ng Alumni inside the Diliman campus.

“To reassure the UP Community and all concerned alumni that the UP community and all concerned alumni that the University will never forget the dark period of dictatorship and continuously hold in high regard the best and and bravest who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for freedom and democracy, we commit to do the following in response to their call," Concepcion said.

These initiatives include supporting initiatives to develop additional general education courses, electives and other forms of learning on Martial law, hastening the process for a Martial Law Human Rights Violations Victims Memorial in the grounds of UP Diliman where its potential site has already been identified, issuing a proclamation marking September 21 of every year as UP's Day of Remembrance and creating a permanent committee that will plan for the commemoration every year in all the UP campuses and holding a dialogue with representatives of the faculty, students, staff and alumni before the end of the month to discuss and propose measures on the holding of events on campuses of the University.

“This will ensure that all events held in our facilities respect the collective sentiments of the community and to encourage UP community's involvement in preserving and enhancing democracy and the people's welfare,” Concepcion said.

“The Office of the President of UP always listens to and serves the UP community,” he added. —Llanesca Panti/NB, GMA News