Castro to next DepEd chief: Restore Philippine History as 'dedicated' subject to prevent revisionism

ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro on Friday called on the incoming secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) to restore Philippine History as a "dedicated" subject in the high school curriculum.

Presumptive vice president Sara Duterte has accepted the offer to be the next DepEd chief under the Marcos administration.

"We challenge the incoming Department of Education secretary and the next administration to ensure the inclusion of Philippine History as a subject in the high school curriculum," Castro said in a press release.

"Join the call of thousands of academics and students in their fight against widespread dissemination of fake news and disinformation related to the Martial Law regime's ill record. Do not use our education system as a tool for further revision of our history," she added.

She said the next DepEd chief should be able to discern the importance of the subjects, as according to her, this would play a major role in the "downfall of the quality of education."

"It is up to the government to ensure that education is a priority, that our educators have adequate support and that the curriculum does not aid historical revisionism and denialism for the sins against the Filipino people," Castro said.

GMA News Online has reached out to the Duterte camp for comment on Castro's call.

According to the lawmaker, the subject was removed from the high school curriculum under the K to 12 program. She said events of Philippine History are only integrated in several subjects instead of having an "independent" subject.

Early this year, the DepEd clarified that it did not remove Philippine History in its curriculum.

Castro said the ACT Teachers party-list filed in the 18th Congress House Bill 8621 mandating the inclusion of Philippine History as a subject in the high school curriculum.

She said the proposed measure has been tackled in the House committee on basic education and culture, adding that this has gained support from fellow lawmakers as "many agreed that there is a need to bring back a dedicated subject tackling the history of our country from the local histories of provinces up to the history of our nation and how they affect our lives today."

Castro said "the destructive effects of the absence of Philippine History in the high school curriculum must be addressed, especially now that there are efforts of historical revisionism."

"The youth should understand the significance of September 21, 1972, the effects of the declaration of martial rule in our country and why the people should fight the tyrannical rule of the Duterte administration and the return of the son of the dictator in Malacañang. They should know and understand Republic Act 10368 or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013," Castro said.—AOL, GMA News