FEU honors its own martial law martyrs, heroes with Wall of Remembrance

FEU honors its own martial law martyrs, heroes with Wall of Remembrance

At the site of FEU’s Wall of Remembrance, from left: May Rodriguez, Executive Director of Bantayog ng mga Bayani; Mike Alba, FEU president; Ester Isberto. (Photos provided)

Ester and Mon Isberto were political detainees during martial law and are now anti-dictatorship and human rights advocates.

Both are involved in activities marking Martial Law@50, particularly those related to letting people know atrocities indeed existed during the Marcos martial law years, a reality being countered by the present President Bong Bong Marcos and his supporters. The couple, along with hundreds of others, work to promote and preserve Bantayog ng mga Bayani, a memorial to honor martial law martyrs and heroes who died fighting the dictatorship under the President Ferdinand Marcos Sr..

The Isbertos spent Sept. 21, 2022, the day martial law was proclaimed 50 years ago, at the Far Eastern University, one of the largest and prestigious academic institutions in the Philippines.
Ester Isberto explains in a post in Tara Let’s Bagets Facebook page, a space they have created for the organization of the same name, composed of family and friends of the martyrs and heroes enshrined in Bantayog ng mga Bayani:

“I am very proud of FEU because they have set up their own Wall of Remembrance of their martial law martyrs and heroes. This is (located in two walls facing each other along) the walk entering their main library.

There were five forum speakers, Mon and Ester Isberto, two professors and one film director shown with certificates of appreciation.

“Bantayog’s researched records helped validate the FEU students and professionals resistance record against martial law.

FEU’s martyrs and heroes where their images and information are displayed on the walls are: Senator Jovito Salonga, Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengko, Quintin Yuyitung, Lorena Barros, Antonio Ariago, Juliet Armea, Monico Atienza, Crispin Beltran, Bonifacio Gillego, Alfredo Jasul and Mary Bernard Jimenez.

Isberto added: “We talked with 80 to 100 FEU students last Sept 21 about martial law: How it affected the people’s lives, not only those who resisted it but also the ordinary people; how important it is to search for the truth especially now with so much fake news being generated wilfully; and how love of country motivated students during those years to resist martial law inspite of the great danger to their lives.”

She said the conversation was enlightening to the students, in terms of understanding what really happened during those dark years.

The Isbertos are thankful to FEU president Mike Alba for his advocacy and support for FEU’s Wall of Remembrance, emulated as an honorable way to recognize the school’s martyrs – a project viewers and others hoped will be duplicated in other universities and schools throughout the country. – MAG

The Isbertos in an event of Bantayog ng mga Bayani, with college students in another school.

Mon and Ester with a student of FEU at the Sept. 21, 2022 forum at the site of the Wall of Remembrance.