about the commission
The Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) was created by Republic Act No. 10368, also known as “An Act Providing for Reparation and Recognition of Victims of Human Rights Violations During the Marcos Regime, Documentation of Said Violations, Appropriating Funds Therefor and For Other Purposes” particularly under Section 27.
The Commission’s primary mandate is to establish, restore, preserve and conserve a Memorial Museum, Library, Archive and Compendium in honor of the human rights violation victims (HRVVs) during the Marcos regime who are included in the Roll of Human Rights Violations Victims determined by the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB). It is also tasked to display the Roll of Victims in government offices and public places and prepare a compendium of their sacrifices.
The HRVVMC shall coordinate and collaborate with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) “to ensure that the teaching of Martial Law atrocities, the lives and sacrifices of HRVVs in our history are included in the basic, secondary and tertiary education curricula.” It is hoped that the current and future generations will learn lessons from our experiences during martial law in order to continue defending human rights and democratic institutions.
The Memorial Commission shall have an appropriation of at least Five Hundred Million Pesos (P500,000,000.00) from the accrued interest of the Ten Billion Peso (P10,000,000,000.00) fund which came from Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth in Switzerland and returned to the Philippine government by virtues of the decisions of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The Board of Trustees may receive donations and grants for and on its behalf, and generate revenues for the benefit of the Commission. The operating budget of the HRVVMC shall be appropriated from the General Appropriations Act (GAA). The Commission shall be attached to the CHR, only for budgetary and administrative purposes.
Photo: Anti-riot police break up the protest of Artex workers in Malabon on July 9, 1984. In Photos of Anti-Riot Police Clash July 9, 1984, Variety of Loose Pictures up to 1986, Filippijnengroep Nederland Collection. Accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission.
Photo: An image of Ferdinand Marcos and his family. Accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission.
House Bill No. 5990 was introduced by Representatives Lorenzo Tañada, Edcel Lagman, Walden Bello, Arlene Bag-ao, Teodoro Casiño, Neri Colmenares, Rafael Mariano, Luzviminda Ilagan, Antonio Tinio, Emerenciana de Jesus, and Raymond Palatino. It is a substitution of various other house bills (HB54, HB97, HB302 HB954, and HB1693) filed separately by the same authors.
Photo: Martial law victims staging a protest in 2018. Image taken by Jonathan Cellona on January 18, 2018. Taken from ABS-CBN News
SB No. 3334 was filed by Senators Serge Osmeña, Teofisto Guingona III, Francis Escudero, and Franklin Drilon later that year.
Photo: A copy of R.A. No. 10368. Screenshot taken from the PDF file in "Republic Act No. 10368," Official Gazette, February 25, 2013, accessed July 5, 2022. Link to Official Gazzette
Photo: Funeral procession of the Lakbayan Martyrs from the US Embassy to the Malate Church in April 1984. In 1. Filippijnengroep Nederland Collection. Accessed through the archives of the Human Rights Violations Victims Memorial Commission.
mission
In solidarity with human rights violations victims we shall:
Establish a memorial, museum, library and compendium in honor of the human rights violations victims during the Marcos regime;
Collect, preserve and conserve relevant resources; Ensure the learnings from the Martial Law atrocities, and the lives and sacrifices of the human right violations victims be included in the education curricula.
VISION
We are the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission, an inter-agency body that serves as the most comprehensive and authoritative source of knowledge and information on human rights violations during the martial law period from 1972-1986 as our way of promoting good governance towards a just, humane and democratic society.
