On Sept. 21, the University of the Philippines (UP) will observe the Day of Remembrance to honor its role in the struggle against martial law and continue educating the community about the importance of academic freedom, civil liberties, and human rights. On the eve of this commemoration, UP and the Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) will dedicate the site for a memorial sculpture, The Book of Tears, at the Freedom Memorial Museum in UP Diliman.
The HRVVMC, established under Republic Act No. 10368, is tasked with preserving the memory of victims of human rights violations (HRVVs) during the Marcos regime. In 2018, UP and the HRVVMC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the creation of a Human Rights Violations Memorial, Museum, and/or Library in UP Diliman. The MOU was signed by then-UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and HRVVMC Chair Rene Escalante, witnessed by UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora and HRVVMC Executive Director Carmelo Victor Crisanto.
In 2019, a national competition selected the Fall of Brutal design by architects Mark Anthony Pait, Mark Angelo Bonita, and Wendell Crispo for the museum. The design by Arch. Joselito Guttierez and multimedia artist Toym Leon Imao won the People's Choice Award.
The Book of Tears sculpture, designed by Guttierez and Imao, will stand at the museum's entrance along CP Garcia Ave.
Site Dedication at UP Diliman
The dedication, themed The Memorial Before the Museum, will take place on Sept. 20 at 8 a.m. at the Campus Maintenance Office (CMO) grounds, near CP Garcia Ave. HRVVMC Executive Director Chuck Crisanto, UP President Angelo Jimenez, and UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II will deliver messages. Imao will also present his concept for the memorial.
Program: The Memorial Before the Museum
8:00 a.m. – National Anthem
8:05 a.m. – Opening Prayer by Fr. Flavie Villanueva, SVD
8:10 a.m. – Welcome Remarks by HRVVMC Executive Director Chuck Crisanto
8:15 a.m. – Presentation of Memorial Concept by Prof. Toym de Leon Imao
8:20 a.m. – Message by UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II
8:30 a.m. – Message by UP President Angelo A. Jimenez
8:40 a.m. – Ceremonial Blessing of the Site
This dedication is part of UP's week-long program, culminating on Sept. 27 with the formal signing of the deed of transfer for the new UP Diliman campus maintenance offices and workshops. This project, funded by the HRVVMC, will allow the construction of the Freedom Memorial Museum to proceed.
Throughout September, UP campuses nationwide will hold events commemorating the Day of Remembrance. In UP Diliman, the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) will host exhibitions and talks in collaboration with various colleges and departments. The UP Film Institute will mark the martial law anniversary with a film series titled Pamantasang Hirang 'Di Pasisiil, while the UP Fine Arts Gallery-Parola will present Paggunita at Pagdiwang exhibitions. In UP Cebu, OICA will organize a series of programs under the theme Tugubtob sa Kamatuoran.
The Book of Tears
Toym Imao's The Book of Tears features a family of four huddled together, holding a book at their center. Three figures and the book are bronze, while the tallest figure, representing the father who has passed away, is white with wisps on his back. The sculpture symbolizes the lives lost during martial law and the permanent impact of that loss on families. The book in the sculpture represents the 11,103 state-recognized victims of martial law atrocities. The piece also reflects how stories and memories keep the lost alive, much like the father, absent but still remembered.
In addition to embodying collective grief, the sculpture serves as a fountain, which is why it's called The Book of Tears. This maquette was first displayed at the UP Fine Arts Gallery in 2022 as part of Tao sa Tao: Mga Totoong Kwento ng Martial Law.
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