During the repressive years of Martial Law in the Philippines, countless stories of courage emerged as responses to a regime marked by human rights abuses and authoritarian rule. One of these stories is recounted in Francisco Jayme Paolo A. Guiang’s chapter, “To Struggle and Triumph: Maria Cristina V. Rodriguez’s Life during the Martial Law Years,” featured in The Marcos Years: The Age of Crisis and Repression, edited by Ferdinand C. Llanes (2023). Guiang’s work details the life of Maria Cristina V. Rodriguez, an activist whose commitment to social justice led to her arrest, torture, and imprisonment under the dictatorship.

The chapter follows Rodriguez’s journey from student activism at the University of the Philippines to her later resistance against oppression, immersing readers in the brutal tactics used to silence dissent. Guiang’s narrative connects Rodriguez’s personal resilience to the larger context of human rights abuses and resistance during the Marcos era, providing a compelling perspective on the political and personal costs of dictatorship.

This chapter is a valuable addition to Philippine studies, offering a nuanced view of the social and political dynamics of the period. By chronicling Rodriguez’s story, Guiang underscores the importance of preserving memories of resistance, especially in times of repression—a theme that continues to resonate deeply in the Philippines today. Get the full-text PDF copy [here].

To explore more of Francisco Jayme Paolo A. Guiang’s work, including his studies on critical pedagogy and social critique during the Commonwealth Period, check out his other publications:

Edited book

• Guiang, Francisco Jayme Paolo A., Jose Monfred C. Sy, Patricia Ruth P. Jasmin, and Gerardo M. Lanuza, editors. 2024 (forthcoming). Mula Palengke patungong Paaralan: Critical, Nationalist, and Democratic Pedagogy in the Philippines. Quezon City: IBON Foundation, Inc.

Journal articles

• “Social Criticism during the Commonwealth Period: Renato Constantino and the Philippine Collegian, 1939–1940.” (2022) Diliman Review 66(1): 18–48.
• “Science for National Development: State-Science Engagements through the Research Exploits of the National Research Council of the Philippines during the Commonwealth Period (1934-1941).” (2021) Philippine Social Sciences Review 73(2): 63–91.

For a complete list of his contributions to education and social science, see his Research Gate profile.