MANILA – A proposed measure mandating the the inclusion of Philippine History in high-school curriculum has been filed in the Senate.

According to the bill, the teaching of Philippine history "will aid the youth in understanding how the society we live in came to be through time."

"To lead this nation into the future would require an understanding of the country's historical roots and cultural heritage in ideally all levels of formal education," Sen. Robin Padilla, the proponent of the legislation, said in a statement.

• Padilla: Marcos narrative 'not tsismis'

The Department of Education earlier removed Philippine History as a dedicated subject from the curriculum of high school students.

In effect, discussions of events in Philippine history are only integrated with several subjects instead of an independent subject focused on teaching the narration of facts.

• Philippine history still taught under basic education curriculum: DepEd

Under Padilla's bill, the Philippine History subject shall "inculcate a sense of patriotism, include the history, culture, and identity of the Bangsamoro and Indigenous People."

It also seeks to enable "critical thinking and discourse" on the effects and relevance of Philippine historical events, persons, and movements to the present.

"Lest we forget the old saying that to deny and obliterate people their own understanding of their history is the most effective way to destroy them," said Padilla, who recently made a special appearance in the controversial movie "Maid in Malacañang," which has been criticized for distorting the last 72 hours of the Marcos family in Malacañang in 1986 before they went into exile.

"It is truly unfortunate for our youth, whom we dub as the hope and future of our nation, to be stripped of the opportunity to wade through the books of our invaluable past."

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