Advisers

Shirley Sablayan

Discipline

Social sciences

Abstract

The interpretation of historical events has always been a dynamic process influenced by evolving perspectives, newly discovered evidence, and sociopolitical contexts. In the Philippine setting, this process, commonly referred to as historical revisionism, has become a contentious subject, particularly when it involves the reinterpretation of controversial national events. While legitimate historical revisionism aims to enhance historical understanding through scholarly inquiry, it has, in recent years, been overshadowed by historical distortion, where facts and key events in Philippine history are deliberately manipulated and controlled to serve ideological, political, or personal interests. The study utilizes a qualitative research approach to explore the deep-seated perceptions and lived experiences of the Humanities and Social Sciences alumni of St. Mary’s College Inc., Quezon City. This design is most appropriate because it prioritizes the subjective "lived experience" of the alumni, allowing the researchers to uncover how their Marian education and HUMSS background influence their navigation of shifting historical narratives in the modern era. This study examined the perspectives of HUMSS students on the accuracy and reliability of history lessons, the effects of discussing controversial historical topics in class, the importance of preserving historical truth amid historical revisionism, and their personal experiences in encountering revisionist narratives. The respondents also showed an awareness of bias, recognizing that credibility depended not only on the source itself but also on how historical events and groups were portrayed. Notably, the students described a progression in their learning, from passively accepting information in earlier years to becoming more critical and careful in evaluating historical claims during Senior High School. The respondents agreed that such classroom conversations significantly improved their awareness and critical thinking. These discussions encouraged students to reflect on the consequences of past human actions, understand issues of leadership and accountability, and avoid repeating historical mistakes. The informants emphasized that engaging with sensitive and complex topics helped them move beyond memorization and instead analyze, question, and relate historical events to present social and political realities.

Keywords

historical revisionism, edsa people power, historical distortion, critical thinking, humss alumni