The immediate postwar years were years of conformism and no one, much less the students, was expected to raise a voice against the United States. It was not until the 60's that the students began to feel restive and to be aware of the graft, corruption, and influence peddling that became rampant in the government. It was not until the late sixties and early seventies that mass rallies, strikes and demonstrations began to be staged. The students, jolted out of their cautious and complacent world by the Vietnam war, the Back Poser riots, and the violent upsurge of student activism all over the world were flushed out of insulated classrooms, swamped by Marxism-Leninism-Mao Tse Tung thoughts, and inspired by the new legend surrounding Amado Guerrero and Jose Maria Sison. The 70's was the rises of the "student power" and the demonstrations called "the parliament of the streets" basically were anti-establishments and anti-imperialism - these often led to eruptions of violence and destruction of life and property. The country, supposedly under the threat of subversion and Communist take-over (the perfect reason for taking control of the country), was put under Martial Law by then President Ferdinand Marcos in September 21, 1972. The years that followed led to traumatic experiences especially where the writers (journalistic and literary) were concerned. There was a general clampdown on media. Only the political propaganda, machination of the Marcos government was in operation, in the light of this political situation, some writers were forced to redefine their values and see the word "commitment" or "engagement" in a new slant.
After about fourteen years of political enslavement and oppression where almost all basic human rights were suppressed under dictatorship, the political scenario underwent a sudden change. instrumental in the change was a phenomenal four-day revolution on February 21 -25, 1986 by what has been called "people power." It was generally a bloodless revolution, fought with songs, flowers, friendship, exhortations of unity, and an espousal of a common cause, and the climax of Corazon Aquino's miracle.
ref: Philippine Contemporary Literature in English, Ophelia A. Dimalanta, et.al.
