You may be familiar with slang terms in English – words like lowkey, vibe, cancelled, and lit – and you’ve also probably heard of our own slang terms in Filipino like “lodi,” “dehins,” and “omsim.” Historians note that Filipinos have an affinity for creating and using slang terms.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, let us discover the different Filipino slang terms that sprang up during that time of chaos, fear, and hope.

In this video, Associate Professor Melanie D. Turingan of the Department of History of the University of Santo Tomas talks about different slang words such as “balimbing,” “parak,” and “lutong Makoy,” and explains how these were popularly used throughout the Martial Law and EDSA People Power era. 

Turingan reminds us how powerful language is and how our identity will remain tethered to these words as long as we remember our history. – Rappler.com

This video is co-produced by Rappler interns Joshua Pichay, Antonio Marzan, and Nicole Angeles.

Animator: David Castuciano
Graphics artists: Alyssa Arizabal, Janina Malinis
Producers: Jaira Roxas, Nick Villavecer