UP Martial Law Museum Bidding Delayed by Site Issues, Opening Date Uncertain

MANILA, Philippines — Unresolved site arrangements for the University of the Philippines (UP) Freedom Memorial Museum have delayed its procurement, with competitive bidding yet to begin and no contractor or definite opening date for the long-delayed project, according to the Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC). Bidding planned for July 2025 and mobilization targeted thereafter have been pushed back. This is because the site for the museum has not yet been finalized, HRVVMC Executive Director Criselda Yabes told the Inquirer in a phone interview. "The site is still being arranged," Yabes said. She added that the commission is still in the process of "making sure that the site is ready for the bidding." "We are hoping that the bidding will commence by the first quarter of next year," Yabes said. She did not give a definite opening date for the museum. "We have to wait for the bidding to be completed first and then the contractor will commence the construction," Yabes added. The UP Freedom Memorial Museum is envisioned to be a place where victims of human rights violations during the martial law era (1972-1981) can be remembered and honored. "It will be a place of remembrance and education for the Filipino people about the atrocities committed during the Marcos regime," the HRVVMC said on its website. "It is also a place where the victims and their families can find solace and justice," it added. The martial law museum project has been in the works for years, facing various challenges that have led to its repeated postponement. Information Source: Inquirer NewsInfo