Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (September 11th 1917 - September 28th 1989) was the 10th president of the Filipino . He directed the country of the December 30th 1965 to the February 25th 1986.

Its beginnings

Ferdinand Marcos was born has Sarrat, ilocos norte. He is the son of Mariano Marcos, man of law, and Josefa Quetulio Edralin, teaching. The junior by 4 children, it is of origin Filipino (local tribe), Chinese and Japanese. He began primary school education in the school of Sarrat, then was transferred has Shamrock, and finally, at the elementary school Ermita, when his/her father was elected appointed with the Filipino congress. He finishes primary school education in 1929.

He was useful in the troops of Filipino reserves as a lieutenant, since 1937. The same year, whereas it was still first-year student of right to the University of Philippines, it was shown murder of the deputy Julio Nalundasan, a political adversary of his father. He was condemned in November 1939, but presented his case in call in front of the supreme court Filipino, and was discharged the following year. At the university, he was a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi, an Asian fraternity of letters old Greek. After having been graduate with the Latin honors, in 1939, it becomes the same year, the Filipino specialist in the legal regularity.

Its presidency

To translate of English.

Martial law

Its vision of the “ Bagong Lipunan (New business)” - similar to the New Order which was imposed in Indonesia by Suharto - was continued during the years of martial law. It was a question of a movement incentive the company to be worked for the common goal of poor like privileged person, and to reach the release of the Filipino by their own efforts ( coil-realization ). Marcos seized companies belonging to family dynasties to recently redistribute them with people in businesses. It also seized of the grounds to redistribute them with local peasants. It was noted however that the redistributions made within the framework of the Bagong Lipunan benefitted the close relations in general from president Marcos. Throughout the period of martial law, these same close relations also profited from considerable political advantages.

In the context of confusion generalized at that time with the Filipino , the declaration of the martial law in general was very well accepted. Criminality fell quickly after the application of a curfew. The political opponents obtained the possibility of leaving in exile. The martial law was applied during 9 years after which excesses of the President and the army started to emerge.

Return to the free elections and end of the martial law

Elections for the Interim Batasang Pambansa (National Assembly) were declared by Marcos on April 7th 1978. The Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (Movement for the New Company), directed by the first lady Imelda Marcos, gained 151 of the 161 seats. None the members of the LABAN - party of Benigno Aquino - gained of seat. Only two regional parties of opposition gained seats with the courses of these elections.

January 17th 1981 the end of the martial law was proclaimed and Marcos announced a presidential election. It did not face any opposition: following the elections of 1978, the LABAN and several other parties boycotted the national elections of 1981 as they had boycotted the regional elections of 1980. Only the party Nacionalista introduced a candidate. Marcos gained the elections with 91,4% of the voices and a margin of 16 million votes.

Economic changes of the Marcos administration

To accelerate economic development, Marcos set up program series. The country then knew an economic period of growth of the medium of the years 1970 with the beginning of the year 1980. The peasants accepted an financial aid and technique then; the government contributed by maintaining artificially certain prices. These measurements made it possible the agricultural sector to develop and made it possible the country to reach rice self-sufficiency in 1976 and to export some. In order to finance the development projects like work of infrastructure, the government took the route of the loan. Measurements tried to attract the investments of foreign assets in the industrial projects. Exemptions of tax were proposed and often the investors could set out again with their profits without passing by the taxes.

One of the most important economic programs of the years 1980 was the Kilusang Kabuhayan At Kaunlaran (Movement for the Livelihood and progress) which was launched in September 1981. Its goal was to promote local economic development by encouraging people to create their own livelihood. The efforts of the government made it possible the country to reach a growth of 6% (the growth was remained lower than 5% during the previous decade). GNP of the country passed from P55 billion in 1972 to P193 billion in 1980. Tourism also increased for this period and contributed to the growth. A million people visited Philippines in 1980 compared with 200.000 in 1972. A big part of these visitors were Filipinos balikbayans (of return) who took part in the Balikbayan program launched by the ministry for tourism in 1973.

A source of important of economic growth comes from the Filipinos working overseas. Thousands of Filipinos left to work with the the Middle East, with Singapore and HongKong. These departures contributed to reduce unemployment but brought foreign currencies in the country which needed some well: an important portion of the budget was allocated with the payment of the interests of loan.

The industry of tourism fell abruptly after the assassination of Benigno Aquino in 1983. The demonstrations against the mode and the president which multiplied thereafter made flee the tourists. The political disturbances which followed made flee the investors while the foreign banks turned off the tap and refused to grant new loans to the government.

Marcos tried to launch a programme of revival of the economy. It negotiated with the foreign creditors, in particular the the World Bank and the Fonds international currency, to restructure the foreign debt in order to give more time to the country to pay. Marcos launched also the program Sariling Sikap (independence or autonomy) in 1984, another program aiming at encouraging the individuals has to provide for their needs and to create their own incomes. Cuts in the expenditure of the government were necessary to finance the program. However, in spite of the made efforts, the economy of the country continued to decline and a negative growth appeared as from 1984. The failure of the program is allotted to the lack of credibility of Marcos and the corruption generalized on all the levels of government. Several million was stolen by government officials. Marcos itself spent of the important sums, punctured on the public funds, to help the candidates of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan , its party, to gain.

Fall of Marcos

During years of being able of Marcos, its mode sank in the corruption and the bad management of its close relations. The culminating point was the assassination of Benigno Aquino. Marcos can be regarded as a model in what milked with the embezzlement: it would have diverted billion dollars of the Filipino Treasury. It was also made famous for its nepotism, employing its family and her friends at the key post offices of his government.

Its health during its 3rd mandate was fragile and it was often absent several weeks for treatment. It was not really replaced during these absences. Considering the political disturbances, several people wondered whether it were always able to control. In this context, the assassination of Aquino in 1983 constitutes the element release of the fall of Marcos.

In 1986 Marcos started elections and was represented with Arturo Tolentino as vice-president. The opposition was then plain behind the widow of Aquino, Cory Aquino and El Salvador Laurel as vice-president. Following the elections, Marcos and Aquino declared both winners. The election was generally entâchée of frauds on behalf of the two parties. With the support of the army (ordered by Juan Sandpapers Enrile, former minister for defense and Fidel Ramos, former general under Marcos), of the movement To be able of the people ( People Power ), and of the Protestants of all the sectors, Marcos was thorough with the exile and Aquino became president.

Marcos and his wife, Imelda Marcos, left in exile to Hawaii and were accused thereafter of embezzlement by the United States. Marcos died in Honolulu (Hawaii) in 1989. It was buried in a mausoleum deprived with the temple Byodo-In on the island of Oahu, daily visited by its family and her friends. Its last strong men are now buried in a cooled crypt with Ilocos Norte, where his/her son, Ferdinand, Jr., and his/her daughter, Imee, respectively became since local governor and representing government. Imelda Marcos was discharged in 1990 of the chief of embezzlement by the United States, but was condemned for corruption at the time of a lawsuit to Philippines in 1995.

Heritage

Until today, the population remains divided concerning Ferdinand Marcos. Some regard it as a true Filipino hero because of his exploits during the Second world war, its rise fulgurating in policy and the laws which are still in application today. Others see in him only the corrupted dictator who emptied the coffers of State. Others blame it for the collapse of the economy in the middle of the Années 1980. Others say that he was a brilliant man who could have done of Philippines one of the great Asian nations. Some denounce the politician of style “Datu” which mixed political and imagination. Others estimate that it set up the politization of the army and the judicial power.

Quotations

“There are many things which we do not wish in the world. Let us not make only regret them. Let us change them. ”

“the community is the reverse of the part of loneliness, and that which directs must only act. While acting only, it must accept all the things only. ”

External bonds

The Filipino Presidency Project
Marcos Presidential Center

Zh-min-nan: Ferdinand Marcos

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