CHAPTER 1

PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

INTRODUCTION
The undesirable happenings during the reign of Ferdinand Marcos were the worsts nightmare
to every Filipino who witnessed its cruelty and vindictiveness .Martial law was never an answer
to the problem of country during that time. But ,by the power vested to Marcos .Martial Law
was implemented .Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines ,for more than 20 years (December
30.1965-February 25,1986.He promised to make this nation great again his inaugural speech of
December 30,1965 .His political ventire began with his election to the House of Representative
in 1949 as a congressman in Ilocos .He became Senate president in 1963.He was married to
Imelda Romualdez from Leyte .He ran for president as Nacionalista in 1965 election and he won
over macapagal . Nacionalista party leader Ferdinand Marcos dominated the political scene of
the Philippines for two decades after his election to the presidency in 1965.During his first term
,Marcos iniatiated ambitious public works project that improved the general quality of life while
providing generous pork –barrel benefits for his friends. Marcos perceived that his promised
Land reform program would alienate the political all –powerful land owner elite. And thus it
was never forcefully implanted .He lobbied strenuously for economic and military aid from
united states while resulting significant involvement in the second indo-china war (1954-
1975).In his first term Marcos tried to stabilize the financial position of the government through
intensified tax collection .He also borrowed heavily from financing institution to support large
scale infrastructure works project were built .He improved agricultural production to make the
country make sufficient in food. Especially in rice Marcos also tried to strengthen the foreign
relation of the Philippine . He hosted a seven nation summit conference on the crisis in South
Vietnam in October, 1966. In support for the U.S military efforts in Vietnam. He agreed to send
Filipino troops to that war zone .In November 1969 Ferdinand Marcos and Fernando Lopez
were re-elected. They defeated the Liberal Party ticket of Sergio Osmena Jr. and Senator
Genaro Magsaysay . In winning the election .Marcos achieved the political distinction of being
the first President of the Republic to be re-elected . The most important development during
his second term of Marcos were the following :The 1971 Constitutional Convention The
congress of the Philippines called for a Constitutional Convention on June 1 ,1971 to review and
rewrite the 1935 Constitution. Three –hundred twenty delegates were elected. The convention
was head by former president Carlos P. Garcia and later former President Diosdado Macapagal.
 Statement of the Problem
September,21.1972, Marcos declared Martial Law. This marked thebeginning of the Marcos dict
atorship. Proclamation 1081 placed the entire country under the military. It was signed on
September 23, 1972 and announced to the nation in the evening of September 23, 1972. His
main reason for declaring Martial Law as “to save the Republic “and “ to reform society”. He
explained that the growing violence in
the nation, caused by the leftists and the rightists elements had come to certain
magnitude that required martial law .Marcos declared martial law on September 21,1972, and
did not lift it until January 17,1981 During this time, he called for self-
sacrifice and an end to the old society.However, in the “New Society” Marcos’s cronies and his
wife, former movie actress Imelda Romualdez Marcos, willfully engaged in rampant corruption.
Withher husband’support, Imelda Marcos built herown power base. She became governor of M
etropolitan Manila and minister of human settlements. The previously nonpolitical
armed forces became highly politicized, with high-ranking positions being given to Marcos
loyalists. In 1979 the United States reaffirmed Philippine sovereignty over U.S military bases
and continued to provide military and economic aid to the Marcos regime .When martial law
was lifted in 1981 and a “New Republic” proclaimed, little had actually changed, and Marcos
easily won re-election .It was believed that the true reason why Marcos declared martial was to
perpetuate his rule over the Philippines. The 1935'Constitution limited the term of the
President to no more than eight consecutive years in office. Marcos extended the period of
Martial Law beyond the end of his term in 1973.

Under the martial law Marcos disregarded the Bill of Rights (Article III). Upon his orders, the
military picked up and detained thousands of Filipinos suspected of
subversion. Among them were his critics and political opponents namely Senator Benigno S. Aq
uino, Jr., Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo, Jose W. Diokno and Jovita R. Salonga. Hundreds of detainees
were tortured by their captors. Some disappeared and were never found again. As a result of
the foregoing measured, the crime rate in the country was reduced significantly. People
became law-abiding. But these good gains did not last long. After a year of martial law, crime
rates started to soar. By the time Marcos was removed from
power, the peace and order situation in the country had become worse
 period were the Kabataang Makabayan (KM9) and the Samahang "Demokratikong Kabataan
(SDK). The communists took advantage of the situation and used the demonstrations
in advancing its interests. Because of the perceived deplorable condition of the nation, the
communist movement subdued by President Magsaysay in 1950’s, revived their activities and
clamor for reform. a more radical group, the Maoists, who believed in the principles of Mao-
Tse-Tung (leader of China) too over the communist movement. They reorganized the
Communist Party of the Philippines The most prominent student at that time Edgar Joson and
Nilo Tayag. The radical student groups during this (CPP) and created a new communist guerilla
army called the New People’s Army (NPA). The communists took advantage of the growing
discontent with the Marcos. Administration to increase the number and strength. As a strategy,
they actively supported a number of anti-Marcos groups. They infiltrated several student
organizations, farmers, laborers and even professionals. The NPA gradually increase edits ranks
and spread to other parts of the country as far as Mindanao.
 Significance of the study

In remembering the happenings in our country’s history we can probably feel the angriness and
proudness at the same time. The declaration of Martial Law during the regime of Late President
Ferdinand Marcos was a suffering and a burden to innocent and civilian Filipinos at that time.
Ferdinand Marcos is one of the Genius presidents of Philippine Republic, we should be proud of
it. But the Philippines under his rule was not as harmonious as what we thought but it is like the
place for a one man who rule less in
accordance with Philippine Constitution and more in accordance with his personal command.
Martial Law was a time of hardship for most of our people. Maybe I could say that I was lucky
not to have grown up in that era. Those were the stuff nightmares are made of. Today’s
students like me are now open in more dreadful details of Ferdinand Marcos rule. The
unexplained disappearances and salvages became evident to me. It was really a scary time to
be politically active, especially if you were against the
regime. Although I am educated in the fact that Marcos could have been the best leader our co
untry has had, all his achievements were negated because of his tyranny and despotism. Until
that goodness ends and then Marcos declared the Martial Law. As an outcome of his martial
law era, the Filipino’s have become essentially afraid of the risk

The salvaging’s, the kidnappings, the state-sanctioned executions completely forgotten today.
There are too many deluded among the youth and old guard alive who celebrate the excesses
of Martial law, they like to point to the dream of a strong man who controlled their lives and
harnessed a nation to service his, his wife’s, and the, tortures, and intimidation. The fear that
an unsuspecting country soon found itself living in. curfews and killings. beatings and thieving.
That was part of Martial law. Thousands of men and women found themselves jailed, tortured,
and murdered. left by the street side were dead bodies masquerading as unremarked refuse.
Those bloody reminders of Martial law are almost ir cronies’ perverse desires.

Maybe we shove Martial law to the back of our collective unconscious because we do not want
to remember. Maybe it will show us things about ourselves we do not want to face. But, it is
there and someday it must be reckoned with.
 Scope and delimination
The Philippines was praised worldwide in1986, when the so-called bloodless revolution
erupted, called EDSA People Power’s revolution. February 2 1986 marked a significant national
event that has been engraved in the hearts and minds of every Filipino. This part of Philippine
history gives us a strong sense of pride especially that other nations had attempted to emulate
what we have shown the world of the true power of democracy .The true empowerment of
democracy was exhibited in EDSA by its successful efforts to oust a tyrant by a demonstration
without tolerance for violence and bloodshed .Prayers and rosaries strengthened by faith were
the only weapons that the Filipinos
used to recover their freedom from President Ferdinand Marcos iron hands. The Epifanio de los
Santos Avenue (EDSA) stretches 54 Kilometers, where the peaceful demonstration was held on
that fateful day. It was a day that gathered all Filipinos in unity with courage and faith to prevail
democracy in the country. It was the power of the people, who assembled in EDSA , that
restored the democratic Philippines, ending the oppressive Marcos regime. Hence, it came to
be known as the EDSA People Power’s Revolution .The revolution was a result of the long
oppressed freedom and the life threatening abuses executed by the Marcos government to cite
several events life human rights violation since the tyrannical Martial law Proclamation in 1972.
In the years that followed Martial law started the suppressive and abusive years(incidents
of assassination were rampant, particularly those who opposed the government ,individuals
and companies alive were subdued. The Filipinos reached the height of their patience when
former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, jr. was shot and killed at the airport in August 2I,1983
upon his return to the Philippines from exile in the united states. Aquino’s death marked the
day that Filipinos learned to fight. His grieving wife, Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino showed the
Filipinos and the world the strength and courage to claim back the democracy that Ferdinand
Marcos arrested for his personal caprice. considering the depressing economy of the country,
Ninoy’s death further intensified the contained resentment of the Filipinos. In the efforts to win
back his popularity among the people, Marcos held a snap presidential election in February
7,1986 where he was confronted with a strong and potent opposition, Corazon Aquino. It was
the most corrupt and deceitful election held in the Philippine history.
There was an evident trace of electoral fraud as the tally of votes were declared
with discrepancy between the official count by the COMELEC(Commission on Election) and the
count of NAMFREL(National Movement for Free Election). Such blatant corruption in that
election was the final straw of tolerance by the Filipinos of the Marcos regime.
 Research paper
Ferdinand E. Marcos Legacy 1965-1986
Pasay City East High School
Mrs, lucy lisay

Mirando, Zoe Itchiko B.-National library

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 Definition of Terms

Martial law
noun [ U ]
US
/ˈmɑr·ʃəl ˈlɔ/

.temporary rule by the military, esp. during a war or an emergency

the control of a city, country, etc. by an army instead of by its usual leaders:
Renegade forces captured the capital and declared/imposed martial law.

Dictatorship
noun [ C/U ]
US
/dɪkˈteɪ·t̬ərˌʃɪp/

POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

a country ruled by a dictator, or the condition of being so ruled:
[ U ] A flood of refugees fled the brutal dictatorship then existing in that countr

exile
verb [ T ]

/ˈeɡ·zɑɪl, ˈek·sɑɪl/

to send or keep someone away from his or her own country or home, esp.
for political reasons