CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

HIST 1013- Readings in Philippine History

AY 2021-2022

LESSON: Speech of President Ferdinand Marcos during the termination of Martial Law

Content and Contextual Analysis of selected primary source which focus on the
Topic: topic:
• Speech of President Ferdinand Marcos during the termination of Martial Law

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

Learning
1. Examine the contents of the given primary source;
Outcomes:
2. Distinguish salient points of the given primary source; and
3. Explain the historical importance of the given primary source.

LEARNING CONTENT

INTRODUCTION:

It was on September 21, 1972 when the late

President Ferdinand Marcos promulgated Proclamation No.
1081, placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law in
order to protect the integrity of the Republic from the rising
wave of lawlessness and the threat of a communist
insurgency. This curtailed press freedom and other civil
liberties, closed down Congress and media
establishments, and caused the arrest of opposition
leaders and militant activists.

Then, by virtue of Proclamation No. 2045, Marcos

lifted the state of martial law to show the Filipino people
and the world that the situation in the Philippines was
back to normal and that the 1973 Constitution and the
government were working smoothly.

In this lesson, we are going to examine the speech made by President Marcos during the
termination of Martial law in the country, titled Encounter with Destiny. We will also discover how the
legacy of the Marcos administration and the Martial Law continues to affect our political landscape as
we move forward as a democratic country.

LESSON PROPER

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT MARCOS

DURING THE TERMINATION OF MARTIAL LAW

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. was born on September 11, 1917, in Ilocos Norte
province. He was a member of the Philippine House of Representatives (1949-1959) and Senate
(1959-1965) before winning the presidential election. After winning a second term, he declared
martial law in 1972, that eventually leads to economic stagnation and recurring reports of human
rights violations. Marcos held onto the presidency until 1986 when his people rose against his rule
and he was forced to flee. He died on September 28, 1989 in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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 During World War II, Ferdinand Marcos served as an officer with his country's armed forces,
later claiming that he was also a top figure in the Filipino guerrilla resistance movement. At the end of
the war, when the American government granted the Philippines
independence on July 4, 1946, the Philippine Congress was
created.

Marcos was inaugurated on December 30, 1965. His first

presidential term was notable for his decision to send troops into
the fray of the Vietnam War, a move he had previously opposed
as a Liberal Party senator. He also focused on construction
projects and bolstering the country's rice production. Marcos was
reelected in 1969, the first Filipino president to win a second term,
but violence and fraud were associated with his campaign, which
was believed to be funded with millions from the national
treasury. Marcos decreed martial law in 1972.

CONTEXTUAL & CONTENT ANALYSIS

On September 21, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos

placed the Philippines under Martial Law. The declaration issued under the Proclamation 1081
suspended the civil rights and imposed military authority in the country. Marcos defended the
declaration stressing the need for extra powers to suppress the rising wave of violence allegedly
caused by communists.

Marcos wants to save the republic from evil elements like communists by declaring the Military
Law. Instead of losing and losing communists, their members grew stronger and more, they fueled
against the Marcos regime.

Marcos wanted to change society through the Military Law. He already changed society
because the Filipinos are already afraid of him. Social reforms also included the implementation of a
nutrition program. There are 4,000-daycare centers all over the land. Their model, which has been
adopted by the United Nations—health program, a family planning program which had been long
denied the humblest and the poorest of the countrymen. Government reform a program in the word
“PLEDGES” which means Peace and Order; Land Reform; Economic Development; Development of
moral values; Government Reform; Educational Reforms and Social Services.

The Gross National Product increased from P55,526 million in 1972 to P192,911 million in
1979 at 1972 constant prices or P269,781 million at current prices. The Gross National Product
increased from P55,526 million in 1972 to P192,911 million in 1979 at 1972 constant prices or
P269,781 million at current prices. Savings and time deposits have increased from P5,402 million in
1972 to P49,116 million as of September 1980. Gross domestic investments have not only doubled
but trebled, quadrupled, quintupled. From P11,573 million in 1972, it was increased to about P78,198
million in 1980, while gross national savings increased from P11,679 million in 1972 to P62,395
million in 1980. There was a time when the debt service ratio before this administration was more
than 40 percent of the dollar earnings the previous year. This has been reduced to 20 percent; and
now, as of 1980, reduced to 18.72 percent of foreign exchange earnings in the previous year.

When Marcos took over as President in 1965, most of the indebtedness was short-term
indebtedness payable within one year, two years, three years, and five years. More than 90 percent.
All of these were immediately shifted or converted into long-term indebtedness, for some reason or
other, because of inefficient management of our affairs. Because of their bad creditworthiness, they
could not borrow any money from anywhere. The most that the World Bank could lend them before
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1965 was $40 million. By 1975 and 1976, the World Bank had changed its opinion of the Philippines
so much so that it was ready to lend at a single time $500 million. But most of these borrowings did
not go to the government. They went into productive enterprises. The borrowings of government do
not go to pay for salaries or what those, in government, call ordinary or current expenditures—
housekeeping, salaries of officers and employees, as well as furniture and equipment. On the current
budget, there is always a surplus. Since 1965 to the present, there has always been a surplus in the
current budget of the Republic of the Philippines.

They have borrowed but only for purposes of productive enterprise. These are the self-paying
and the self-regenerating enterprises which people must support. And, incidentally, nobody lends you
money if you cannot put up a counterpart fund. The least amount of counterpart fund that is required
is about 50 percent of the entire cost of the project.

The international reserves were increased from practically zero in 1965. The statistics say the
US $282 million were left in the Central Bank. When Marcos asked the Central Bank, however, he
was told that their commitments exceeded the US $300 million. And, therefore, they did not have
enough foreign exchange to pay their indebtedness as of 1965. The foreign exchange reserves were
practically zero. And later they have the US $3.1 billion in the Central Bank as the foreign exchange
reserves of the Republic of the Philippines. It was said truly that the rich will grow richer because they
have the funds and the capital. And they have no intention of confiscating private property. It is not a
part of the ideology of the New Society to confiscate private property and private enterprise. But they
shall regulate wealth so it shall not be utilized to brutalize the poor and the weakness of our people.
And thus, it is that the rich must pay heavier taxes.

In 1972, the percentage of families with incomes of P1,999 and below was 24.3 percent. In
1979, this had been reduced to 11.2 percent, or by more than one-half. The families with incomes of
P30,000 and more. In 1972, there was only 5 percent of them out of the entire population. Now, there
are more than twice that. There is 12.8 percent of those who have this high income. And considering
that almost all of these families that Marcos speak of life in the rural areas, the New Society certainly
has effectively changed the standard of living of the Filipino masses. Finally, the effective minimum
wage had increased from P4.75 in 1972 to P23.30-24.70 in 1980.

There has been a major change in government since the proclamation of Martial Law. The
Congress that makes and outsourcing laws has been abolished. The senators and representatives
have been removed from duty. Under the Military Act, the President had the legislative power. He
made Presidential Decrees, General Orders, and Letter of Instruction. These will govern the
Government and all civilian powers. The Presidential Order is valid and forceful as the laws issued by
the former Congress.

HISTORICAL & CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE

As the country was suffering from grinding poverty, widespread corruption, a stalled political
and judicial system, and internal violence, three alternative explanations for the martial law decision
may include the following:

The official, the constitutional explanation is the threat of violent rebellion.

Another view sees martial law as Marcos' way of circumventing congressional and
bureaucratic obstruction to achieve reforms and eliminate corruption--whether for altruistic or selfish
reasons.

The "imperialist lackey" view focuses on Marcos' relations to the United States and
multinational business interests. Marcos is protecting foreign investors and granting huge incentives

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for oil exploration, against the wishes of the Congress; some believe that his purpose is to stabilize
himself in power and avoid demanding that the United States pay rent on its Philippine bases.

This document will help constructively recognize the contributions of President Marcos to the
country's economic, social, cultural, and educational development. These contributions have shaped
our nation as it is today. We also have to put a premium on his legacies which we undeniably enjoy
now. Moreover, the primary source should let us learn from the lessons of the past.

REFERENCES

✓ Ferdinand Marcos. (2019, August 23). Biography.

https://www.biography.com/dictator/ferdinand-marcos

✓ Speech of President Marcos during the termination of Martial Law | GOVPH. (1981, January
17). Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines.
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1981/01/17/speech-of-president-marcos-during-the-
termination-of-martial-law/

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