Angelica F.

Dela Cruz
BSBA 1-B

Summary of Chapter 5 and Chapter 10

of
The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos

Infrastructure of Martial Law. Marcos was well on his way to laying the groundwork for a new
term in office. In the Philippines, he stayed in power long enough to establish a dynasty. He was
a unique individual. doing it in such a Hitlerian manner that it would be a piker's job to burn
down the German Reichstag. Marcos was working on his most ambitious infrastructure project
yet. It was treachery of the highest degree, far outweighing the treacherous shooting of Julio
Nalundasan. It was done behind the backs of people who trusted him, people who rallied around
him, and people who relied on him to bring a dreamy campaign slogan of "This nation can be
great again" to life. Marcos was working on the largest infrastructure project he had ever
undertaken. It had been completed.  It was the treachery of the highest degree, considerably
outweighing the devious shooting of Julio Nalundasan. There were, nevertheless, evident crowd-
pleasing facilities. Ribbons of cemented motorways and bridges spanning rivers, connecting
previously inaccessible locations to major trade routes. All these projects, such as public works
and the "green revolution," were conducted solely to disguise the largest personal wealth. Marcos
had resolved to build his own political apparatus and his group. The infrastructure for martial law
was laid down by the military. Marcos was elected president of the Philippines on December 30,
1965, on his first day in office. The President personally explained to me several times that
martial law was in effect. For him, establishing a Philippine government had been a lifelong
desire. Only three justices where not Marcos appointees by the time martial law was declared.
Packing of the Supreme Court with his own handpicked jurists by the time he declares martial
law. Ferdinand Marcos aimed to integrate the military establishment's thinking and complexion
with his martial law plans when he declared martial law in the Philippines. He appointed himself
to the position of Secretary of Defense. He promoted young officers and advanced them to
important posts over the next six years so that they would be "in position" when martial law was
implemented. Officers and fresh enlistees are largely crammed into the armed forces. from the
Ilocos province, which is the President's home province. Most officers and new enlistees in the
armed forces hailed from President Ferdinand Marcos' Ilocos region. Senator Benigno S.
Aquino, who is currently imprisoned in a military prison, has blasted Mr. Marcos' removal as
"the Ilocanization of the Armed Forces." President Ferdinand Marcos strengthened his hold on
local governments by fielding candidates for office who were personally loyal to him or his wife
or his brother-in-law, Benjamin Romualdez. The elections of 1967 and 1971 were a "dry-run"
and a "re-run", respectively, of the "goons, guns and gold" elections of 1969. Mr. Marcos
exploited this local political rivalry for the ends of his regime.
The loves of Macros. Imelda Marcos and the President of the Philippines had other affairs, but
this was the one that made the news. Mrs. Marcos was enraged, as though she had been ridiculed
as a woman. Of fact, there were other Marcos’s affairs, but this was the only one where the
woman herself admitted to being the President of the Philippines' mistress. She had discovered,
not through her own discovery, but through the admission of the "other woman," that her
husband had acquired a mistress who, according to the woman, had been promised by the
President the chance to be the next First Lady in place of Imelda Romualdez, who was becoming
fat and obese, and an old wag. There was Carmen Ortega, by whom the President has begotten
four children, two of them before he became senator of the Philippines. Mrs. Marcos had
demanded that Carmen and her brood be "thrown away, some way far from my sight". In the
coordinated efforts to take care of Carmen, there were occasions when Dona Josefa has had to
call on former Congressman Roquito S. Ablan. Jr., a protege of President Marcos, to shelter
Carmen and her children from the prying eyes of Imelda Marcos and her agents. Like any
lothario, he has the vast resources of the presidency, restrained only by his wife Imelda Marcos.
President Marcos' love of women includes the procurement of young girls from all over the
world. Public funds, including American aid to the Philippines, have had to be squandered
because of the President's womanizing. Marcos recently married off a young girl (M.R.) to the
son of one of his friends. The President had fully ravished this girl, unbeknownst to the young
man. after luring her into playing "pelota" with him at Malacanang Park, who is the daughter of a
former movie star. Imelda had developed an apparent tolerance for Ferdie's philandering. This
was clear as early as 1965, when the Marcoses ran a ferocious campaign to wrest Malacanang
from incumbent President Macapagal. It was a political campaign marked by a so-called "war of
the sexes," as both major parties fielded their own female campaigners. The "Blue Ladies" were
Marcos' female campaigners, who were organized by Meldy among the beautiful wives and
daughters of Marcos' sponsors and/or friends, while the "Lakambinis" were Macapagal's female
corps. The F.M. issue is a case in point. with the help of G.C. Mrs. Marcos was also made aware
of the situation.  Meldy, on the other hand, refrained from waging war on Ferdie or G.C. as she
was more worried with Marcos' victory in the presidential election. No, she concluded, she
would not rock the boat during a vital time in the company's history. campaign. She'd prepare
herself. G.C.'s help was invaluable. More than supplying Ferdinand with emotional comfort in
bed was part of the promotional effort. G.C. Her spouse was also one of the most generous
financial supporters to the campaign's coffers. Thus began a long-distance love affair that would
endure several months. Imelda Marcos, the First Lady, was first unaware of the situation.
Filipinos are a unique people. They had no idea that their President was having an affair with an
American woman. Thanks to the loyalty of his pals who were in on the secret, they had their
backs. There was a senior presidential advisor, Gen. Fabian Ver, head of the armed forces, in
attendance. By the nature of his position, he had to know what was going on within and outside
Malacanang Palace's elite Presidential Guard Battalion. And he did an excellent job in his
capacity. But Imelda Marcos, the First Lady, was not sleeping. A dog's instinct After all, a
woman should not be underestimated. She wasn't an exception. With so many assistants at her
disposal, it was only natural for her to hear rumors that her wicked husband was having another
affair, this time with an American actress. Her dignity had been shattered, and the issue had
taken a new turn. When Imelda was finally certain that the story was true, she devised her own
strategy. Her aides kept an eye on her husband, President, while his aides kept an eye on her
aides. It was an unusual circumstance, with both of their aides trapped in the crossfire of the
approaching storm. They were nervous, to say the least. Marcos has affairs even he is married to
Imelda Marcos.