GOLDEN LIES OF THE GOLDEN AGE:

PH’s lost decades of development

#NeverForget #NeverAgain #NoToHistoricalRevisionism
by: Wilbert Dioquino

“Different people may tell different stories, but data tell only one”

At the time when mortals, created by Olympian gods, lived in harmony, justice,
and prosperity, ancient Greek poet and philosopher, Hesiod, introduced the world
concept of “Golden Age.”

There was once a ruler in the Philippines, most likely a dictator, who was credited
with ushering in the country's "Golden Age" of prosperity, peace, and justice. Ferdinand
Emmanuel Edralin Marcos was a dictator who sat in offices and retained power for more
than 20 years.

Marcos' followers and even his families continue to assert this (mis)conception of
the "Golden Age." However, there appears to be no trace of this so-called "Golden Age"
in Philippine history.

Last February 25, 2022, in commemoration of the 36th EDSA People Power
anniversary, records, history, and victims once again roared "Never Forget, Never
Again, No to Historical Revisionism," emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the
atrocities of the Marcos era in contrast to the purported "Golden Age."

Why? It's because the Marcos' "Golden Age" was actually the Philippines' biggest
falsehood.

GOLDEN LIES

1. “Philippines was prosperous and rich”

Philippines was the Sick man of Asia
According to World Bank data, Japan had the greatest average GDP
between 1965 and 1985, but the United Arab Emirates had the highest average
GDP per capita.
 Philippines, on the other hand, did not even make the top ten list of Asia's
48 countries. In fact, throughout Marcos' 20-year reign, the Philippines was not
even the richest country in Southeast Asia.
Professor Emmanuel de Dios of the University of the Philippines (UP)
conducted an economic analysis that revealed that the Philippines' GDP per capita
only increased by 3.4 percent between 1970 and 1980, while our ASEAN
neighbors experienced much higher growth rates – 7.7% for Singapore, 5.7
percent for Indonesia, 5.3 percent for Malaysia, and 5.1 percent for Thailand.
Hence, our country was called the “Sick man of Asia.”

2. “Philippines had no debt during Golden Age”

The Philippines' debt from the Marcos regime is still levied today
During the Golden Age, the Philippines had no debt, but rather an unwise
debt, which increased from $8.2 billion to $24.4 billion in just three years, from
1977 to 1982.
This contributed to a significant increase in interest payments on shares in
national income, which has been a major impediment for our economy to this day.
The dramatic increase in the Philippines' debt was mostly for economic
gains, such as buildings, bridges, and power plants, according to one of the
justifications. However, this debt-fueled economic expansion led to a long sacrifice
and burden for today's generation in repaying these debts.

3. “No poverty during Golden Age”

Following Marcos' presidency, 6 out of 10 households were destitute.

As shown in the records, 4 out of 10 families were impoverished prior to

Marcos' administration, rising to 6 out of 10 at the end of his reign.

This graph has also shown a consistent trend across the country's various
regions.
4. “Filipinos are prosperous and had an ideal life”
Filipino laborers in the agricultural, skilled, and unskilled sectors all
suffered
The daily wage, or how much a Filipino makes in a day, has been studied
as a povertyQq During Marcos regime, Filipino agricultural workers, declined by
about 30%, with farmer earning Php 42 per day in 1972 turned out that only earns
for about Php 30 in latter 1986.
Farmers' incomes have been devalued even further since martial law was
declared.
Meanwhile, these shifts from the pre-Marcos era to the EDSA value
impacted both skilled and unskilled employees in metropolitan areas. Skilled
workers have specialized skills or knowledge, which are often acquired through
college or technical-vocational school; unskilled workers lack this degree of
education.

5. “During Golden Age, recorded the lowest price for goods”

Philippines experienced the “stagflation” during Marcos era

During Marcos regime, there has also been a sharp increase in the prices of
goods and non-goods.

This modification in the Consumer Pricing Index (CPI) has an impact on

price metrics for products purchased by the average consumer. As a result, basic
commodities tripled in price, with a good costing Php 100 in 1976 costing over Php
300 in 1986.

This inflation, along with the economy's stagnation - known as stagflation –

was the Philippines' worst economic storm.

6. “No billions were corrupted by Marcos”

Marcos stole P3.363 trillion if rates are applied to the year 2015
 As accumulated by Marcos’ debt to foreign aid and the World Bank, it would
amount of a total of P3.363 trillion.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) even

recovered an insignificant total of 167.5 billion pesos to the loot of 395.51 billion
dollars.

Furthermore, in pursuit of economic gains, Marcos and his cronies', the new
breed of oligarchs who acted as his dummies, uncontrollably exported 90 percent
of the Philippines' 18.7 million hectares of publicly owned uplands, which were
officially classified as timberlands, resulting in a drastic reduction in our forest
cover. Flooding, landslides, and even global warming arise as a result of this.

Not to add the fact that Marcos' corruption earned him the title of "Greatest
Government Robbery" in the Guinness Book of World Records.

7. “It was safer in the Philippines during Marcos regime”

Killings, tortures, and other form of human rights violation happened

According to Amnesty International, 1977 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and

respected organization, about 34,000 were tortured, 70,000 were imprisoned for
being enemies of the state, and 3,240 were salvaged or killed without due
process.

Meanwhile, according to the statistics of Task Force Detainees in the

Philippines, there were 2,668 arrests, 398 disappearances, 1,338 salvagings, and
1499 slain or massacred between 1965 and 1986.

Another account of human rights violations provided by Danilo Vizmanos, a

West Point-trained Navy Captain, estimates that 7,000 people were tortured and
2,000 people were slaughtered.

These dark years in the Philippines was also provided details by conducting
electric shock, russian roulette, water cure, animal abuse, san juanico bridge,
pepper torture, pistol-whipping, and so much more.
 Regardless of the statistical differences, the fact remains that hundreds of
lives were lost and families were decimated.

In the face of the massive misinformation and disinformation, the memories of

millions of Filipinos who fought and revolt during People Power has faded over the
years. Various reports were persistently circulating and on the edge of revising what
had actually occurred.

Worst of all, democracy, for which millions of Filipinos have struggled and fought,
has repeatedly attempted to take power over the people and destroy it throughout the
years.

It is really worrisome to have these lies supporting and admiring the late
President Ferdinand Marcos' Golden Age. Furthermore, the legacy of democracy's
triumph is on the verge of being forgotten, as if Filipinos are suffering from collective
national amnesia.

Despite countless attempts and rampant purveyors of lies and deception,

however, records continue to whoop and speak for the truth. Despite the various stories,
records still hold what is being disputed.

Are we going to let this to repeat itself? Will we remain blind and silent?
Regardless of the records? The records that says no “Golden Age” but only “Darkest
decades” of the Philippines – a decades of human rights abuses, injustice, and greed
for power.

Yuka Saso, the pride of Generation Z

by: Jerica Cotejo and Mary Angeline Delos Reyes

Since the dawn of time, the Philippines has been recognized for producing a
large number of high-end individuals that succeed in a variety of fields, including art,
music, science, and other professional endeavors, such as sports.
 Most of our international athletes have already created a name for themselves by
setting impressive records in their chosen sport. A newcomer has recently entered the
field of sports, cementing her place in the hall of fame.

Yuka Saso was born and reared in San Ildefonso, Bulacan on June 20, 2001,
and has a mixed bloodline of Filipino and Japanese descent from her mother and father,
who happened to enjoy golf and finally inspired her to reach one of her life's greatest
achievements.

Her love for golf roots back at her age of eight (8) after watching a golf
tournament for the very first time, and realizing afterwards how she dreamed to become
a professional athlete one day.

As a representative of the Philippines, her first ever competition was at the age of
nine (9) in an international tournament in the 2011 US Kids golf tournament against
older junior golfers. In her very own homeland, Saso also participated in the 2014
ASEAN School Games in Marikina.

It wasn’t so easy for Saso to choose on which hometown to represent, whether

the Philippines or Japan, but that did not hinder her willingness to bring home trophies
and medals dedicated for each and both of the country.

As an international athlete standing with the Philippine National Flag, she was
able to hold victories from the 2016 Philippine Junior Amateur, Philippine Junior
Amateur Match Play, and World Junior Girls Championship.

In 2017 she competed and won in the Philippine Amateur Open Championship,
Philippine Junior Amateur, and Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Championship.
The following year was where she was a representative in the Philippine Ladies Open,
Victorian Junior Masters, Thunderbird International Junior, Asian Games both for the
women’s individual and women’s team.

However, in the succeeding year, Yuka Saso wasn’t able to represent the
Philippines because of a conflict with her passport. Nonetheless, the Filipinos still gave
their full support to her as she went to international competitions.
 Despite the global damage that the pandemic inflicted on all sides of our lives,
Yuka Saso began her professional golf career in 2019 and joined the Japan Ladies
Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour in 2020, and won two tournaments during
her very first year as a member.

After achieving two gold medals in the 2018 Asian Games, Saso was then
awarded by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) as the 2020 Athlete of the
Year, together with colleagues Padanganan, Go, and Diaz the weightlifter who also
received gold medals in the international games.

Most recently, she has won the 2021 U.S. Woman’s Open on June 6 of the same
year, which served as her first major title and entitled her as the first Filipino to win the
tournament.

Although the journey to success is not an overnight process for an international

young athlete like Yuka Saso, having known that her ranking in the LPGA changes
every now and then, the overwhelming support and dedication still allows her to
overcome every challenge in the athletic field she was in.

This spirit of absolute motivation and willingness to give pride to the represented
nation, may it be for the Philippines or Japan, gives her more honor than she could even
get. And regardless of how complex it is to live and compete all the while the existence
of the Pandemic has not yet ceased to exist, Saso, alongside all the other athletes of
our country, brings home pride that the nation celebrates.

By now, it is safe to say that she has already made a name for herself, and is
continuously doing so, as someone who is a living pride of our country.

Asa Miller: an ordinary athlete with an extraordinary dream

by: John Carlo Librea

In the recent 2022 Winter Olympics, conducted in Beijing, China, Asa Miller, a
Filipino-American skier had the aspirations of the whole country as the sole
representative of the Philippines. Miller concluded in both the sports categories he
participated in – men’s slalom and giant slalom – tallying two DNFs (did not finish),
marking him two frustrating runs.
 Although unsuccessful to complete either of his rounds, it was underscored that
Miller has suffered from a tragic state of affairs due to natural causes after he slipped in
both the first and second game, but managed to get up on the latter, where he was
entangled with a pole which eventually skied him out of the competition.
Even so, Miller has only been humbled by outwardly admitting his fair share of
mistakes and only hoped for better things in the days ahead. After all, it is no easy feat
to be an athlete, much less than being a skier in a country where it does not even snow.
An upstate dream
Like most athletes, Miller’s amateur dream began when he was a little kid.
In the little town of Portland, Oregon, Miller was first introduced to sports by his
American father, Kelly. He began skiing at the age of two and began competing at the
age of eight. After his father enrolled him in ski groups such as the Aspen Valley Ski
and Snowboard Club, Miller became more interested in skiing. He is also a member of
the Snowbird Sports Education Foundation.
Miller, like everyone else, had his share of difficulties in life. Miller understood he
had to sacrifice two years of his schooling for the chance of another shot at the
Olympics after making his first appearance at the Olympics at the age of 17 in the 2018
Pyeongchang Games in Korea. After Pyeongchang, he took a two-year break from
school to focus on his skiing career before enrolling at Westminster College in Utah. As
a consequence, he had to give up his other sports, particularly baseball.
But then again, it is no feat being an athlete, especially if you have dreams as big
as Miller’s.
Living the dream
Regardless of being only 21, Miller has already made a name for himself in the
sport.
After seeing action in Pyeongchang, he became the first Filipino alpine skier to
compete in the Olympics since Michael Teruel competed in the 1992 Albertville Games
in France. And following his qualification for the 2022 Beijing Games, Miller also had the
honor of being the first Filipino skier to compete in two Olympics and the first Filipino to
take part in multiple games after Michael Martinez in 2014.
Miller has stated that his achievements owe a great deal to his father and Filipino
mother. His parents, after all, encouraged him to pursue his passion for skiing, despite
the fact that it is a costly sport that necessitates specialized equipment for an
extraordinary athlete like him. Still, Miller has merely expressed his thanks, stating that it
is an honor to represent his family and that all he wants to do is make them and the
country proud.
The never-ending dream
Miller may have come up short in the recently concluded Beijing Olympics, but
that doesn't necessarily mean the end of a remarkable dream that began in the small
town of Portland.
He stated that it has just strengthened his resolve to put on a better presentation
in future events. And, while admitting that he lost confidence in the games owing to
unfavorable circumstances on the slopes, he continues to hold his head high after
representing his country in the Winter Olympics.
He also remarked that he is looking forward to the next four years and that if he
continues his training, he would undoubtedly become a much stronger and more
developed skier. He has now declared his strong desire to compete in the 2026
Olympics once more.
“Skiing has only been my passion and this is what I feel I’m certainly best at. It is
more than just a sport to me, it is like a lifestyle, a form of expression.”