Patronage and Pornography:

Ideology and Spectatorship in the Early Marcos Years

VICENTE L. RAFAEL

BALDOZA - SARCOS
Introduction
Corazon Aquino's government transformed the Malacañang into a
museum.

The Marcoses saw themselves as not only the "Father and Mother" of the
Filipino people but also as having the power to transcend and reshape
social, political, and cultural boundaries.
New Society
New Republic
Patronage and Pornography: Ideology and
Spectatorship in the Early Marcos Years by
Vicente Rafael

Imelda Marcos' significance in her husband's career

exemplifies how national politics became a stage for
the simulation of patronage within the context of
commodity exchange.

A Man of Destiny and a Woman of Charm

During the presidential campaigns of 1965 and 1969, Ferdinand
Marcos often referred to his wife as his "secret weapon."

Ferdinand's deep, commanding voice, rather than the substance of

his speeches, garnered attention and was seen as a symbol of
authority.

Imelda presented herself as a striking figure, tall and youthful in

elegant gowns, readily fulfilling requests for songs.
A Man of Destiny and a Woman of Charm
This highly formalized intimacy became a staple element of the Marcos
myth, emphasized in their biographies, whether officially commissioned or
not.

The biography of Ferdinand Marcos prior to meeting Imelda depicts him as

a sexually active bachelor who was immensely popular with women.
A Man of Destiny and a Woman of Charm
1
Ferdinand firmly believed that
Imelda was the ideal woman,
the "Archetypal Woman," and
the wife he had been waiting
for his entire life
3
The chronicling of the Marcos
romance was a part of their
broader efforts to construct
their pasts.
2
The couple's relationship
unfolded in the public eye, with
newspaper readers becoming
part of their larger history.
4
Every aspect of his life, from
his education to his role as a
guerrilla fighter, lover, and
father, is portrayed from the
perspective of his future as the
president of the Philippines.
A Man of Destiny and a Woman of Charm
On the other hand, Imelda's biography highlights the element of luck and
chance in her ascent to power.

Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos manipulate their pasts to serve their present
ambitions and projected future.

It is not only seen as a personal attribute but also as a strategic instrument

for Ferdinand's ambition. He is depicted as conquering and domesticating
her charm, turning her into his "secret weapon."
 The narratives of the Marcos
romance,highlight the
domestication and deployment of
sexual and historical differences to
serve Ferdinand's ambitions.
Imelda's difference, represented by
her charm, is transformed into an
asset that enhances Ferdinand's
political success.
Film and Female Ambition
The contrast between Imelda Marcos and previous first ladies in terms of
the attention and ambition she cultivated.

Pornography
"Bomba," which refers to the emergence of scandal and the exposure of
hidden information. Originally used in political rhetoric, it later became
associated with the wave of pornography in Philippine movies.
The depiction of bomba stars and their scenes created a spectacle that
drew predominantly male audiences.
 Pornography
However, bomba movies sold images of While bomba movies depicted graphic

1 women rather than the actual women

themselves. Viewers understood that
what they saw on screen and read about
in magazines were simulations of
violence and sex, not real occurrences.
2 violence against women, they also
presented women as reasonable individuals
seeking to realize their ambitions apart
from their victim roles.

Imelda Marcos played a role in the

3 The depiction of Imelda's mix of ambition

and deference resembles the coupling of
boldness and vulnerability seen in bomba
stars
4 manufacturing of Ferdinand's "destiny" and
was visualized beyond the public stage of
electoral politics, creating an audience that
expected the political style of Ferdinand
Patronage
Patronage is described as a means of projecting power and maintaining
social hierarchy, but it is also depicted as a contradiction in the context of a
capitalist economy.
The Marcoses capitalized on this contradiction by simulating patronage
through the use of money and spectacle.

The Marcoses used imagery and souvenirs to memorialize their patronage

and create a sense of indebtedness among recipients.
The portrayal of Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines, in artistic portraits. The author
analyzes three different paintings of Imelda Marcos by different artists and examines the themes and
interpretations associated with each artwork.

Claudio Bravo Federico Aguilar Antonio Garcia

Alcuaz Llamas
Claudio Bravo
The first portrait by Claudio Bravo is described as
having an uncanny quality, with Imelda depicted
as floating in a mysterious landscape. The
commentary suggests that the painting goes
beyond depicting Imelda's physical likeness and
evokes a sense of something missing or out of
place. It raises questions about the perception of
patronage and power.
Federico Aguilar
Alcuaz
The second portrait by Federico Aquilar Alcuaz
presents Imelda in a nostalgic setting, conflating
the presidential palace with memories of pastoral
grounds and folk music. The painting triggers a
longing for a simpler time and reflects on the
viewer's own nostalgia and idealized notions of
femininity.
Antonio Garcia
Llamas
The third portrait by Antonio Garcia Llamas
portrays Imelda with a strong gaze and a sense of
autonomy. The painting reverses the relationship
between subject and object, as Imelda appears to
look at the viewer, making the viewer aware of
their own role as a spectator. The power of her
gaze is associated with the energy of the city and
the modern state.
 These artistic portrayals of Imelda Marcos
contribute to the aestheticization of politics and
the dehistoricization of power. They explore themes
of visibility and invisibility, the construction of
identity through patronage, and the role of women
as both subjects and objects in the public sphere.
Thank You