THE PLAZA

COMPLEX
What is Martial Law?
• Martial law is an extreme and rare measure used to control
society during war or periods of civil unrest or chaos.
• Martial law is the imposition of military power over
designated regions on an emergency basis.
• Martial law is usually imposed on a temporary basis when
the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function
effectively (e.g., maintaining order and security, or providing
essential services), when there are extensive riots and
protests, or when the disobedience of the law becomes
widespread. Fundamentally it is a requirement put on civilian
government when they fail to function correctly.
Who is Ferdinand Marcos?

Your Date Here

3
Proclamation No. 1081 
• Face with the severely critical condition of the
country and the rising power of Jose Ma. Sison's
Communist Party ,President Ferdinand E. Marcos,
availing himself of Article VII, Section 10, paragraph
2 of the Constitution, issued the entire country
under martial law. In accordance with this
proclamation, the President today rule by decrees,
general orders, and letters of instruction.

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 4

• The President's proclamation was met with silence by the
people and the pessimist's fear of bloodbath did not
materialize. In accordance with the Proclamation 1081,
President Marcos issued General Order 2-A ordering the
Secretary of National Defense to arrest and detain persons
who committed "crimes and offenses in furtherance or on
the occasion of our incident to or in connection with the
crimes of insurrection and rebellion" as defined in the
Revised Penal Code, and those who, in one way or another,
committed and will commit crimes against society and the
government that are guilty of weakening the fabric of
society and of undermining the stability of the government.
Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 5

Initial Measures Land Reform
Program
• In Presidential Decree No. 2, dated on Sep. 26,
1972, Pres. Marcos proclaimed the entire
Philippines as land reform area. -tenants are given 3
hectares of irrigated rice or corn lands and 5
hectares if unirrigated. - The Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) was created to expedite the
transfer of land titles to the peasants. - National
Grains Authority was created under PD 4 on Sep.
26, 1972, which was intended to "effect the desired
changes and reform in the social, economic, and
Yourpolitical
Date Here structure of society.."
Your Footer Here 6
New Society
• On Sep. 27, 1972, PD No. 6 was issued prescribing
the rules and regulations regarding discipline in the
government . - The decree spelled out the grounds
for disciplinary action against misdemeanors which,
in the old society, were ignored or passed over.
Curfew - To minimize if not completely eradicate
robbery and other unlawful activities at night, Pres.
Marcos set a curfew from midnight to four in the
morning. Later on, it was changed from one to four
in the morning.
Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 7

The New Constitution
• The Constitutional Convention framed a new
constitution to replace that of 1935, met on Sep.
25, 1972, and "voted unanimously" to "continue
deliberations on vital issues". After which, Pres.
Marcos referred the new charter to the Kapulungan
or General Assembly numbering 26,000 all over the
country.

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 8

• To consider the provisions of the new charter, three
questions were submitted to the Kapulungan: 1.Do
you approve of the Citizens Assembly as a way of
popular government to decide issues affecting our
people? 2.Do you approve of the new Constitution?
3.Do you want a plebiscite to be called to ratify the
new Constitution?

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 9

Distribution of Wealth
• President Marcos issued an order urging business,
corporations and companies to open their doors to the
public which is to say, ownership of the corporations and
companies should not be limited to the family circle and to
a narrow circle of friends, but should be dispersed to those
who were willing to become stockholders of such business
firms. Meralco, which changed ownership, was now owned
not by a few but by all Meralco customers. With regard to
lands beyond seven hectares owned by a person, a decree
provided for the distribution of land above seven hectares
to landless tenants, and those who owned seven or less
were required to till their lands personally.
Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 10

Peace and Order
• The greatest threat to peace and order came not
from the NPA's activities, which were not massive
in nature, but from the so-called Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF). - Marcos initiated a truce
movement in February 1975, by appealing to the
members of the ASEAN and to the Muslim
countries to help force a ceasefire in the affected
areas of Mindanao and Sulu. - During the truce
period, however, the MNLF attacked the Philippine
Constabulary forces in Mindanao, resulting in heavy
Yourcasualties.
Date Here

Your Footer Here 11

• The Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP), the Moscow-
Oriented communist group, volunteered to cooperate with the
President. It was stipulated in a "Memorandum of
Cooperation", dated on October 1,1974, and signed by
Feliciano Macapagal secretary-general of the PKP. - The
campaign to have peace and order led to the capture of
Commander Dante ( Bernabe Buscayno), head the NPA, the
arm of Peking- oriented Sison Group of communists, and of Lt.
Victor Corpus, which has weakened the military arm of the
Communist Party of the Philippines. Bernabe Buscayno Lt.
Victor Corpus

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 12

Infrastructure 
• The Bureau of Internal Revenue, the biggest money
maker of the government, and the Bureau of Customs,
the second money maker were placed in the hands of
dedicated officials who were willing to run after
prominent and influential tax payers. -At the same time,
President Marcos issued a decree extending tax amnesty
to those who, deliberately or not, failed to pay the correct
amount of money. - Substantial parts of this huge
collection were spent in the construction of first-class
infrastructure projects.

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 13

The Shift in Foreign Policy
• The late statesman, parliamentarian, poet, and nationalist,
Claro M. Recto, described the Philippine foreign policy since
1946 as "mendicant policy." - Even at the risk of being called
communistic or a "fellow traveler," Recto, imbued with high
ideals and possessed of seer's insight, fought for the non-
recognition of Ngo Dinh Diem's South Vietnam, which Recto
called a puppet of the United States, made the plea that the
Philippines live with their neighbors, irrespective of
ideology, as peacefully as circumstances allowed, and
suggested a non-aligned posture in foreign affairs. A small
country like the Philippines, he said, should not take up the
quarrels of the great nations.
Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 14

• President Marcos, grasping the significance of the
new realities in international politics, initiated the
shift in Philippine foreign policy when, on May
23,1975, he delivered a foreign policy speech
enumerating six guidelines "to help the country
survive the current security crisis in Asia" arising
from the American debacle in Vietnam. The
guidelines are:

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 15

•  In accordance with the guidelines, Philippines
established a diplomatic agreement to the
following socialist countries: East Germany Hungary
Czechoslovakia Bulgaria Romania China Vietnam
Jordan Democratic Republic of Kampuchea
(Cambodia) Soviet Union

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 16

• In December 1973, the Philippines ratified the long-
pending Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation
with Japan. The establishment of diplomatic
relations with the socialist countries of Asia and
Europe led not only to progressive trade relations
between them and the Philippines but also to
cultural exchange programs. The stand of the
Philippines during the negotiation with the United
States in December 1976 that the latter should pay
rent for the right to use the bases, principally Clark
YourAir Base and Subic(Olangapo) Naval Base.
Date Here

Your Footer Here 17

• Labor and Human Welfare Underemployment
remained at 9.2 percent, of the total labor force.
Overseas Employment Development Board
(OEDB) Public Employment Office(PEO) National
Seamen Board(NSB) National Manpower and
Youth Council(NMYC) Bureau of
Apprenticeship(BA)

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 18

Effects of Employment Abroad 
• the lessening of the number of unemployed in the
country; 2. the projection of good image of the
Filipino laborers, technicians, and professional
abroad, and finally; 3. the increase of the
government's income made possible through
foreign exchange remittances of the workers and
professionals working abroad.

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 19

• Wages Increase of Laborers P10.00/ day P9.00/ day
P7.00/day P6.00/day within Metro Manila outside
Metro Manila Plantation workers Non- Plantation
workers Trade Union Congress of the Philippines
(TUCP) – a restructuring agent of the Philippine
labor movement.

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 20

• The Economy: Gains and Losses Economic Gain 5.8
% Growth Rate: Gross Capital Formation 29.1 %
Growth Rate: Agriculture 4.1 % National Economic
Development Authority (NEDA) estimated that the
country increased its GNP from P40,847M to
P43,203M. The field per hectare planted to rice
increased by 40-50 percent.

Your Date Here

Your Footer Here 21

• The Economy: Gains and Losses The spiraling cost
of oil imports and the lowering of the prices of
traditional exports led to a trade deficit of P1.164
M.