In a feature article on the 24th November 2012 edition of Good Weekend, the weekend magazine of major Australian broadsheet The Sydney Morning Herald, Aussie journalist Jackie Dent writes about her experience speaking to the surviving family members of the late former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. The article delves into the rise and fall of the Marcos regime and insights provided by family members, notably wife Imelda and children Maria Imelda (Imee) and Ferdinand Jr (Bongbong), of their experience living through all that.
A notable excerpt from the article offers us Marcos’s eldest daughter and current Ilocos Norte Governor Imee’s remarkably candid take on the banal reality of dynastic politics in the Philippines…
Imee — whacky, wise-cracking and a crush for some male journalists in Manila, the capital — admits she struggles with the governor’s job she has “avoided for years”; she’d rather be in Manila, making films, cartoons and games with Cream, her production company. Her film career has had some success, too; her part-animation hip-hop fairy tale, Pintakasi, won a number of awards at the recent Metro Manila Film Festival. But she was forced to take on the job when her cousin, Michael Marcos Keon, who became governor of Ilocos Norte in 2007, declined to run again in 2010. No one else in the family was available or interested.
Why does a Marcos have to run all the time? “It’s the whole Filipino system — they really count on you, they have all these expectations,” she tells me. “Your family is taking care of their family, which is taking care of your family and it just goes on and on and on. It’s pretty feudal in the Philippines still, even though we like to fool ourselves.”
Dent jumps off this to continue her own observation…
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It is normal in the former US and Spanish colony for families to control provinces for generations — the Laurel clan run Batangas, the Osmeñas control Cebu, the Lopez family manages Iloilo. The Aquinos — arch foes of the Marcoses — have run Tarlac for five generations and are currently the most powerful clan, with Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III now president, a job held by his mother Corazon (or “Cory”), who succeeded Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. The animosity between the two families is akin to that of the Montagues and Capulets. Like a grand sporting game, Filipinos root either for a Marcos or an Aquino. Or hate them both.
Coming from an Aussie journalist, this is a spot-on summarisation of the Third World “democratic” politics of the Philippines — a country ruled by an elite clique of politically- and financially-savvy oligarchs by virtue of the popular vote that seals their mandate to govern. Dent also quotes veteran journalist Carmen Pedrosa who offers what most Filipinos already know — that it is really all just the same whoever sits in Malacañang and it is likely that history will simply repeat itself…
Pedrosa says dissatisfaction with the current Aquino regime has led people to ask whether the Marcoses were so bad. “They contrast the two families and say things like: ‘At least during Marcos’s time we saw things being built and now there is nothing, just incompetence,’” she says. “There is also disappointment that we had a revolution but it did nothing to change lives. People think: ‘What does it matter? It is just the same whether we have Marcos or Aquino.’”
Indeed, who sits in Malacañang ultimately does not matter as the Filipino vote is in reality a random and arbitrary force that surfs the tide of whatever the national mood might be following the most recent episode of the most popular TV telenovela that may happen to have been aired the previous night. It is a simple political equation in a country where personality trumps ideas when it comes to evaluating options.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
And with the dinosaurs in UNA – binay, enrile, estrada (and their work shy offspring) as the ‘supposed opposition/alternative’, then the only certainty is that nothing will change in the next two generations as the corrupt dynasties play ‘show me the money’ , and spend their time on ther scas or mistresses or in their favourite place – the USA.
What a sick society.
and p-noy through his stupidity, incompetence, and hypocricy will prove to be the worst of them all.
the rest of the world see it so clearly, but the masses fall everytime for any lie/scam.
There is already change happening I tell you for the betterment of the country
@swagger
Please be specific about your claim for the benefit of the readers. 😉
http://business.inquirer.net/95447/philippine-economy-grows-7-1-in-third-quarter
Aquinomics at work!
Kudos to the entire
PNoy economic team
and to the Filipino
people.
Our president may not be perfect but he has the political will and the personal intentions to bring back the glory stolen by past presidents, specifically,
Marcos and GMA. We were hopeless during the dark ages of GMA’s regime. Now, the light is slowly emerging at the end of the tunnel.
Remember, in order to
eradicate poverty in the
PHL, we need 20 years
of sustainable growth.
@swagger: That news can be a farce. Aquinomics, in fact, can led to disaster since Noynoy is slamming more doors for foreign investors in favor of local cronies.
Bababa rin iya. 😛 Not being pessismist but I’m a realist.
TROLL.
Like Ilda said, please be specific. 🙂 If not, then you’re already lost.
It is you that is defeated.
@swagger: Nope. It is YOU that’s because you’re just only one-liners and added nothing to the discussion.
Trolling much?
Are you stupid to the max vincensus ignoramus? You are already being dominated here that you’re being very desperate by bitching with epic fail one-liners. Teka lang kunin ko sinturon ko para paluin kita sa pwet mo. Napakagulo mong bata e.
When we catch this troll,I’ll be sure to introduce him to the business end of my spiked metal bat, FACE FIRST
@swagfag
Care to cite sources that are not known to be asslickers of the aquinos? No? then what you claim is only your imagination.
+1
benign0,
The article reinforced the idea I have about our people. Filipinos have a distorted notion of the world. We look at our society and recognize that there is a disparity between the rich and poor, the haves and the have-nots, the ruling class and the ruled. People hold the belief that the rich and those in power are stealing from the rest of the public, keeping the rest of us from realizing our aspirations. To be fair, that is often true. Our leaders — their henchmen, their relatives — have been proven to enrich themselves by taking advantage of the people who entrusted them with authority. The response to that discovery is the thinking that in order to become prosperous all we have to do is stop those who are stealing or replace them. Or pass laws that re-allocate the wealth. The only thing this has done is to perpetuate our endless election cycles.
It never seemed to occur to Filipinos that the failure of our society isn’t just because a select few are depriving the majority of their share but because we failed to build a society based on proper education, the rule of law, and the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship. Had we done so we would be closer to Japan or Korea in terms of development. With responsible leaders and competent bureaucrats to boot.
“It never seemed to occur to Filipinos that the failure of our society isn’t just because a select few are depriving the majority of their share but because we failed to build a society based on proper education, the rule of law, and the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship. Had we done so we would be closer to Japan or Korea in terms of development. With responsible leaders and competent bureaucrats to boot.”
Right.
Indeed, missing in Filipinos’ development equation is personal accountability. We are all ultimately responsible for our own individual fortunes as the Filipino Chinese have proven in building their fortunes under the same dysfunctional government that native Pinoys keep griping about.
What did the Chinoys have that native Pinoys didn’t? Simple. They possessed the right cultural DNA to prosper under ANY circumstances – even the sort of circumstances provided by their basketcase host societies that are used as tiresome excuses by native Pinoys.
Exactly.
The basic problem remains is that Filipino culture is shit. It’s as simple as that.
It’s a weak culture that demands nothing but a good time. It’s a childish culture that separates actions from consequences. It’s a beggar culture that sees no shame in living with its hand out constantly. It’s a culture of crookedness – other societies have been able to build with straight lines for thousands of years but that’s still impossible in the Philippines in the 21st Century.
It’s a culture that grovels before thieves and criminals and continues to elect them to political positions.
In summary, it’s your fault. Stop voting for these criminals and stop letting them get away with their crimes!
The thing is, this will keep on going because the criminals running for positions have perpetuated the voter’s need for election campaigns stopping by their local barangays… For food baskets and karaoke on stage. These crooks needed voters so they made some. Could you imagine if these politicians actually did their jobs? There wouldn’t be any poor left to vote for them the next run wouldn’t they. This is THEIR cycle. They’re deaf to words coming from the likes of us. You don’t have food baskets do ‘ya? Or maybe some media ‘talent’ to endorse you?
Some good people wanted this to change so they put up solutions like voter education and what not. I think the solutions these well meaning people put up are also part of the problem. Think about it. What good would voter education do when you can’t get rid of vote buying, fly voting, and bullying at the polls? Even if your voter is now wiser, he would still chose to vote for the crook if that crook pointed a gun to his side.
What the solution should be is for the good lot to step it up a couple of notches. Instead of trying to look like they’re doing something, ACTUALLY do something that’ll make a difference.
Another problem would be this: I know a lot of good families whose votes could make a difference, even in influencing the community around them. Too bad that although they’re one of the well meaning and thinking Filipino families, they’re easily swayed by the heavily biased media. I hope UP puts that in their election research. AND i hope the research actually translates in to action in the future, otherwise it’ll all be just another ‘for show’…part of the longest running election drama series this century.
Personally, I would prefer Marcos, Erap, GMA. Even though they all stole from the nation, they actually showed that they were also doing something for it and with it. Graft, corruption, and all that jazz should be removed from the system, but if I really had a choice, I’d chose people, presidents, leaders, that really have done something of substance, irregardless of what wrongs they have committed against the nation as a whole.
Marcos, I believe, was the last of the Gentlemen, the last of the serious politicians.
I say Gentlemen, because I think of Marcos and his kind, his generation as being the last of a breed that is nearly lost during this time. Its like with the entertainment industry, there is swag, and there is class. Marcos had class, his successors, and the successors of his vice president, senators, and the like, they’re all mostly just swag, and some don’t even have that at all.
Ok, I lost my train of thought. So signing off for now.
HA HA HA,that is a good one.Marcos “the last of the gentleman”.Wow,sounds like you knew him personally.Marcos was a shill,he was a good boy for his master/daddy and he used the assurances his master/daddy gave him to plunder the entire countries wealth,all of it.He was planted in his position(when he instituted M.L.) by the people who really run the USA.Martial law was implemented at the time when the Vietnam war was going to have to come to an end. The people who were running that war could not have the wrong government in power here.After all it was/is so close to where their efforts were not going to be able to continue,it is that simple.
I feel bad for you that you equate/confuse the exterior(WOW,he did have a smart haircut didn’t he?OMG!) of a complete thieving, conniving, SCAMMING, murdering total POS with the qualities of a Gentleman. WHEW!!!!!
If Marcos is alive and still the President today, we would not even have this conversation. All anti-Marcos ppl will either land in jail or just disappear.
Here is an opinion about the Marcos regime:
https://raissarobles.com/2014/02/09/stopping-the-marcoses-from-erasing-their-crimes-from-history/
But the fact is, Marcos isn’t alive today, is he? There is also no martial law and it is unlikely that martial law will be implemented again in the Philippines in the near future. So what’s your point then?
Some people may not like Imee Marcos for who she is. But if you ask me, she made a lot of sense in what she said. Basically, she says that the same feudal lords are still ruling over the country because the people want it.
Isn’t that obvious?
It may not be all the people, but a significant number are hung up on an old order, on old ways of doing things. They aren’t leveling up anymore. They are instead staying trapped in time. That’s the way they did it before, and evil if it kills them, that’s the way they’ll do it again. Perhaps they’re too lazy to think of other ways.
Note Imee even pointed out that her cousin who was governor before her declined to run and that no one else among her relatives was interested in running for the post.
It seems that Noynoy’s family is no different. Noynoy too seemed to have been arm-twisted into running for President more because of a clan agenda (securing Peping’s family jewels?) than for any of the supposedly ‘noble’ pursuits that he used as fodder for his campaign.
And Pinoys being Pinoys lapped it all up. 😀
Sometimes it’s not even members of the family who want to run. The ones who want them to are friends, associates, business partners, etc., who benefit from having a candidate they know. In other words, everyone has a KKK. And making up those KKKs aren’t even the traditional politicos, but ordinary people similar to us! In other words, even ordinary Filipinos display traits of corruption. Some ordinary Filipinos may decry corruption, but deep down inside, they want a bigger piece of the pie.
stahlnacht is right to prefer Marcos, Erap and GMA. Who in his right senses would not? They have their own faults but much of these were bloated by the media, while their achievements in uplifting the country were set aside and forgotten. Try and list down the benefits that the country has gained from these achievers. In another paper list down those for the present. Oh… never mind.
If GMA was bad, Erap was worse, & Marcos’ plunder was worst. And Imee once again giving us BSh!t. I don’t buy a crook’s descendant’s justification.
No need for the media to brainwash the public, just query your folks – if they’re rationally educated.
BenignO is right. The ‘leaders’ are only half of the problem; the other half is the non-thinking mass/voters.
Nothing will change; even if the Marcoses will be in power again. We, ourselves must change. These people take care of themselves; not us. They have followers, who are waiting for opportunities to enrich themselves. Some change sides, like a reversible jacket; whoever is in power. The Aquinos have their Hacienda Luisita. And they feature themselves as Saints and Holy. The Marcoses have the looting of the National Treasury. So, same Dogs, only different collars.
Let’s not forget the belief that supporting a politician (crooked or otherwise) means getting special treatment in return or at least bragging rights. “I know So-and-so he/she is my friend, I supported him/her in the last election”. It doesn’t matter if that support is harmful to everyone else.
The title of the article is accurate.Politicians just take the peoples tax money and well…steal it.It does not matter who is actually the ‘President’ of any country,HA.Happens in every country in the world,it is just done with a little more audacity in the Philippines and other banana republics around the globe.The new buzz-word is impunity,and the shoe fits.
It is entertaining at least to see the media portraying the sleazy-ass syphillitic street walker politicians as some sort of respectable elite type personage.Since the time of the Caesars it is a well know fact that the leaders of any country are the worst type of sleaziness the particular country has to offer.Pygmies of the lowest order,while the true giants of this world are the ones that no one ever hears about.like the Grandmother who becomes a mother again at age 58 because her daughter dies in a car accident and the child is still cared for by the Grandmother as her own child.That is an example of a real giant,not these sleazoids running around running for office so they can steal everything that is not nailed down.They really are truly despicable no matter what country they are in,and they are in every country…not just the Philippines.
Right Jeremy. I see the same happening in the US. Politicians everywhere are the bottom feeders of the world. Just as a parting thought: I was here during Marcos time and it was a better country then. Cleaner, more orderly, and much more progressive. One of our founding fathers said “Sometimes it is better to live under a benevolent Dictator than a corrupt Democracy”. I think it was Ben Franklin, but I can’t swear to that.
U kno Bill,I bet it was a better place to live w/Marcos,but if what is being reported was/is accurate he was one of the BIGGEST thieves in the history of Mankind.The POS is up there with Caligula,if what is being reported is true.From Westinghouse Corporation alone,for the Nuclear facility that was never put on-line,he pocketed almost a billion dollars and that is 1980’s Dollars.It is funny how sometimes I see people on this site, and others, proclaiming (almost as if it is something to be proud of) that the USA is imitating the Philippines when it comes to corruption at all levels of Gov’t.,but it is actually the other way around,no doubt.
Bill,
It may certainly have seemed more progressive in the Philippines under Marcos. I’m sure it was, especially for expats and multinational companies. The other side of the coin — the local Filipino workers, the entrepreneurs — would beg to differ.
Marcos secured his second term through an election riddled with fraud and violence. In doing so he exhausted the country’s coffers. Without reserves, the Philippine government was overwhelmed with a massive trade deficit and mounting external debt.
With no choices left, Marcos turned to the United States government, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to maintain his hold on power in the face of his government’s bankruptcy. As ardent recipients of US largesse, Marcos was forced to submit to an onerous financial plan. The Philippine Peso was devalued (by 60 percent!), and a plan for development was engineered to build an export-oriented economy and increase foreign exchange earnings from sales of cheap(er) Philippine products.
All of this looked good for everyone concerned…in theory. The actual consequences, however, destroyed local businesses and ravaged the workforce. Due to the more expensive imported components for their products, many Filipino entrepreneurs were forced into bankruptcy. Unemployment skyrocketed and wages were cut by as much as half. So while our neighbors were experiencing hand-over-fist growth rates, the Philippines sunk into steady decline.
The Marcos government spent billions of World Bank money on energy and power generation projects, transportation and communications infrastructure, water and other utilities to attract foreign corporations like Texas Instruments, Motorola and Intel. And while the Philippines took care of their interests, these multinationals did not exactly reciprocate in terms of looking after the needs of their Filipino workers. The multinationals would simply pick up and leave when complaints were raised such as the demand for a more realistic wage.
Meanwhile, the Marcoses and their cronies pocketed bribes and kickbacks from these same corporations. Westinghouse’s overpriced nuclear plant is the poster child for this sad state of affairs. American policy makers condoned it and, working through the World Bank, even supported it out of fear that a Communist takeover of Southeast Asia was looming.
By the end of the Marcos dictatorship, the total cost of this policy was horrendous. There was NO domestic component to development as this was bypassed in favor of (meager) exports. Local raw materials had been exhausted. The country suffered a “brain drain” as the skilled labor of the middle class sought employment outside the Philippines, becoming the first in a growing wave of overseas workers and migrants. Those left behind were malnourished, ill-educated, an altogether wretched site. And the US multinationals? Well they kept their profits, made off the backs of workers receiving lower-than-minimum-wage compensation, extensive tax breaks and a standing agreement with the Marcos regime for the Philippine government to finance and underwrite the infrastructure and facilities the companies used.
So what makes Marcos different than any other Politician? Look what you have now. Aquino. The Grandfather was a Japanese collaborator, the Father a Communist, the Mother, who knows? My point is this, how much better off are Filipinos today than they were then? Not much, if at all. I agree that the PH was raped by Multinational Companies, but how has that changed? It has not. I don’t agree with any of it, but it is the way of the world and it is going to get worse, not better. If you think any Politician has the best interest of the “people” in mind you are delusional. What is the solution to all this? I have no clue. Fuedalism is on it’s way back in a big way. That’s my story and I’m stickin to it. When I was here in the late 70s and early 80s I was not here on Vacation. I was in the US Army and most of my time was spent wayyyyyy down south. For what? For the same reason I did 2 tours in Viet Nam. For nothing other than to make a Politician and a CEO richer than they already were. Everything changes yet everything stays the same. No offense intended.
None taken Bill.
Let me just start off by saying THANK YOU, BILL! We appreciate what you did for the Philippines.
—
Just want to be clear. I’m not against America or Americans. I admire what your country stands for. I don’t hold a grudge for what the US/World Bank economic plan caused in the Philippines. I understand that in the scheme of things the US should put the interests of the US first. Not the other way around.
I do have an issue with Filipino leaders who cannot think long term and put the nation’s welfare ahead of their personal interests. That goes for Marcos, Cory Aquino, BS Aquino and everyone in between. For all their supposed intellect, none of them have come up with a development plan that wasn’t primarily smoke and mirrors. The Aquino family in particular has practiced a long-standing policy of hate and revenge politics, first against the Marcoses and now against the Arroyos (ironically with the Marcoses as allies).
And I have a problem with US policy and US policy makers. 25 years of supporting the same dictator when the end result was obvious within the early years of Martial Law? Come on! The support of dictators like Marcos, Saddam Hussein and Manuel Noriega ultimately deprives the US of the moral authority to claim that their interests lie in promoting democracy. And when Bill Clinton criticizes the Philippines of being unreliable partners because of the use of “enhanced interrogation” but has no qualms in accepting money from Nigerian warlords and Saudi princes, it makes me want to throw up.
All the while nothing gets done. Cory Aquino ground the nation to a standstill with day-long power outages. Conditions in the Philippines under her son are so miserable that the main ambition of anyone with the opportunity is to flee the country for employment abroad. And Obama still hasn’t passed a budget. He still persists on antagonizing anybody who has the audacity to try to be independent and build his own business.
Its us working stiffs got screwed by the gang of cheats, crooks and cronies, Bill.
—
Anyway — THANKS AGAIN for your service.
Marcos focused more on the development of the Philippines as a nation. In elementary school, Marcos time, pupils were instilled with values which were crucial to the typical Filipino mindset, such as self-reliance and patriotism. They were not fed with trash from TV. In contrast with the present where the term freedom is skewed to mean free for all. An idiot in Malacanang just there to get revenge and take care of his own clan’s interests. He can’t even represent our country without making a fool of himself.
joeld,
The belief that Marcos’ intention was primarily to serve the Philippines is ludicrous. The techniques he practiced were more akin to indoctrination, similar to North Korean and Chinese models. The idea was to inculcate in the people subservience to his New Society Movement (KBL) and an acceptance of every dictate of the regime.
But Philippines cannot be communist. Buti na lang we expelled him in 1986
Lies. Marcos didn’t support communism; he opposed it. Now I wonder why Cory had freed Joma Sison and other members of the CPP?
Ang BOBO mo. 🙂
Hey Fishball, you might want to pick up a History book and read it. All I see coming from your mouth is the Communist Manifesto. Bwahahahahahaha
@Swagfag
“But Philippines cannot be communist.”
Read this you dumb fag:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_insurgency_in_the_Philippines
Fishball, you continue to fail. Why do you continue to let yourself be humiliated again? You might as well resign from the malacanang comms team if your LOSING streak continues.
wasnt it ninoy aquino who supported communism? i even asked some who were alive during that marcos regime and they were very objective as in saying that ninoy aquino was pro communism..and regarding the the linked article that you posted. an increase in GDP does not equate to a better life for filipinos… you have to remember where the money goes to … this increase goes to the wealthy not to the workers, it doesnt even equate to increased employment. if you want to talk about economics then its best to learn economics but not just the basics that they teach in undergrad schools
Well said Johnny. Not just here, but everywhere in the world.
the link is to wikipedia, isnt there a more credible source? we all know that wikipedia can be tweaked
@johnny saint,
“The belief that Marcos’ intention was primarily to serve the Philippines is ludicrous.”
I know. My point is, maybe it is better for Filipinos to be handled that way. Not like now that a lot of Filipinos or just acting as mere lemmings of the yellow king. Look around, self-discipline is virtually non-existent. What Filipinos need is someone who can lead them to the right path (not the daang matuwid, mind you).
I understand that out of frustration, you might want to explicitly impose values and morals that SEEM to have worked for countries like Singapore and South Korea. Admittedly, there are very good reasons for fostering social cohesion and “rooted-ness” to your country of birth. Not the least of which are building national unity, economic success and impressing ideas such as morality, truth, justice and mercy on the youth.
However this “values education” approach is based on certain untenable notions. From a practical perspective, the results are not quantifiable. Because values education is highly subjective, there can be no universal benchmark for success or failure, unlike in academics which have standards that can be measured objectively.
It comes down to the classroom interaction between teacher and student. It should be noted that in Singapore the focus remains on academics and school rankings, not civics or morals education. We face a similar situation in the Philippines where the values education is largely “lip service” rather than a serious subject. This begs the question — if the teachers/role models do not take the lessons seriously, how can we expect students to follow?
From the start, values/morals education with the goal of national cohesion and economic success assumes that Filipinos have an accepted universal code of values and ethics to impart in the first place. I submit that we have yet to properly define the national identity of the Filipino. Not as Tagalog or Ilocano or Visayan or any of a host of races native to the archipelago but as Filipinos.
What is necessary is to depoliticize education, moral or otherwise. Education should not be about imposing a particular point of view or code of behavior. Rather a holistic approach should be adopted including, but not limited to, moral reasoning and the responsibilities of citizenship. The focus should be on the students and giving them the tools for critical thinking to make the decision on their own that “belief” in the Philippines is of value in itself.
NonExtremist,
The “people” you asked must not know what was going on at the time. The (communist) insurgency was a looming presence in Tarlac in the 1960s. Being the calculating, opportunistic political humbug that he was, Ninoy Aquino was not above using the insurgents (even allying) himself with them to foment a civil war against the Marcos regime. This does not constitute a belief in, much less promotion of, the communist ideology. The most that can be said is that Ninoy’s dealings with the communists served only as a stepping stone to install him as president.
Hi,
I was reading a book about East Asia’s history and economic development. The Book focused on the Leaders of Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and how they put up policies for economic development. The pattern I’ve noticed is that all of those leaders and Industrialists featured in the book employed some form of dictatorship, authoritarianism and control in the name of economic development. Some of these leaders no doubt were alive during Marcos’ time. I can’t help but think Marcos was trying to do the same thing as these other east Asian leaders back then, But along the got convoluted.
Well it would be really nice if it could be credited to the brains of the powerful elite rulers in South East Asia that gave rise to the so called Aisan Tigers that are around for about 60 years now.BUT BUT BUT The ENTIRE truth of the matter is the WEST has orchestrated or flat out done all of it and todays’ Chinese empire exists only because the West’s Corporations have given all of the manufacturing jobs to people who enslave workers that will work for a fraction of what a USA or European worker would and should be making in the West.It is fuckin sickening for me to see this in my life-time.The Chinese(and all the rest of them) praising themselves for having a GDP that has gone up 600% during the last ten years and it is all at the expense of the citizens of the West who have been fucked out loud by Corporations and Governments that have sold them into poverty by passing free trade agreements that allow Western Corporations to move manufacturing overseas,pay slave wages to ignorant idiots who will work for nothing and then allow the same Western Corporations to bring the products back with no-tariff on the product what-so-ever.AND ,as if that is not bad enough……then they cook the books and screw the semi-wealthy stock holders.AND all the time the S.E. Asian and Northern Asian nations delude themselves into thinking how great they are when all they did was what the fuck they were told to do by the Western Corporations and Governments in the first place(The U.S.A. and the U.K. mostly and Germany too).Nice one.Marcos did what he was told to do as well,no matter what book says what-ever it is it says HE did.
Eddy,
No doubt economic policy under the Marcos regime attempted to follow the trend in the 1980’s and was influenced by it. The exceptionally high growth rates and rapid industrialization of the Asian Tiger/Dragon economies — Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore — are compelling arguments for the type of policies they implemented. And who wouldn’t want to emulate that kind of success in a market economy?
Make no mistake. Marcos’ intention was to subjugate the Philippines and transfer control of the major industries to himself (acting through intermediaries) friends and relatives. Basically — they treated the country like a prize they could carve up as spoils of war; he did not start out as a “benevolent dictator” who lost his focus or “got convoluted” along the way. This had been documented as early as the mid 1980’s.
Look up Eduardo Cojuangco (BS Aquino’s uncle), Herminio Disini (responsible for the Bataan nuclear power plant fiasco), Juan Ponce Enrile and the Romualdez family for a glimpse into the workings of the Marcos inner circle and how they bled the Philippines dry.
All this was accomplished with the approval of the US government and the World Bank. America’s interests lay primarily on whether a country was pro-US or pro-Soviet, not what was happening inside. Nixon and Kissinger’s first priority was the US bases. Next — preferential treatment for US companies. In effect, successive US administrations told Marcos “We don’t care what you do in your own backyard — deprive your people of civil rights, murder your political opponents — just let us keep our bases, keep buying our stuff and let us keep the money we make off your people.” For 25 years that was exactly what happened. With the World Bank knowing full well that the money they were lending out for countrywide development was finding its way to Switzerland into numbered accounts belonging to the Marcoses and their cronies.
The Filipinos to the Marcos and Arroyo regime:
JUSTICE!!
And then, WHAT’S NEXT?
There is no justice with INCOMPETENCE, mind you.
Aquinos to the Filipinos on Blackouts, high prices and rising criminality:
Just Tiis!
Aquino to the millions of suffering filipinos on high taxes,high electricity bills and high everything else:
WHAT ME WORRY?
Looks like swagger suffers from a severe bout of Pinoy Revisionism.
Trolling, More retarded in the malacanang comms group
You seem to have it correctly.Nixon and Kissinger did not give a shit about anyone in the USA or The Philippines.Just keep the Philippines under control and they told Marcos to do it at any cost.AND boy did he.The guy commenting Marcos was a gentleman? I almost feel sorry for him,but can not as to equate a mass-murdering POS thief to a gentleman is just in-excusable ignorance.The people here will get no change until they take it upon themselves as Marcos did,at any cost.Until then the vote will continue to be rigged if the wrong person appears to be winning,the tax-payers will get robbed and on and on and on…..
The real truth about the straight and crooked path from the Daily Tribune:
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/7451-rubber-stamp-congress-resurrects-under-noy
I already suspected from 2010 that the current administration would be like this.
What do you expect from a Tribune writeup?
And what do you expect from an Inquirer writeup?
A whole lot better than whatever you can post as a comment, that’s what.
@swagfag
“What do you expect from a Tribune writeup?”
The TRUTH
What do I expect from a malacanang troll like you?
STUPIDITY
Fishball , last I looked Tribune and Standard are legitimate papers and not tabloids. I have written in the past how come they get stories about your beloved idol that others do not. If not true why aren’t any of Noynoy legal lapdogs going after them for libel / lying? Troll harder. Give my love to the Minister of Truth. Hope you are enjoying your new smart phone. Pa share.
Attention Benigno and all the guys and girls…
An excerpt from the Philippine Star(November 29, 2012):
“Economy soars 7.1% in Q3 by Ted Torres and Delon Porcalla”
“The Philippine economy moved the fastest in South-east Asia in the third quarter at 7.1 percent from a year earlier, coming just a little behind China’s growth and surpassing projections.
“This was possible due to sustained confidence in the leadership of President Aquino and his administration, which has consistently equated good governance with good economics,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said yesterday, referring to the record growth…
Is this a hint of black propaganda from the palace? Is BS Aquino a genuine genius and the savior of the Philippine people? Is this the real truth or bullshit?
It is JEALOUSY that is making you see that its black propaganda. Just accept the fact that the student is better than his teacher.
Farce.
It seems there is another SPAMMER here. Isn’t that right… FISHBALL? 😛
A different view from the Daily Tribune:
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/7490-gdp-grows-71-in-q3-from-low-base-in-2011
@swagger
You do not seem to get the point. I am not jealous about your great leader. The only fact I accept is the search for the truth. Your blind loyalty is apparent. Are you a member of the bow well movement 188 or just a Carandang lackey? Get real.
Thank you, I’m glad somebody finally pointed that out. In real math, the 7.1% still represents about a 1.5% recession.
Hi Fishball.
Forgive Fishball and Truth Minister Ricky. They have new toys that they have been dying to use.
@SwagFAG
Give us a VALID reason why we would be jealous of someone who is clearly incapable to leading this country?
No answer from “swagger”. Guess that means that he has nothing to show after all. All bark but no bite. Talks the talk but can’t walk the walk. That’s the malacanang comms group in a nutshell.
Call it Press Release Economics….and he didn’t learn that in school.
NCSB has not published 2011 and 2012 GDP Account details (the previous years’ data are all there however), yet they are able to release such pronouncements to the press.
A friend posted this. And this is for Fishball-esque trolls and a$$lickers like swagger a.k.a. Squatter Swagger:
“Good news for the oligarchs. The economy of the Philippines expanded 7.1 percent. Can’t wait to see the 2013 update ng mga net worth ng mga Sy,Tan, Cojuancos, Aquinos, Lopezes, Gozons etc. Ilang billions dollars kaya ang nadagdag sa net worth nila? Abangan!!!!!!
Juan De La Cruz????????????????? Pweeeeeh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hindi ka kasama! Magtanim ka nalang ng kamote sa kabilugan ng buwan!”
At least in the US there are people willing to stick up for their rights. Here, the vast majority accepts what they are told without question (mostly because they don’t want to think about it) then bends over and takes it.
It is just sad and true.The more things change the more they stay the same.The Fils got screwed by their own leaders.Just like the people of the USA have been screwed into poverty by the bail-out of the banks(whose private debts are not and should not be considered PUBLIC debts…and the people should not get stuck with the bill!) and the cost of the War that is not even a War.Face it folks if you ain’t a 1%-er,seek shelter.
Ang huwad na tuwad na nakikita na ay wag na nyo bigyan ng iba pa na pagkilala… lahat ng mapagkunwari ay nakikita na at nararamdaman ng higit na nakararami. alam na natin lahat kung anu ang blue red and white, nakita na rin natin kung anu ang ibig sabihin ng maka-pula, mas lalo pa kung saan at anu ang ginagawa ng maka dilaw…. ang punot dulo ng kahirapan sa pinas ay tayo rin na mga pinoy ang may sala.. kong may magagawa ka gawin mo nalang sa responsable mo na pag boto at paglagak ng tiwala mo sa nararapat na mamumuno,,,,,,ikaw na rin ang magtanong sa sarili mo kong bakit nandyan ang mga ogag na yan sa gobyerno…. ibinoto mo eh….
To those who blog and chastise the present administration of P-Noy are usally the ones who tasted the honey during the Marcos and or Arroyo years and have become addicted to ellicit wealth, plundered loot. They refuse to recognize tnhat P-Noy is curbing if not reducing corruption that all his predecessors failed to do. Or some eve ndid not touch it at all. Arroyo plundered more than all her predecessors. More than Marcos took with him to Hawaii. Okay, tackling corruption is like eradicating rats. Impossible but at least clean up and sweep around to stop the same lynches from sucking more blood from the poor.
Lies. Corruption is rampant in the government because the government was treated like a spectator sport, putting people like rampant corruption is because of how the people VIEW the government as a spectator sport, put people like Pnoy, other affluent familial last names and former showbiz people to politics, then when s&&& breaks out, they react as if they weren’t aware of the repercussions.
If you are insistent on corruption and not on Marcos or Arroyo, then get everybody. Why is PNoy and his family getting away with incident of Hacienda Luisita? How about the other politicians? Barrangay governments on a local level?
Oh, I bet you didn’t know. May gatas ka pa sa labi, iha. Tama na ang kabobohan mo. 😛
“To those who blog and chastise the present administration of P-Noy are usally the ones who tasted the honey during the Marcos and or Arroyo years and have become addicted to ellicit wealth, plundered loot”
I call my bullshit card on that one. Yet another stupid accusation by a wannabe troll.
“They refuse to recognize tnhat P-Noy is curbing if not reducing corruption that all his predecessors failed to do.”
Oh really? Then tell us why aquino is not putting his corrupt KKK in jail then?
“Or some eve ndid not touch it at all. Arroyo plundered more than all her predecessors. More than Marcos took with him to Hawaii.”
Really now? Is that all you can say? Pinning the blame yet again on Arroyo?
what can be done and should be done is what im really interested in. is it a lost cause?
For starters don’t elect self serving morons. Problem lies within us.
Stop Debating, just do your part and help in your own capacity and in your own ideals, we are part of the problem because we just talk about it and not do anything, grrrrr!!!
…
(“Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss IDEAS.”)
I don’t think Marcos was a bad president, he instilled values that are required today that were effective in the community, the economy, and also the gaining of respect from other countries like Russia, China, and most countries that hate the Philippines now. The Filipinos should really be taught some discipline and respect. If you remember that one Filipino guy who asked that irrelevant question to that Singaporean guy,you would know that that was quite the invasion to privacy. I’d rather have our country be ruled by an iron hand rather than a yellow ribbon.
Marcos institutionalized corruption and cronyism as well as the sytematic plundering of the govt coffers, in addition to that the systematic killings and disapperances of thousand of critics and student activist happpened during his time
How about all those killed as “enemies of the state?” The stolen wealth?
Given the state of lawlessness in the country; I can understand this nostalgia for a dictatorial father figure who will set things right with his steely resolve. However, you are naive if you think there is a political solution to a cultural problem. Adolf Hitler made the trains run on time; but he did so by killing 10 million people in concentration camps. The US spent 3 trillion dollars to depose Sadam Hussein. What good did it do? Filipinos should be taught discipline and respect; but that’s got to be a grassroots effort, not top down.
Leaders really make difference, but —
“No matter how strong and dedicated a leader may be, he must find root and strength amongst the people. He alone cannot save a nation. He may guide, he may set the tone, he may dedicate himself and risk his life, but only the people may save themselves.”
the whole Filipino Culture, and System must change,then all things will follow.
I don’t lnow why the Aquinos and Marcoses are in top of the minds of critics and analysts on Philippine politics, as if Ramos and Macapagal-Arroyo never became presidents. After Cory Aquino had the challenge of rebuilding the socio-economic scenario of the Philippines. He opened the energy generating industry, telecommunication, banking to more competitive level and allowed foreign firms to invest in the country. He sold fort bonifacio and developed it in the alternative financial and commercial district of the Philippines, and initiated the modernization of mass transportation (MRT, C-5), started to unify the nation and included the indigenous Filipinos in socio-cultural and economic development. Macapagal-Arroyo improved on this, and initiated the nautical highway with roros, attempted to improved further the telecommunication highway but someone threw a money wrench on it (rememer the ZTE Broadband project), strengthed the mocroeconomic policies and programs that shielded the country from US and Europe financial crises and scams. Who rules and govern from Malacanan matters. As a postcript, if you come to think of it, Ramos and Macapagal-Arroyo didn’t have political dysnasties. They were steeped in their vision for the country, and their technical, managerial and leadership skills put them through their terms.
I agree with all the above comments, except for two inaccuracies. First, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal (1961-1965); and second, her Presidency was a dismal failure.
Marcos was a good President until he became ill and lost touch with the real state of the country. He also stayed in power too long; he should called a general election when the Philippines was politically, economically, and socially stable (early 1980s). He may have been corrupt but his good deeds atoned for it; he gave a lot back to the people. Compare this to the Cojuangco -Aquinos, who took so much from the people without giving anything back for over a century.
Filipinos need to realise that the only way to solve the twin evils of corruption and poverty is to use their vote wisely. Selling one’s vote is corruption in itself. Voting for popular personalities (entertainers) instead of people with ability is equally irresponsible. Filipinos need to be more disciplined.
Hi Marvin,
Hope you do still remember me.
Hope you can reply with you contact details.
Regards,
Lewy
dont even compare amrcos to any aquinos
“It is all the same whether the Philippines is ruled by a Marcos or an Aquino Filipinos…”
And the Philippines ruled by GMA and her lapdog like Tiglaw any different and better? hehe
>pahiwatig na nagsimula ang problema kay Arroyo at maganda at perpekto ang pagkakaimplementa ng konstitusyon ng 1987 at kahit pa nung 1942
Marcoses VS Aquinos Is An Aliens vs. Predator War: Regardless Who Wins, We LOSE!