The period of the Fourth Republic

of the Philippines
The Administration of
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand
Emmanuel Edralin
Marcos
(September 11,
1917 – September
28, 1989)
 Marcos Administration (1965-1972)
First Term:

In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos won the presidential election and became the
10th President of the Philippines. His first term was marked with
increased industrialization and the creation of solid infrastructure
nationwide, such as the North Luzon Expressway and the Maharlika
Highway. Marcos did this by appointing a cabinet composed mostly
of technocrats and intellectuals, by increasing funding to the Armed
Forces, and mobilizing them to help in construction. Marcos also
established schools and learning institutions nationwide, more than
the combined total of those established by his predecessors.
In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos
revealed his plans for economic development and good
government.
Marcos wanted immediate construction of roads, bridges,
and public works, which included 16,000 kilometers of feeder
roads, some 30,000 lineal meters of bridges, a generator with
an electric power plant capacity of 1 million kilowatts and
water services to eight regions and 38 localities.
He also urged the revitalization of the judiciary, the national
defense posture and he fight against smuggling, criminality
and graft and corruption in the government.
He mobilized the manpower and resources of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) for action to complement civilian agencies in such
activities as infrastructure construction; economic planning and
program execution
He liberalized trade with the free world, hastening the industrialization
of the Philippines
He improved agricultural production to make the country self-sufficient
in food, especially in rice
Marcos also tried to strengthen the foreign relations of the Philippines.
He hosted seven-nation summit conference on the crisis in South
Vietnam in October, 1996. In support for the U.S military efforts in
South Vietnam, he agreed to send Filipino troops to that war zone.
SECOND TERM:
In 1969 Marcos ran for a second term (allowable under 1935
Constitution) and won versus 11 other candidates. Marcos
began his second term by creating a personality cult of sorts
around himself, mandating that all public institutions must
carry a picture of the president, and even placing some
billboards with his propaganda messages.
Marcos second term was economic turmoil brought about by
factors both external and internal, a restless student body
who demanded educational reforms, a rising crime rate, and a
growing communist insurgency, among other terms
 October 30, 1970
The crisis boiled over on during a massive protest in
Mendiola now known as the First Quarter Storm, where
student protesters and communist elements were forcefully
quelled by military forces. This marked a period of intense
student protesting and violence around Metro Manila,
especially near the University Belt. At one point, student
activists took over the Diliman campus of the University of
the Philippines and declared it a free commune, which lasted
for a while before the government dissolved it. Violent
protesting continued over the next few years until the
declaration of martial law in 1972.
 PLAZA MIRANDA BOMBING
AUGUST 21, 1971, THE LIBERAL PARTY HELD A CAMPAIGN RALLY AT
THE PLAZA MIRANDA TO PROCLAIM THEIR SENATORIAL BETS AND
THEIR CANDIDATE FOR THE MAYORALTY OF MANILA. TWO
GRENADES WERE REPORTEDLY TOSSED ON STAGE, INJURING
ALMOST EVERYBODY PRESENT. AS A RESULT, MARCOS LIFTED
THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS IN ORDER TO ARREST THOSE
BEHIND THE ATTACK. HE ROUNDED UP A LIST OF SUPPOSED
SUSPECTS, MAOISTS, AND OTHER UNDESIRABLES. IN AN EFFORT
TO ELIMINATE RIVALS IN THE LIBERAL PARTY, MARCOS AND HIS
ALLIES TRIED TO SHIFT THE BLAME FROM HIS OWN PARTY TO SEN.
AQUINO BY INSINUATING THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD A HAND IN THE
BOMBINGS, DESPITE AQUINO'S ABSENCE AT THE RALLY. THE WRIT
WAS BRIEFLY RESTORED ON JANUARY 11, 1972 AMIDST
WIDESPREAD PROTEST OF PLAZA MIRANDA BOMBING
 THE MARTIAL LAW PERIOD (1972–1981)
President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Proclamation No. 1081 on September
21, 1972, placing the Philippines under Martial Law. Some sources say that
Marcos signed the proclamation on September 17 or on September 22—but,
in either case, the document itself was dated September 21.
 Throughout the Martial Law period, Marcos built up the cult of September 21,
proclaiming it as National Thanksgiving Day by virtue of Proclamation No.
1180 s. 1973 to memorialize the date as the foundation day of his New
Society. The propaganda effort was so successful that up to the present,
many Filipinos—particularly those who did not live through the events of
September 23, 1972—labor under the misapprehension that martial law was
proclaimed on September 21, 1972. It was not.
 A week before the actual declaration of Martial Law, a number of people
had already received information that Marcos had drawn up a plan to
completely take over the government and gain absolute rule.
Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr., during September 13, 1972 privilege
speech, exposed what was known as “Oplan Sagittarius.” The Senator
said he had received a top-secret military plan given by Marcos himself to
place Metro Manila and outlying areas under the control of the Philippine
Constabulary as a prelude to Martial Law. Marcos was going to use a
series of bombings in Metro Manila, including the 1971 Plaza Miranda
bombing, as a justification for his takeover and subsequent authoritarian
rule.
In his own diary, Marcos wrote on September 14, 1972 that he informed
the military that he would proceed with proclaiming Martial Law. Even the
U.S. Embassy in Manila knew as early as September 17, 1972 about
Marcos’ plan
 On September 21, 1972
 Democracy was still functioning in the Philippines.
 Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr. was still able to deliver a
privilege speech that would be his final one in the Senate.
That afternoon, the last protest march in Plaza Miranda
before the declaration of martial law was sponsored by the
Concerned Christians for Civil Liberties. The rally was
attended by more than 30 “civic, religious, labor, student,
and activist groups and a crowd of 30,000,” and received
coverage from newspapers, radio, and television
 A mass rally
organized by
the Movement of
Concerned Citizens
for Civil Liberties
(MCCCL) was held
at Plaza Miranda
in Quiapo.
 September 22, 1972
Defence Minister Juan Ponce Enrile was ambushed while
enroute home. The assassination attempt, which Enrile claims
was real, along with the growing threat of the New People's
Army and citizen unrest, was used by President Marcos as
justification for the imposition of martial law.
Rigoberto Tiglao, former press secretary and a former
communist incarcerated during the martial law, argued that the
liberal and communist parties provoked martial law imposition.
 Primitivo Mijares—a former journalist for Marcos who would
later write against Marcos and disappear without a trace in
1973—claimed that the Enrile ambush was fake as it was
made as the final excuse for Marcos to declare Martial
Law. Mijares also claimed that the ammunition planted by the
Presidential Guard Battalion in Digoyo Point, Isabela—which
was later confiscated by the Philippine Constabulary on July
5, 1972—was used to connect the ambush with alleged
Communist terror attacks.
But then Enrile said that "The most significant event that made
President Marcos decide to declare martial law was the
MV Karagatan incident in July 1972. It was the turning point.
The MV Karagatan involved the infiltration of high powered
rifles, ammunition, 40-millimeter rocket launchers, rocket
projectiles, communications equipment, and other assorted
war materials by the CPP-NPA-NDF on the Pacific side of
Isabela in Cagayan Valley." The weapons were shipped from
Communist China which at that time was exporting the
communist revolution and supported the NPA's goal to
overthrow the government.
Marcos, who thereafter ruled by decree, curtailed press freedom and
other civil liberties, abolished Congress, controlled media
establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant
activists, including his staunchest critics Senators Benigno Aquino
Jr. and Jose W. Diokno, virtually turning the Philippines into
a Totalitarian Dictatorship with Marcos as its Supreme Leader.
Initially, the declaration of martial law was well received, given the social
turmoil of the period. Crime rates decreased significantly after a curfew
was implemented. Political opponents were given the opportunity to go
into exile. As martial law went on for the next nine years, the excesses
committed by the military increased. In total, there were 3,257
extrajudicial killings, 35,000 individual tortures, and 70,000 were
incarcerated. It is also reported that 737 Filipinos disappeared between
1975 and 1985
 The 1973 Constitution
(From Presidential to Modified Parliamentary System)
The 1973 Constitution, promulgated after Marcos' declaration of martial
law, was supposed to introduce a parliamentary-style government.
Legislative power was vested in a unicameral National Assembly whose
members were elected for six-year terms. The President was ideally
elected as the symbolic and purely ceremonial head of state chosen from
amongst the Members of the National Assembly for a six-year term and
could be re-elected to an unlimited number of terms. Upon election, the
President ceased to be a Member of the National Assembly. During his
term, the President was not allowed to be a member of a political party or
hold any other office.
 What is the difference between Presidential and Parliamentary System?
In a Presidential System the President is both head of state and head of
government. The incumbent for the position is elected nationwide on
timing that has been predetermined in the Constitution. Thus, in the
presidential system, the President is said to enjoy a direct mandate from
the people. There is a fixed term of office for the President, which may
be reelected depending on the country adopting the system.
The parliamentary system typically has clear differentiation between the
head of government and the head of state, with the former being the
Prime Minister and the latter, the President. The Prime Minister is the
chief executive and, together with the Cabinet, exercises executive
power or the authority to form and implement policies and programs.
He/she is also usually the leader of the political party that wins the
majority of votes in the legislature or parliament, either assuming the
post automatically or gets elected by the legislature.
 The 1973 Constitution ideally provided for a true parliamentary
system, in practice, Marcos had made use of subterfuge and
manipulation in order to keep executive powers for himself,
rather than devolving these to the Assembly and the cabinet
headed by the Prime Minister. The end result was that the final
form of the 1973 Constitution – after all amendments and
subtle manipulations – was merely the abolition of the Senate
and a series of cosmetic rewordings.
The old American-derived terminology was replaced by names
more associated with parliamentary government: for example,
the House of Representatives became known as the "Batasang
Pambansâ" (National Assembly), Departments became
"Ministries",
and their cabinet secretaries became known as "cabinet ministers", with
the President's assistant – the Executive Secretary – now being styled the
"Prime Minister". Marcos' purported parliamentary system
in practice functioned as an authoritaritan presidential system, with all
real power concentrated in the hands of the President but with the
premise that such was now constitutional.
Executive power was meant to be exercised by the Prime
Minister who was also elected from amongst the sitting
Assemblymen. The Prime Minister was to be the head of
government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
This constitution was subsequently amended four times
(arguably five, depending on how one considers Proclamation
№ 3 of 1986)
From 16–17 October 1976, a majority of barangay voters (also
called "Citizen Assemblies") approved that martial law should
be continued and ratified the amendments to the Constitution
proposed by President Marcos.
 June 16, 1981
 Six months after the lifting of martial law, the first presidential election
in twelve years was held. President Marcos ran and won a massive
victory over the other candidates. The major opposition parties,
the United Nationalists Democratic Organizations (UNIDO), a coalition of
opposition parties and LABAN, boycotted the elections.
After the lifting of Martial Law, the pressure on the Communist CPP-NPA
alleviated. The group able to return to urban areas and form
relationships with legal opposition organizations, and became
increasingly successful attacks against the government throughout the
country. The violence inflicted by the communists reached its peak in
1985 with 1,282 military and police deaths and 1,362 civilian deaths.
 August 21, 1983
Aquino decided to go back to the Philippines, fully aware of the
dangers that awaited him. Warned that he would either be
imprisoned or killed, Aquino answered, "if it's my fate to die by an
assassin's bullet, so be it. But I cannot be petrified by inaction, or
fear of assassination, and therefore stay in the side..."
Aquino was assassinated when he was shot in the head after
returning to the country. At the time, bodyguards were assigned to
him by the Marcos government. A subsequent investigation
produced controversy but with no definitive results. After Marcos'
government was overthrown, another investigation found sixteen
defendants guilty. They were all sentenced to life in prison. Some
were released over the years, the last ones in March 2009
 EDSA I and The Restoration of Philippine
Democracy
The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution (also known as the EDSA
Revolution, or People Power) was a four-day series of non-violent mass
demonstrations that toppled the Marcos dictatorship and
installed Corazon Aquino as president in 1986. The revolution, which ran
from February 22 to February 25, was considered as the forerunner of
nonviolent demonstrations around the world such as those in Eastern
Europe.
The revolution was named after Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or EDSA,
where the majority of the protests took place. It is also known as the
Yellow Revolution, after Aquino's campaign color.
 The Philippines was praised worldwide in 1986, when the so-called bloodless revolution
erupted, called EDSA People Power’s Revolution. February 25, 1986 marked a significant
national event that has been engraved in the hearts and minds of every Filipino. This
part of Philippine history gives us a strong sense of pride especially that other nations
had attempted to emulate what we have shown the world of the true power
of democracy. The true empowerment ofdemocracy was exhibited in EDSA by
its successful efforts to oust a tyrant by a demonstration without tolerance for violence
and bloodshed. Prayers and rosaries strengthened by faith were the only weapons that
the Filipinos used to recover their freedom from President Ferdinand Marcos’s iron
hands. The Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) stretches 54 kilometers, where the
peaceful demonstration was held on that fateful day. It was a day that gathered all
Filipinos in unity with courage and faith to prevail democracy in the country. It was the
power of the people, who assembled in EDSA, that restored the democratic Philippines,
ending the oppressive Marcos regime. Hence, it came to be known as the EDSA People
Power’s Revolution.
The Administration of Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon
"Cory" Cojuangco
Aquino
January 25, 1933 –
August 1, 2009
 Maria Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino was
a Filipina politician who served as the 11th President of the
Philippines and the first woman to hold that office. She was
the first democratically-elected president since Diosdado
Macapagal left office in 1965 and the first female
president in Asia. Aquino was the most prominent figure of the
1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled the 21-year
authoritarian rule of President Ferdinand E. Marcos and
restored democracy to the Philippines. She was
named Time magazine's "Woman of the Year" in 1986. Prior to
this, she had not held any other elective office.
 The triumph of the peaceful People Power Revolution and the
ascension of Corazon Aquino into power signaled the end of authoritarian
rule in the Philippines and the dawning of a new era for Filipinos. The
relatively peaceful manner by which Aquino came into power drew
international acclaim and admiration not only for her but for the Filipino
people, as well.
Immediately after assuming the presidency, President Aquino
issued Proclamation № 3, which established a revolutionary government.
She abolished the 1973 Constitution that was in force during Martial Law,
and by decree issued the provisional 1986 Freedom Constitution pending
the ratification of a more formal, comprehensive charter. This allowed her
to exercise both executive and legislative powers until the ratification of
the 1987 Constitution and the restoration of Congress in 1987
 Aquino promulgated two landmark legal codes, namely, the Family Code of
1987, which reformed the civil law on family relations, and the Administrative
Code of 1987, which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of
government. Another landmark law that was enacted during her tenure was the
1991 Local Government Code, which devolved national government powers to
local government units (LGUs). The new Code enhanced the power of LGUs to
enact local taxation measures and assured them of a share in the national
revenue. Aquino closed down the Marcos-dominated Batasang Pambansa to
prevent the new Marcos loyalist opposition from undermining her democratic
reforms and reorganized the membership of the Supreme Court to restore
its independence.
 President Aquino envisioned agrarian and land reform as the centerpiece of her
administration's social legislative agenda. However, her family background and
social class as a privileged daughter of a wealthy and landed clan became a
lightning rod of criticisms against her land reform agenda.
 During her last two years in office, President Aquino's administration faced series of
natural disasters and calamities. Among these were the 1990 Luzon earthquake, which
left around 1,600 people dead and the 1991 volcanic eruption of what was then thought
to be a dormant Mount Pinatubo, which was the second largest terrestrial eruption of
the 20th century, killing around 300 people and causing widespread long-term
devastation of agricultural lands in Central Luzon.
 During Aquino's presidency, electric blackouts became common in Manila. The capital
experienced blackouts lasting 7–12 hours, bringing numerous businesses to a halt. By
the departure of Aquino in June 1992, businesses in Manila and nearby provinces had
lost nearly $800 million since the preceding March.
 As the end of her presidency drew near, close advisers and friends told Aquino that
since she was not inaugurated under the 1987 Constitution, she was still eligible to
seek the presidency again in the upcoming 1992 elections, the first presidential
elections held under normal and peaceful circumstances since 1965. President Aquino
strongly declined the requests for her to seek reelection and wanted to set an example
to both citizens and politicians that the presidency is not a lifetime position.