THE MARCOS

DICTATORSHIP
Members:
Carlyn Capasgordo
Maricel Salvacion
Geraldine Abante
Julien Bea Valle Treyes
Aira Mae Azares Intoy
Maria Anne Elizabeth Escorpiso
Martial Law Declared
Martial law was declared by President Marcos on
September 21,1972, more than halfway through his second
and constitutionally final, four- year term. He has clung to
power beyond that term by utilizing for purposes of
gaining legitimacy the transitory provisions of the 1973
Constitution. That document was drafted in the Presidential
palace adopted by the Constitutional Convention under
duress, and “ ratified” by voice in village assemblies where
armed soldiers and policemen were in prominent
attendance. Through a majority of the Supreme Court
regarded this ratification as invalid, there was not a
majority to declare the new “Constitution not in force”.
• Democracy in Philippines died on September 21, 1972 when martial law was declared.
• After many years, September 21 was celebrated by the Marcos government as the anniversary of
martial law. But people considered it as a a national day of “mourning” for the death of our
democracy.
• In the evening of September 23, 1972 President Marcos dramatically announced “My countrymen, as
of the 21st of September, I signed Proclamation No. 1081 placing the entire Philippines under martial
law”.
• President Marcos said that he ordered the martial law in order to save the republic and return the
society.
 The onset of the Marcos administration would witness a more dynamic philosophy to
protests; these demonstrations would continue to evolve as the Marcos presidency
transformed into a dictatorship. On April 28, 1969, the Filipino Agrarian Reform Movement
(FARM)—composed of intellectuals, journalists, and professionals who were sympathetic to
the workers’ cause—launched a massive protest known as the Land Justice March in Tarlac,
calling for land reform in Central Luzon. The protest march was supposed to end at
Malacañang, but President Marcos flew to meet the protesters at Camp Aquino, Tarlac. After
he agreed to most of their demands, the Land Justice March dissolved. During this time,
FARM also staged a 93-day sit-in in front of Congress for better conditions in peasant
communities.
 Martial Changes
Under the martial law the Philippines government was changed by President Marcos. These are the changes
during martial law era.
1. 1973 Constitution- the constitution convention finished their work and signed the new constitution on
November 30, 1972.
2. Death of Democracy-
• Arrest and detention of Marcos opponents and protesters against the goverment.
• Closing down of all newspapers, radio, televisions stations, and printing presters.
3. Government Reorganization- President Marcos closed down ungreas, the law make at the time. In 1984
inaugurated the batasang pambansa. It was housed in a beautiful new building in Diliman, Quezon City.
4. Strong Military Power- military had a major role in government under marcos. Marcos created special
military wants to try even civilizations.
5. Control by Marcos Family and Cronies- President Marcos gave his wife and some members and friends
important positions in the government. He took care of many business friend a “cronies”. These cronies
controlled business country.
 Philippine economic history during Ferdinand Marcos’ regime from his election in
1965 until he was ousted by the People Power Revolution in 1986 – was a period of
significant economic highs and lows.
The dramatic rise and fall of the Philippine economy during this period is
attributed to the Marcos administration's heavy dependence on foreign loans, its policy
of establishing monopolies under Marcos cronies which resulted in significant income
inequality, corruption by government officials, and the capital flight which has
historically been attributed to the Marcos family's economic plunder.
 Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 through a dramatic four days of peaceful
demonstrations paved the way for Corazon Aquino s rise to power and a series of
initiatives addressing the injustices of Marcos s corrupt, often brutal, and
shameless regime. Our experience of transitional justice started out strong, with
the power of the people supporting it, but ultimately it failed to address the
fundamental institutional obstacles to justice in our country. It has created as
many questions as it answered. Most of the victims of human rights violations
under the Marcos administration are still waiting for justice. And the majority of
the Philippine population still suffer the same old social and economic injustices,
even under the present Ramos administration. 
• Ferdenand Marcos maintained his popularity through his first term and in 1969 was the first
President of the Philippine Republic to win a second term in office.
• Marcos took advantage of these and other incidents such as labour strikes and student protests
to create a political atmosphere of crisis and fear that he later used to justify his imposition of
martial law.

• The popularity of Senator Benigno Aquino and the Liberal Party was growing rapidly.

• With civil rights and the Philippine Congress suspended and his enemies in detention, Marcos
brought in a new constitution in 1973 that replaced the Congress with a National Assembly
and extended the term of the President to six years with no limit on the number of terms.

• In order to gain the implicit endorsement of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church for his
regime, Marcos ostensibly lifted martial law on January 17, 1981 - although all of the orders
and decrees issued under martial law remained in effect.
 Human rights violations committed by the regime of
former President Ferdinand E. Marcos during martial law
from 21 September 1972 to 25 February 1986 and one
month before and after the period. RA 10368 declares that
the State recognizes the heroism and sufferings of all
Filipinos and provides reparation to the victims and or
their families for the deaths, injuries, sufferings,
deprivations and damages they suffered under the Marcos
regime. The law recognized that there were civil, political
and economic rights that were violated by the
authoritarian regime.
 Under martial law the regime was able to reduce violent urban crime, collect
unregistered firearms, and suppress communist insurgency in some areas. At the same
time, a series of important new concessions were given to foreign investors, including a
prohibition on strikes by organized labour, and a land-reform program was launched. In
January 1973 Marcos proclaimed the ratification of a new constitution based on the
parliamentary system, with himself as both president and prime minister.
 Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the Philippines as a dictator from 1972 to 1986,
is remembered for the thousands of human rights violations he committed, as well
as his massive corruption. Indeed, Marcos holds the dubious title of being the
most corrupt Philippine president (a title for which there is unfortunately stiff
competition), and has been identified in one study as the second most corrupt
government leader in the world, as measured by the value of public assets he stole.
The profligacy of Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda even at a time when the
Philippines was spiraling into recession and a debt crisis was shameless, and
symbolized by Imelda’s 2,700 pairs of shoes and extravagant shopping sprees.
 The Fall Of Dictatorship
After Marcos lost complete control of the military, his presidency came to an end the
following day, on February 25, 1986. From February 22 to 25, 1986, hundreds of thousands
of people amassed at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Metro Manila’s main
thoroughfare, calling for the peaceful ouster of the dictator. On February 25, 1986, Corazon
C. Aquino and Salvador H. Laurel took their oaths in Club Filipino as President and Vice
President respectively. Meanwhile, Marcos was inaugurated in the Ceremonial Hall of the
Malacañan Palace and delivered his inaugural address in Maharlika Hall (now Kalayaan
Hall) on that same day. Rocked by key military and political defections and the
overwhelming popular support for Aquino, Marcos was forced to depart with his family a few
hours later for exile in Hawaii, effectively ending Marcos’ two-decade long dictatorial rule.
 REFERENCES

• https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/edsa/the-ph-protest/
• https://www.jstor.org/stable/2756116
• https://sites.ualberta.ca/~vmitchel/fw8.html
• https://hrvvmemcom.gov.ph/hrvvmc_post/human-rights-victims-claims-board-hrvcb/
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/Martial-law
• https://mirror.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/the-fall-of-the-dictatorship/
 PRODUCTION TEAM
HEAD WRITER: Aira Mae Intoy
ASSISSTANT WRITHER: Carlyn Capasgordo
EDITOR: Maricel Salvacion
REPORTER: Geraldine Abante
Maria Anne Elizabeth Escorpiso
PRESENTATION DESIGNER: Julien Bea Valle Treyes