Pres. Ferdinand Marcos' Economic Record

Happy Silver Anniversary Philippines for the historic and patriotic EDSA People Power of 1986. A warm handshake and an embrace to all who survived the Marcos fascist dictatorship. To those who did not make it, rest peacefully. You and your efforts are not forgotten that indeed inspired us to go to the streets 25 years ago to demand change, freedom and democracy. We especially remember you today with fond memories acknowledging your heroism and your sufferings. Rest assured that your blood spilled on the same ground where our heroes of the past are spilled bore much fruit. I believe that we still have a lot of things to do if we want next generations to inherit a country that really works and serves the people’s need.

Okay, we read a lot about EDSA-1 these days not only from the dailies but comments from You Tube and social networking sites comparing Marcos’ Martial Law iron regime and the present or previous administrations. Some entries say that Filipinos were more disciplined during those years. (Disciplined or in tremendous fear of the possibility of being summarily executed or jailed without due process?) Another believes that Mr. Marcos is the best president this country had so far. (Best in what?) For sure the former president is smart but objective and honest Filipinos know that he used that  gift to oppress and dehumanize the country. Most of my fellow Ilocanos are very very proud (if I can use that phrase) in saying that when he delivers a speech, he speaks spontaneously without a script. Somebody should explain them what a teleprompter is.

Some say that the economy at that time was much better and that he had a lot of projects. I may agree with that but let me say that world economy during Martial Law is totally different from now or in the recent past. For the projects like the Cultural Center, the Philippine International Convention Center or San Juanico Bridge, Filipinos are very grateful but never on the kickbacks and  millions if not billions that disappeared during the Marcos regime.

Sen. Bongbong Marcos hints that if his father was not people-ousted, the Philippines today would be at par with our economically progressive neighbor Singapore.  The good senator is positive-minded.  On the darker side, I guess we are interested in knowing what would be the state of human rights, freedom, democracy and massive graft and corruption issue should the Marcoses remained in power and established a dynasty.

For the economic record of Pres. Marcos during the oppression and incarceration of Filipinos in their homeland under his tyranny, with a written permission and a favorable response from Mr. Manuel F. Almario, a fellow Ilocano and a Visayan, I am reprinting here in full his letter to the Philippine Daily Inquirer which tells the truth. I am sure that he extensively researched to support his facts.

I am thankful to Mr. Almario for giving me his valuable permission. 

___________________

Even as Filipinos commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, there seems to be a growing impression that despite gargantuan corruption and human rights abuses, Marcos’ 20-year rule, including 14 years of martial law, produced remarkable and unequalled economic and social gains for the nation. This impression has more and more assumed the semblance of truth as years pass and memories fade, and as post-Marcos administrations perform just as, or even more, badly.

To begin with, poverty drastically increased during the Marcos years. In his Pulitzer prize-winning book “In Our Image, America’s Empire in the Philippines,” Stanley Karnow wrote: “A World Bank study estimated that the proportion of people living below the poverty line in cities had risen from 24 percent in 1974 to 40 percent in 1986. The countryside was no better.”

This is explained by the regime’s pitiable economic growth. Penn World Tables reported that while real growth in GDP per capita averaged 3.5 percent from 1951 to 1965, under the Marcos regime (1966 to 1986) annual average growth was only 1.4 percent. Thus even as the population grew, national income shrunk.

Between 1982 and 1986, the real wages of unskilled labor in Metro Manila declined annually at 5.8 percent, and those of skilled laborers at 5.2 percent. Agricultural wages also declined at the same rate, according to James K. Boyce, associate professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts in his book, “The Political Economy of Growth and Impoverishment in the Marcos Era.”

Income inequality worsened. In “The Marcos File,” Charles C. McDougald noted that in 1980 the top 12.9 percent of the Filipino population received 22.1 percent of total income, while the bottom 11 percent just received 16.6 percent. In 1983, the top 12.9 percent received 45.5 percent of total income, while the bottom 11 percent received only 6.4 percent. Hence the Marcos regime made the rich richer and the poor poorer.

The financial situation deteriorated. The peso-dollar official exchange rate was P3.90 to the dollar in 1966 when Marcos became president. It fell to P20.53 to the dollar in 1986. The Philippines’ foreign debt rose from $360 million in 1962 to $28.3 billion in 1986, said Boyce.

The insurgency under Marcos significantly increased. Not only did the communist insurgency strengthen, the Muslim insurgency erupted and a protracted war forced the Marcos government to sign the humiliating Tripoli Agreement, giving concessions to the Moro National Liberation Front.

By all standards—economic, political and social—it is crystal clear that the Marcos 20-year regime from 1966 to 1986 was a total disaster for the nation. It showed definitely that dictatorship is not the path to progress, a lesson now being learned by the Arab nations. For the Marcos family, it raised a great fortune that now finances a flourishing political dynasty, which could have another stab at the presidency in six years’ time.

Well said!   -COR INVICTUS