The Marcos Regime

• The Marcos Regime lasted from 1965-1986.
• The country's deteriorating state led President Marcos to lift Martial Law on January 17, 1981, through Proclamation No. 2045.
• This decision was influenced by international pressure, particularly from the United States, and aimed to appease critics, including Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.

Marcos Regime Time Line

• 1965-1969: First Term (4 Years) Relatively successful term marked by industrialization, infrastructure development, and increased rice production. The term was marred by criticism, particularly the practice of cronyism.
• 1969-1972: Second Term (3 Years) Welcomed by the First Quarter Storm, a series of public protests against the government. Martial Law was declared in September 1972 after being extended indefinitely from the planned end in December 1972.
• 1972-1981: Martial Law (8 Years and 4 Months) Marcos claimed Martial Law was declared in response to the communist threat. However, the opposition viewed it as a means for Marcos to stay in power and advance the "New Society" agenda. It saw drastic increases in human rights violations.

After Martial Law

• Martial Law was lifted on January 17, 1981, through Proclamation No. 2045, though the police and military's power remained noticeable.
• The government continued to monitor anti-government forces and critics.
• President Marcos called for a presidential election and ran for a third term under the 1972 Constitution.
• After Martial Law was lifted, Marcos called for a presidential election on June 16, 1981, the first national elections since 1969.
• The purpose was to prove he still had the mandate, while justifying an additional six years in office.
• Opposition parties boycotted the dishonest elections.
• Marcos won the election by over 16 million votes, securing a six-year term under the 1972 Constitution.
• On June 30, 1981, Marcos was inaugurated as the first President of the Fourth Republic for the third time.
• Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. criticized Marcos' 1967 elections for being fueled by "guns, goons, and gold".
• Other criticisms included the "garrison state" intent and First Lady Imelda's Cultural Center project seen as "a monument to shame" amid Manila's widespread poverty.

Facts on Ninoy Aquino

• Ninoy Aquino's grandfather was President Emilio Aguinaldo, and his mother was a relative Emilio Aguinaldo.
• At 17, he served as a war correspondent during the Korean War.
• Aquino became a Defense Secretary adviser and joined Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity.
• At 22, President Magsaysay appointed Aquino as a personal emissary to Luis Taruc, leader of the HUKBALAHAP.
• At 23, he became mayor and then governor of Tarlac at 27.
• In 1968, 3 years into Marcos' first term, he became a senator and outspoken critic, later a chief opposition leader during martial law.
• Arrested alongside other opposition members, he still aspired for the Presidency after Marcos' second term in 1972.
• Aquino founded the Lakas ng Bayan or LABAN party, but it lost in the 1978 Batasang Pambansa elections.
• Suffering a heart attack in 1980, while in detention, he was allowed medical treatment in the US.
• After his exile, Aquino returned home in 1983 upon hearing about President Marcos' illness, plus declining peace and order.
• Aquino opted for treatment in the US, fearing government reprisal if accepting local Philippine doctors.
• On August 21, 1983, at Manila International Airport, Senator Ninoy Aquino was shot in the head upon descending China Airlines Flight 811.
• Ninoy's death worsened political and economic conditions, strengthening the opposition party.
• Marcos called for a snap election on February 6 and 7, 1986, after being questioned about his mandate.
• Snap elections means an early election to address a pressing issue.
• Marcos thought the snap elections would regain US support, silence critics, and remove Ninoy's influence.
• November 3, 1985, Ferdinand Marcos announced the snap presidential and vice-presidential elections within 60 days during a political affairs talk show alongside David Brinkley.
• The United Democratic Opposition (UNIDO) was led by Corazon "Cory" Aquino and Salvador "Doy" Laurel.
• The Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) was led by Ferdinand Marcos and Arturo Tolentino.
• The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) ensured honest elections by providing a quick count and guarded ballot boxes to prevent fraud.
• The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) showed Marcos leading the race, but 35 computer programmers and technicians walked out in protest the deliberate cheating in the vote counting on February 9, 1986.
• Local and foreign observers also reported fraud.
• On February 14, 1986, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) warned the government that a presidency won through illegal means had no moral authority”.
• The US Senate passed a resolution stating the same.
• On February 15, 1986, the National Assembly proclaimed Marcos as the winner, but Mrs. Aquino called for civil disobedience, boycotting businesses owned by Marcos cronies on February 16, 1986.
• A historic show of civil resistance eventually led to allies quitting which ended the Marcos regime.