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Ferdinand Marcos Quotes

Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. was a Filipino politician and kleptocrat who was the tenth President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. A leading member of the New Society Movement, he ruled as a dictator under martial law from 1972 until 1981. His regime was infamous for its corruption, extravagance, and brutality.Marcos claimed an active part in World War II, including fighting alongside the Americans in the Bataan Death March and being the "most decorated war hero in the Philippines". A number of his claims were found to be false and the United States Army documents described Marcos's wartime claims as "fraudulent" and "absurd".Marcos started as an attorney, then served in the Philippine House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the Philippine Senate from 1959 to 1965. He was elected President in 1965, and presided over a growing economy during the beginning and intermediate portion of his 20-year rule, but ended in loss of livelihood, extreme poverty, and a crushing debt crisis. Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law on September 23, 1972, during which he revamped the constitution, silenced the media, and used violence and oppression against the political opposition, Muslims, communists, and ordinary citizens. Martial law was ratified by 90.77% of voters in the 1973 Philippine Martial Law referendum, though the referendum was marred with controversy.After being elected for a third term in the 1981 Philippine presidential election, Marcos's popularity suffered greatly due to public outrage of the assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1983. The assassination, along with economic collapse, revitalized the opposition, resulting in them securing a better-than-expected victory in the 1984 Philippine parliamentary election. Both of these factors alongside growing discontent and the discovery of documents exposing his finances and falsified war records, led him to call the snap election of 1986. Allegations of mass cheating, political turmoil, and human rights abuses led to the People Power Revolution of February 1986, which removed him from power. To avoid what could have been a military confrontation in Manila between pro- and anti-Marcos troops, Marcos was advised by US President Ronald Reagan through Senator Paul Laxalt to "cut and cut cleanly", after which Marcos fled to Hawaii. Marcos was succeeded by Corazon "Cory" Aquino, widow of the assassinated opposition leader Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. who had flown back to the Philippines to face Marcos.According to source documents provided by the Presidential Commission on Good Government , the Marcos family stole US$5–10 billion. The PCGG also maintained that the Marcos family enjoyed a decadent lifestyle, taking away billions of dollars from the Philippines between 1965 and 1986. His wife Imelda Marcos, whose excesses during the couple's conjugal dictatorship made her infamous in her own right, spawned the term "Imeldific". Two of their children, Imee Marcos and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., are still active in Philippine politics. Wikipedia  

✵ 11. September 1917 – 28. September 1989
Ferdinand Marcos photo
Ferdinand Marcos: 23   quotes 7   likes

Famous Ferdinand Marcos Quotes

“My spirit will rise from the grave and the world shall know that I was right.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Remark made days before passing in Honolulu (September 1989)
1965

“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.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Address at the launching of the Mabuhay Ang Pilipino Movement, Malacañang (30 November 1972)
1965

“I have committed many sins in my life. But stealing money from the government, from the people, is not one of them.”

Ferdinand Marcos

in an interview on ABC
1965

“The foundation upon which our nation stands is much richer and firmer than the sympathies that may occasionally divide us. And we never know this more truly than in Christmas time. In good times or in bad, under clear skies or under the shadow of uncertainty, the Christmas message is the imperishable one of joy, hope and brotherhood.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Christmas message to overseas Filipinos (25 December 1979)
1965

“Of what good is democracy if it is not for the poor?”

Ferdinand Marcos

"Notes on the New Society of the Philippines" (1973)
1965

“I claim the right not to incriminate myself.”

Ferdinand Marcos

At a press conference with government lawyers, Hawaii, when questioned about invoking the 5th amendment repeatedly, 1987
1965

Ferdinand Marcos Quotes about people

“I pray now and I ask you to pray with me, as I prayed eight years ago, that I am doing, that we are doing, the right thing by our people; for the end of martial law does not mean the end of our efforts, of our needed reforms, of our struggles, of our sacrifices. The passing of martial law does not necessarily carry with it the passing of all the burdens especially the heavy ones. There will be more tests, for our capacity, for our resiliency, for our strength as a people. I say, we have just begun.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Speech proclaiming the termination of the state of Martial law, Heroes Hall, Malacañang (17 January 1981)
1965

“We cannot and we will not negotiate with terrorists. We have nothing but contempt for them. To conciliate differences with these people without them changing their objectives is to condemn our Republic to ultimate strangulation and death.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Extemporaneous remarks during the Meeting with the Leaders of Regions I and II, Mansion House, Baguio City (15 March 1981)
1965

“I have listened to you, to our people. I have heard your doubts, your anxieties, nay, outright opposition to the lifting of Martial Law. And I have prayed to the Almighty for guidance. And it is after deliberate, sober judgment and soul-searching that I come before you and say, it is now time to terminate martial law.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Speech proclaiming the termination of the state of Martial law, Heroes Hall, Malacañang (17 January 1981)
1965

“When authoritarianism is no longer necessary to protect the welfare of the people, I will be the first to move for its dismantling. But the easy, casual wave of the hand dismissing the dangers that confront the worsening world situation and us is not for me. It is for those who insist that I dismantle martial law against my best judgment but, legally and morally, cannot be held liable for any Kampuchean-like tragedy that would be fall our people if I followed their advice. But I would be liable. I would be called all kinds of names. I would be called stupid, naïve and obstinate. History and our people would hold me accountable not only perhaps for lack of wisdom, but for lack of courage if I followed such advice.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Remarks at the inauguration of the Philippines Columbian Association's New Clubhouse Complex, Plaza Dilao, Manila (14 December 1979)
1965

“This generation of Filipinos fought a foreign power that invaded us. I think all of them are entitled to be buried in the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. Regardless of whether medals or no medals he, as a soldier who fought that war, is entitled to be buried in Libingan, and I am not denigrating the people who are denying that right or objecting to it. I don’t think they ever saw the muzzles of the guns of a foreign enemy and confronted them.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Enrile: Marcos, as soldier, deserves 'Libingan' burial, Manila Bulletin, April 14, 2011
About

“The difference lies in the culture of the Filipino people. It is a soft, forgiving culture. Only in the Philippines could a leader like Ferdinand Marcos, who pillaged his country for over 20 years, still be considered for a national burial…”

Ferdinand Marcos

Lee Kuan Yew
About

Ferdinand Marcos Quotes

“"Hey, what's the name of that nice young girl, my loyalist supporter?" I said, Mr. President, her name is Annie Ferrer. "Will you give that girl my regards and kisses?" he asked. I said yes, of course--it was really strange.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Cynthia Sycip, "Interview with an ex-Dictator", 1987
1965

Girl , Support , Kiss

“My countrymen, as of the twenty-third of this month, I signed Proclamation #1081 placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Televised speech on the proclamation of Martial Law (September 21, 1972)
1965

Law

“Authority must be utilized by government to attain certain noble objective but this authority must be circumscribed.”

Ferdinand Marcos

in an interview with William F. Buckley Jr. , November 17, 1977
1965

“I was reminded as I was reviewing my life, that I have been in too many conflicts, too many wars, political battles, military battles, civil strifes in government. And always one lesson stands out and that is, those whom you fight most passionately often turn out to be your best friends.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Extemporaneous speech at the Sixth Centennial Celebration of Islam in the Philippines (10 June 1980)
1965

Life , War , Passion , Fight

“Elect me as your congressman today, I promise you an Ilocano president in 20 years.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Election speech as candidate for Congress, 1949
1949

“You are repetitious and stupid.”

Ferdinand Marcos

At a press conference in Hawaii, when asked about secret Swiss bank accounts, 1987
1965

Stupidity

“The Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity, and his courage.

We have come upon a phase of our history when ideals are only a veneer for greed and power, (in public and private affairs) when devotion to duty and dedication to a public trust are to be weighted at all times against private advantages and personal gain, and when loyalties can be traded.

…Our government is in the iron grip of venality, its treasury is barren, its resources are wasted, its civil service is slothful and indifferent, its armed forces demoralized and its councils sterile.,

We are in crisis. You know that the government treasury is empty. Only by severe self-denial will there be hope for recovery within the next year…

This nation can be great again. This I have said over and over. It is my articles of faith, and Divine Providence has willed that you and I can now translate this faith into deeds.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Mandate for Greatness,” First Inaugural Speech of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, 30 December 1965.
1965

Faith , Hope , Soul , History

“He was hanging on, looking for a life preserver. He was a desperate man clutching at straws.”

Ferdinand Marcos

U.S. Senator Paul Laxalt, after his telephone conversation with Marcos, March 1986
About

Life

“I think you should cut and cut cleanly. The time has come.”

Ferdinand Marcos

U.S. Senator Paul Laxalt, in telephone conversation with Marcos just before his downfall, March 1986
About

Thinking , Time

“The Philippines is a nation of 40 million cowards and one son of a bitch.”

Ferdinand Marcos

by unnamed ranking cabinet member of the Reagan administration, 1982. (attributed to Secretary of State George Shultz)
About

Bitch

“We love your adherence to democratic principles and to democratic processes.”

Ferdinand Marcos

Vice President George Bush addressing Marcos, on his visit to Manila, 1981
About

Love , Making love

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