NAME OF THE PRESIDENT: Ferdinand Marcos

ASCENDANCY
NATIONAL
SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
To POWER
AGENDA

Marcos
Infrastructure development - These are
Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts
In 1965 Marcos,
wanted the
Theatre, Philippine International Convention
who was a
immediate
Center, Makiling Center for the Arts
prominent
construction of
(National Arts Center), Malacaang ti
member of the
roads, bridges and
Amianan in Laoag, Nayong Pilipino, Museum
Liberal Party
public works, which
for Native Art in Tacloban, and Palace in the
founded by
included
Sky.
Roxas, broke
16,000 kilometers of
Pres. Decree No. 2 proclaiming the whole
with it after
feeder roads, some
country as a reform area
failing to get his
30,000 lineal meters
Pres Decree No. 27 abolishes tenacy
partys
of permanent
By the end of martial law, 532,153 tenantnomination for
bridges, a generator
farmers had become owners of rice and corn
president. He
with an electric
lands in 45 provinces
then ran as
power capacity of
Educational Development Decree of 1972
the Nationalist
one million kilowatts
Blue Sunday Law
Party candidate
(1,000,000 kW), and
Pres decree No. 148 eliminates entifor president
water services to
employment provisions of the Woman and
against the
eight regions and 38
Child Labor Law
Liberal president,
localities. He also

Presidential Decree No 1 Integrated

Diosdado
urged the
Reorganization Plan (dismiss corrupt
Macapagal.
revitalization of the
officials 6,655 employees dismissed)
judiciary, the
Marcos won and

GNP increases from P55 billion (72) to P193

national defense
was inaugurated
billion (80)
posture and the fight
as president on
The unemployment rate ballooned from
against smuggling,
December 30,
6.30% in 1972 to 27.65% in 1985.
criminality, and graft
1965. In 1969 he

The crime rate was reduced by 4.7 per cent in

and corruption in the
was reelected, the
1967 from the 1962 level. This was further
government.
first Philippine
reduced in 1968 to a level very much lower
president to serve
than that of any year during the seven-year
a second term.
period from 1962-1968.

POLITICAL Developments
Proclamation 1081 was the declaration
of Martial Law in the Philippines.
Marcos altered the 1935 Constitution to retain
himself in power as both head of state (with
the title President) and head of
government (as Prime Minister).
Marcos announced the end of martial law in
January 1981 but continued to rule in an
authoritarian fashion under various
constitutional formats. He won election to the
newly created post of president against token
opposition in June 1981.
Imelda Marcos was often criticized for her
appointments of relatives to lucrative
governmental and industrial positions while
she held the posts of governor of Metropolitan
Manila (197586) and minister of human
settlements and ecology (197986).
When Marcos assumed presidency in 1966,
the foreign debt of the Philippines stood below
$1 billion. When he fled Malacaang in
February 1986 during the first People Power,
the country had a foreign debt of $28 billion.
The People Power Revolution (also known as
the EDSA Revolution, the Philippine
Revolution of 1986, and the Yellow
Revolution) led to the departure of President
Ferdinand Marcos and the restoration of the
country's democracy.