The Positive Effects of the Marcos Regime in the Philippines

Oct 4th, 2013

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Source: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/769588_the-positive-effects-of-the-marcos-regime-in-the-philippines

In the Philippines, the Marcos regime is considered as one of the darkest period of its history. This article will tackle the "goodness" brought about by the regime.

Ask an old Filipino citizen about Marcos regime and he may just start to talk about the negative effects of the regime and the horror of the memory it brought on the country. Filipinos consider his regime as a dark period in the Philippine History. Not only were thousands of people killed in the long protest, the Filipinos were also robbed of the freedom and will they deserved. However, despite the awful memory of the crooked administration of Marcos, Filipinos should still regard the positive effects of this period. The Marcos regime has made Philippines a disciplined country and has even placed the nation on the map. Aside from that, because of what the Filipinos experienced during that time, they actually learned how to fight and be zealous for freedom.

When the Martial Law was implemented, the whole country became extremely disciplined. One notable change that the Filipinos would never forget was the strict observation of curfew. Just walk along the sidewalk past the curfew time and the police would make some disciplinary actions. That is why once the curfew time starts, the streets are as quite as a mouse and everybody is stuck in their respective homes, safe and sound. With this strict policy, crime rates totally went down the brink. In fact, during the time of Marcos, cases of murders, theft and other similar offenses became so rare since the military was visibly present and on guard all the time. This kind of discipline, although bad in its nature, has given Filipinos the opportunity to compare what it was before and what it is now. If people compare the kind of discipline the Filipinos experienced during the Marcos regime to the present, the big difference might just make one think again. Truth be told: Filipinos of today have become extremely undisciplined.

During the Marcos regime, not only discipline was deeply propagated. The Philippines was also actually placed in the map of the world. During the first terms of Marcos, the economy was at its finest and Filipinos were living a so-called contented life. Prior to the change in the way of administration, our country was one of the most envied nations in Asia. Many companies invested in the country’s business sector and the country was considered an ideal one. Unemployment was substantially low and the peso-dollar rates were closely tied to each other. The country before wasn’t as poor as it is compared now and truth be told again: the Philippines has now been sidelined and overshadowed by other mightier countries.

However, it is still important to note that during this period, the Filipinos, once again—and this time, more bravely—wanted freedom. When the abuse of the military and the immoral handling of Marcos took its toll upon the people, the Filipinos knew what they wanted and needed: that sweet scent of democracy. Amidst the terror that the Marcos regime has implanted on the mind of each Filipino, the people learned how to be zealous for freedom. It made them realize how much they needed democracy. With no other people to depend on, they gripped onto one another and treaded their way towards EDSA. During that one historic day, the new generation of Rizals and Bonifacios went as one nation in ousting the famous dictator. Had that precious freedom not been taken away from the Filipinos, they would have never fought hard to get it back.

                The Marcos has inflicted a lot of pain and trauma in the minds and hearts of Filipinos who experienced the regime first-hand. It is irrefutable that Marcos has brought great damage in the Philippines which the newer generations have continued to suffer from. However, Filipinos could not deny the fact that his administration was one of the most notable and distinguished regime among all. While it is common for people to say that his time was the worst, it is still truthful to say that his was the best. Filipinos now know the essence of democracy and what it really means for a country. Most of all, they have now started to become competitive to reestablish the order and prominence we once had before, only in a much civilized and more democratic way.