Introduction

For more than 20 years, December 30, 1965 to February 25, 1986, Ferdinand
Marcos ruled the Philippines. He promised to make the nation great again in his first
inaugural speech.1 The Marcos regime had embarked major changes not only in the
political system but also in the whole Philippine society especially when he imposed the
Martial Law in country on September 21, 1972. 2
By definition, Martial Law is the temporary superimposition of military government over
civil government. This military-run government is put into place in the event of war or
serious national emergencies. During such times, the military and its accompanying
superiors take over the executive, legislative and judicial functions normally delegated
to the civil government by virtue of its constitution. 3 Many reasons can be brought
forward to explain why a government can bring forth on its existence. There are cases
when civil unrest, such as this case of civil war, threatens to unravel a peaceful and
productive society. In such cases, maybe the imposition of Martial Law can be justified.
However, there are situations in which such measures are taken in order to cater to
selfish and corrupt desires to remain in power.
Prakash (2008) stressed that martial law can be used by governments to enforce
their rule over the public. Such incidents may occur after a coup d'tat (Thailand 2006);
when threatened by popular protest (China, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989); to
1 Delivered at the Quirino Grandstand, Manila on December 30, 1965.
2 Proclamation No. 1081
Theprovides
Section for
18 the
of the
constitution
of
thetoPhilippines
which
isit the
1987
Constitution
military
power
of the
President
read
as,whenever
The
President
shall
be
the 3
Commander-in-Chief
allpresent
armed
of to
the
Philippines
and
becomes
necessary,
he
may call
outofsuch
armedforces
prevent
or public
suppress
lawless
violence,
invasion
or
rebellion.
Inexceeding
case
of invasion
orforces
rebellion,
when
the
safety
requires
it, he
may,
for
a
period
not
sixty
days,
suspend
the
privilege
of
the
writ
of
habeas
corpus
or
place
the
Philippines
or
any
part
thereof
under
martial
law.
Within
forty-eight
hours
from
thethe
proclamation
of
martial
lawaorreport
the suspension
of
the Congress.
writ of habeas
corpus,
President
shall
in aperson
orthe
in privilege
writing
toofthe
Congress,
voting
jointly,
by submit
a vote
of at least
majority
of
all
its Members
inshall
regularThe
or
special
session,
may
revoke
such
proclamation
or
suspension,
which
revocation
be
set
aside
by
the
President.
Upon
the
initiative
of
the
President,
the
Congress
may, not
in the
same manner,
extend
such
proclamation
or
suspension
for a safety
periodrequires
to be determined
by
the
Congress,
if
the
invasion
or
rebellion
shall
persist
and
public
it.The
Congress,
if
not in session,
shall, with
within
hours
convene
in accordance
itstwenty-four
rules without
any following
need of a such
call. proclamation or suspension,
The Supreme
Court
may basis
review,
in an
appropriate proceeding
by any citizen,
sufficiency
the
factual
of the
proclamation
martial
law filed
or the
of the
the
privilege
ofofdays
the
writ
extension
thereof, and ofmust
promulgate
itssuspension
decision thereon
within thirty
fromoritsthe
filing.
A the
state
of martialoflaw
does
not suspend
the operation
of the nor
Constitution,
nor
supplant
the
civil courts
theagencies
legislative
assemblies,
authorize
the
conferment
offunctioning
jurisdiction
on
military
courtsorand
where
civil courts
are able to function,
nor automatically
suspend
the privilege over
of thecivilians
writ.
The
suspension
of the
privilege
of directly
the writconnected
shall applywith
onlythe
to invasion.
persons judicially charged for
rebellion
or offenses
inherent
in or
During
the suspension
of the
privilege
the writ, he
anyshall
person
thus arrested or detained shall
be
judicially
charged within
three
days,of
otherwise
be released.

suppress political opposition (Poland in 1983); to stabilize insurrections or perceived

insurrections (Canada, The October Crisis of 1970). Martial law may be declared in
cases of major natural disasters, however most countries use a different legal construct,
such as a "state of emergency". The three branches of the government are in the hands
of one person same as in autocratic government and contrary to democratic
government that these three branches have different functions and each has equal
power that one shouldnt interfere to another. These changes could bring good and bad
effects in the society. This paper shows how the martial law imposed changes in the
Philippines in economic, social, and political aspect and how the society in its entirety
deals with these changes.

Chapter I
Marcos Rationale in Imposing Martial Law

Some writers, including Marcos and his apologists, have described what
happened in the early 1970s as the failure of Philippine democracy. But that is a

distortion of the realities of that period. Filipino democratic institutions did not break
down, either in the sense of an inability to maintain order or a failure to respond to
changes within the society. The rising political violence after 1969 was to a considerable
degree the creation of Marcos himself, first in trying to get himself re-elected and then in
preparing a justification for martial law.
The election for the second term of Marcos in the position was marked by
massive violence, vote-buying, and fraud on his part. It was marked by economic
turmoil brought about by factors both external and internal, a restless student body who
demanded educational reforms, a rising crime rate, and a growing Communist
insurgency, among other things. As to picture this out, major insurgencies in this time
were the student uprising where students in Manila mobilized enormous numbers of
people to attend protests against U.S. imperialism and the rise of fascism under
Marcos. The protests later became known as the First Quarter Storm.4 Second is the
Plaza Miranda bombing where the Liberal Party having a campaign rally, two grenades
were reportedly tossed in the stage injuring almost of the people who were present. 5
And lastly the assassination attempt of then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile while
on his way home.6 Along with these insurgencies and citizen unrest gave the
justification for the imposition of martial law.
Marcos defended that his main reason for declaring Martial Law as "to save the
Republic" and "to reform society". He explained that the growing violence in the nation,
caused by numerous elements had come to certain point that required martial law.
Though as Navarette (2011) stated, it was believed that the true reason why
Marcos declares Martial Law was to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines. The 1935
Constitution limited the term of the President to no more than eight consecutive years in
office. The constitution did not say how long martial law should last. The constitution left
as much about martial law to the Presidents own judgment.
4
The
First of
Quarter
Storm
was a period
of leftist
unrest
in theagainst
Philippines,
composed
of
a series
heavy
demonstrations,
protests,
and
marches
the government
from
January
March
1970,
or the first
leading
to thetodeclaration
of Martial
Lawquarter
in 1972.of 1970. It was one of the factors
5
The Liberal
Party's
campaign
rally was for
held
toMayoralty
proclaim the
candidacies
of a
eight
Senatorial
bets
as
the
candidate
the
race
in Manila.
As
crowd
[3] well asto
of
about
4,000
gathered
hear
speeches,
two
hand
grenades
were
reportedly
tossed
on
stage.
Among
those
killed
instantly
were
a
5-year-old
child
and
The
Manila Times
photographer
Ben
Roxas.
Almost
everyone
onIlarde,
stage was
injured,
including
incumbent
Senator
Jovito
Salonga,
Senator
Eddie
Senator
Eva
Estrada-Kalaw,
Liberal
president Gerardo
Roxas, Sergio
Osmea,
Jr., son
of
former
President
of theParty
Commonwealth
of Congressman
the Philippines,
Sergio
Osmea,
Atty.
Martin
B.
Isidro Councilor,
Mayor and
for
the City
of
and
then Congressman
RamonVice
Bagatsing,
the party's
Mayoral
Candidate
forManila,
the City
of
Manila.
6
Enrile
was
appointed
Defense
Chief
in
1972.
One
of
Marcos'
justifications
for
the
declaration
of
martial
law
that
year
was
terrorism.
However,
he
then
revealed
the
faking ofwith
thethe
assassination
on hismartial
own lifelaw.
in 1972, which helped provide
Marcos
justificationattempt
for declaring

In conformity to the abovementioned paragraph, David (2012) gave his opinion

that to the anti-Marcos elements, it was due to his immense greed for power and
wealth, nothing more, and nothing less. Marcos declared Martial Law because of Ninoy
Aquino. Ninoy Aquino was the new political superstar of the time. In all likelihood, he
was going to be the next President. But Ninoy was perceived rightly or wrongly as a
communist, or at least sympathetic to the communist movement that was leading the
social unrest threatening to engulf the country.
The constitutional option for Marcos had run out. The explosive bribing scandal
that exposed his attempts to influence the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of
1972 to allow him to run again killed that alternative.
It was at the height of the communist movements popularity. For a society beset
by severe social inequity and grinding poverty like the Philippines, communism certainly
provided a stark alternative, with its own powerful mass appeal, to challenge the unjust
status quo. In fact, Southeast Asia then, in particular Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, ( as in
Korea), was fast being run over by the Communists, due to the huge support of the
people.
The US, the world leader of the anti-communist bloc, was understandably
distraught. The prospect of a Ninoy Aquino presidency in one of its closest ally-nations
was an added worry. So Washington must have cajoled Marcos to stay on as did other
leaders, especially the leaders of the Church, who were fearful of the communists,
assuring him of their support. Marcos must have also estimated that if he stepped
down indeed, Washington would instigate a coup instead and install a military junta if
only to forestall the inevitable, that of a Ninoy presidency. Indeed, if his military
background be any guide, Marcos himself must have shared the same apprehensions.

Chapter II
Changes in the Government and Society

Marcos extended the period of Martial Law beyond the end of his term in 1973.
He abolished the Congress of the Philippines and over its legislative powers. This
accounts for Marcos a one-man ruler that made him a dictator. He described his martial
law government as a constitutional authoritarianism.
As Vigilante (2012) stressed out, although the courts remained in the judiciary,
the judges of all courts, from the Supreme Court down to the lowest courts, became
causal. Their stay in office depended on the wishes of the dictator.

Under the martial law, Marcos disregarded the fundamental law of the land. For
instance, before, the Article III, Bill of Rights is one of the sources of the human rights
and equality in the country but when the martial law was on, Marcos violated this
provision by ordering the military to pick up and detain thousands of Filipinos suspected
of rebellion. Romulo (2011) gave examples of the victims who where Marcos critics and
political opponents namely Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., Francisco Rodrigo, Jose
Diokno, and Jovita Salonga. Hundreds of detainees were tortured by their captors.
Some disappeared and were never found again. Many were held in military detention
camps for years without trial.
Anyone who lived during that period of Martial Law will tell you that those times
were the darkest times in Philippine history. The common citizens were at the mercy of
a man who had every intention of holding on to power as if it was life per se.
Those were dark times indeed. As the writ of habeas corpus was suspended, as
cited earlier, the military picked up and imprisoned many innocent civilians on trumped
up charges of sedition. More often than not, these people were convicted without trial,
and denied the due process of law. Curfew was imposed leaving many stranded in their
offices, unable to return to the refuge of their homes.
The right to assembly was also withheld, prompting many student and labor
organizations to disband in the middle of threats of arrest. The government controlled
media and all its related resources; the successive right to freedom of speech was nonexistent. The law as it was intended to be simply ceased to be, all that existed was the
whim of a dictator who sat with the entire nation in his grasp.
Though by September 1976, according from the data of the Manila Journal
(1976), the government claimed widespread success in the restoration of peace and
order, culminating in the dramatic capture of two top NPA leaders, there were no
substantial signs that martial law would truly be ended. The justification for its
continuance was entirely separate from the original basis of Proclamation No. 1081: it
was now claimed that only through the abandonment of electoral politics and the use of
presidential decrees could rapid economic development and greater social justice be

achieved. This purpose was spelled out in the Marcos book, Todays Revolution:
Democracy (1971) and reiterated by his chief henchmen after the declaration of martial
law. For instance, the head of the National Economic Development Authority, Gerardo
Sicat, spelled out the New Societys first three priorities as peace and order, land
reform, and economic development. Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor insisted
that the ultimate concern of the New Society . . . is the promotion of social justice and
equality for all Filipinos.
Santos (2010) in his writing described on the other side the condition of the
economy during martial law. At the early years of the martial law, the Philippine
economy grew a significant amount, encouraged by heavy borrowing from transnational
banking companies and government-to-government loans.
To hasten the economic development, Marcos implemented a number of
economic programs. These programs helped the country to enjoy the period of
economic growth in the mid- 1970s up to the early 1980s. The farmers were given
technical and financial aid and other incentives such as price support. With these
incentives iven to the farmers, the countrys agricultural sector grew. As a result, the
Philippines became self- sufficient in rice in 1976 and even became a rice exporter.
In connection to this, Cortez (2006) emphasized in his article, to help finance a
number of economic development projects such as soil exploration, the establishment
of geothermal power plants, the Bataan Nuclear Plant, hydro-electric dams, the
construction of more roads, bridges, irrigation systems and other expensive
infrastructure projects, the government engaged in foreign borrowings.
Another major contributor to the economic growth of the country was the tourism
industry. The number of tourists visiting the Philippine rose to one million by 1980 from
less than 200,000 in previous years. The country earned at $500 million a year from
tourism. A big portion of the tourist group was composed of Filipino balikbayans under
the Ministry of Tourism's Balikbayan Program which was launched in 1973.
Another major source of economic growth of the country was the remittances of
overseas Filipino workers. Thousands of Filipino workers found employment in the

Middle East and in Singapore and Hongkong. These overseas Filipino workers not only
helped ease the country's unemployment problem but also earned much-needed
foreign exchange for the Philippines.
However, due to the rampant corruption and greediness, the heavy burden of
foreign debt servicing took its toll in the economy, and mismanagement of important
industries due to crony capitalism led the economy to a downturn.

Chapter III
The Lifting of the Martial Law

After implementing the program of development, Marcos issued Proclamation

No. 2045 on January 17, 1981, lifting the Martial Law. Martial Law lasted for eight years,
three months and twenty-six days. He lifted Martial Law to show to the Filipinos and the
world that the situation in the Philippines was already back to normal. The government
had already back to normal. The government had already functioning smoothly under
the 1973 Constitution. Despite the lifting of Martial Law, however, Marcos remained
powerful and practiced authoritarian rule.
The assassination of Ninoy Aquino on August 21, 1983 was the turning point of
the charismatic leader Corazon Cojuangco Aquino to rise. 7 Her calm strength under
7
Aquino's
assassination
is credited
with transforming
the unified
opposition
to theItMarcos
regime
from
small, isolated
movement
into a nationally
crusade.
is also
credited
withathrusting
Aquino's
Corazon
into
the public
spotlight
and
her running
for president
in widow,
the snap
electionAquino,
of 1986.
Though
Marcos
was

horrific conditions made her the center of anti-Marcos politics in the Philippines, a
movement known as "People Power." When Marcos called for new presidential
elections in February of 1986, his opponent was Corazon Aquino. Cory narrowly lost the
elections but with the help of her supporters they, challenged the results of the said
election. Quickly, Marco's fortunes began to turn. The army, and then the defense
minister, soon declared support for Aquino, prompting Marcos to seek exile in Hawaii.

Conclusion
If these are the accomplishments of the regime, what are its prospects? Political stability
is recognized by economists and political scientists alike as being a crucial prerequisite
of economic growth. But for the ruling political elite stability is not just the prerequisite to
something else, it implies the retention of powerwhat is for most the primary goal of
action. The various critiques of electoral democracy in the Philippines and in other late
developing polities have often concentrated on the wasteful costs of the frequent
contests for power. And it is quite true that the costs of Philippine elections as a means
of achieving power have sometimes been quite excessive in relation to the total
resources of the societyincluding leadership time. Yet after power has been achieved
legitimately, and especially when it is achieved for a fixed and final term, relatively little
attention needs to be paid to the maintenance of power, provided the leadership is
willing to play by the constitutional rules. On the other hand, for a leader who has
achieved or maintained power by means of doubtful legitimacy and who claims
indefinite tenure, the retention of power is a multi-faceted task that he faces every day. It
officially
declaredon
theMarcos's
winner of
the election,
widespread
allegations
of fraud
and
illegal
tampering
behalf
is
credited
sparking
the People
Power
Revolution,
which
resulted
in Marcos
fleeing
thewith
country
and conceding
the
presidency
to
Corazon
Aquino.

involves attention to forces that threaten to upset the existing political order, whether
they originate from the masses, from within the economic or political elitecivilian or
military, or from abroad.
The imposition of Martial Law in the country had taught the Filipinos many things,
how to be a law abiding citizen, how to fear those in power, how to be strong, and how
to stop the abuse of power. It is very evident that Martial Law has advantages and
disadvantages in the entire country. Numerous of people say that it was a very tragic
event that happened in the country. Yes it was, however some of its features say it done
well in our society. It is such that over power can make one blind and insensitive to
things. This change in the political system also brought changes in other aspects in
society. It is true that if one factor motivate to a change of something, everything will
follow and that was happened in the Philippines during the imposition of Martial Law.

References:
Cortez, G. (2006). Martial Law Files: A Rationale. Date Retrieved January 2, 2013.
Available at http://martiallawfiles.net/
David, R. (2012). Marcos and Martial Law. Date Retrieved January 25, 2014. Available
at http://ricelander.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/why-marcos-declared-martial-law/
De Leon, H. & De Leon, H. Jr. (2011). Textbook on the Philippine Constitution. Manila.
REX Book Store.
Manila Journal, September 5-11, 1976, p. 1.
Merriam Webster Dictionary
Navarette, R. (2011). Timeline: The Marcos Regime. Date Retrieved January 2, 2014.
Available at
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeracorrespondent/2011/09/2011920827187
52761.html

Prakash, S.B. (2008) Military Government and Martial Law. Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Franklin Hudson Publishing Company.
Romulo, F. (2011). The Marcos Era and Martial Law (1965-1986). Date Retrieved
December 30, 2013. Available at
http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_history/marcos_time.html
Santos, M. (2010). The Philippines under Martial Law. Date Retrieved January 2, 2014.
Available at http://library.thinkquest.org/15816/thebeginning.article4.html
Vigilante, V. (2012). Martial Law in the Philippines: But Heres the Point. Date Retrieved
December 30, 2013. Available at http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2012/09/martial-lawin-the-philippines-but-heres-the-point/