Imelda MarcosBy: Emily Graham

8th Period

Leadership Qualities Imelda Married Congressman

Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1954; she later helped him get Senate and Presidency in 1965, by campaigning with him.

When widowed, she took control of the Philippines without anyone electing her or telling her to do so.

She served as a political leader in the Philippines in the 1970’s , 1980’s, 1990’s and 2000’s

Imelda’s FollowersKilusang Bagong Lipunan Philippine political

party approved her and her husbands decisions. Though the Philippine people have no record of disapproving her, they were held under oppressive rule while she was in office.

Imelda’s Unique Qualities

She was nicknamed the iron butterfly for her delicate appearance, yet selfish attitude towards the Philippine people. She appeared to be sensitive and loving of her people yet she stole from them.

“I will come up with a project that will wipe out poverty in the Philippines in two years. I want to remove the people from economic crisis by using the Marcos wealth. Long after I'm gone, people will remember me for building them homes and roads and hospitals and giving them food.” – Imelda Marcos

Imelda Marcos was a self-centered woman who loved money and fame more than anything.

"I get so tired listening to one million dollars here, one million dollars there, it's so petty.”- Imelda Marcos

She was one of the 10 richest women in the world in 1975. She was beautiful and talented. She owned 2,000 pairs of shoes. Marcos was the first wife of a foreign head of state to stand trial in an

American court. Imeldific is a word coined after former First Lady Imelda Marcos, an

adjective meaning “ostentatious extravagance.”

Positive TraitsShe made elitist showcase projects such as

a cultural center, plaza hotel, center for international trade exhibits, the international convention center, and the folk arts theatre.

She became a beauty queen at the age 18.

Negative traits She had an image as a patroness for the poor, yet she never made

action behind her words. “Filipinos want beauty. I have to look beautiful so that the poor

Filipinos will have a star to look at from their slums.” Imelda Marcos

She claimed to care for her people, yet stole 200 million dollars from the Philippines and invested it in America.

“They call me corrupt, frivolous. I am not at all privileged. Maybe the only privileged thing is my face. And corrupt? God! I would not look like this if I am corrupt. Some ugliness would settle down on my system.” – Imelda Marcos

While many Filipinos lived in poverty, Imelda Marcos became known for her lavish spending. 

In addition to theft and corruption, the Marcos regime is also known for its oppressive rule.

She responded to criticisms of her extravagance by claiming that it was her "duty" to be "some kind of light, a star to give [the poor] guidelines."

Imelda’s BackgroundHer paternal ancestors were wealthy, yet

Marcos experienced a number of hardships at a young age. She lost her mother to pneumonia in 1938, and her father's law practice fizzled out around the same time.

Her immediate family struggled financially.Imelda’s struggle financially at a young age

did not affect the concern she felt for the poor as an adult, she continued to live in splendor.

Imelda’s Fall Imelda left the Philippines to escape from her charges she faced

due to her thievery, when she returned she ran for president and lost.

Imelda may never fully emerge from her past, she is still facing charges from the funds she took from the Filipino government.

She is a present day politician, at the age 82. The Philippine government today is still paying interest in public

debts incurred during Marcos' administration. It was reported that, when Marcos fled, U.S. Customs agents discovered 24 suitcases of gold bricks and diamond jewelry hidden in diaper bags and in addition, certificates for gold bullion valued in the billions of dollars were allegedly among the personal properties she, her family, her cronies and business partners surreptitiously took with them when the Reagan administration provided them safe passage to Hawaii.

Resources http://www.biography.com/people/imelda-marcos-21062601http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/i/imelda_marcos.htmlEncyclopedia Americana- International Edition Mhttp://

www.cnn.com/2013/01/24/world/asia/imelda-marcos-fast-factshttp://www.google.com/imgres?

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