CRISIS & NATIONAL

BREAKDOWN: 1972 TO PRESENT

MARTIAL LAW

A. BASES FOR THE DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW

1. Marcos declared martial law citing the imminent danger of internal subversion of the state by communist forces.

There was a threat of growing power of the Communist Party led by Jose Ma. Sison and its military arm, the new People’s Army(NPA)

September 1971 the Philippine Senate report., stated that there existed “no” clear and present danger of a Communist inspired insurrection or rebellion.

In July and august 1972, mysterious bombing occurred.The secretary of defense, Juan Ponce Enrile, was ambushed

according to the US-Marcos controlled press. In 1986, Enrile revealed that the ambush was fake and stage-manage by the government.

A. BASES FOR THE DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW

Late 1960’s and the early 1970s saw the rise of student power.

Parliament of the streets against the governmentMassive demonstration of students and a sector of

the labor class rocked the countryAnd violently dispersed by government troopsThe number of the radical left hand had increased Lawlessness and criminality

B. “CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITARIANISM

1.DefinitionRespect the limits fixed by the constitutionThe function is to protect or restore

traditional, legal, order in crisis situations or in domestic or foreign emergencies

For Marcos defined constitutional authoritarianism as the government will discipline and punish its own, along the criminal elements.

B. “CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITARIANISM

■ 2. FeaturesMarcos proclaimed the entire Philippines land areaHe closed down media banned strikes, outlawed “rumor

mongering” and centralized the police force.( Francisco and Arriola

On January 17, 1973, Marcos’ Proclamation No. 1102 declared the ratification by the Filipino people of the 1973 Constitution

Martial law suppressed the opposition, curbed the power of the oligarchs ( but only who opposed him) and eliminated elite conflicts

C. RESISTANCE TO MARTIAL LAW

■Brutality and excesses of the Marcos dictatorship had become intolerable by the end of the 1970s.

■Professionals, businessmen and religious groups joined hands with the left to fight against the regime.

■Many others joined the “parliament of the streets”, and other protest actions.

■LABAN (Lakas ng Bayan)

D. FOREIGN POLICY■ In the light of U.S. defeat in Vietnam, Marcos adopted

a shift in foreign policy.■ The Philippines established diplomatic relations with

the socialist countries.■ It ratified the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and

Navigation with Japan,■ Supported the Arab countries in their search for a “just

and enduring peace” in the Middle East.■ Sought to establish closer relations with other Third

World.■ Philippines also negotiated with the U.S the bases

issue.

E. “LIFTING” OF MARTIAL LAW■Due to pressures from the U.S and to pacify his

critics, Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981■The worsening conditions of the country also

propelled Marcos to lift martial law.■In April 1981, a plebiscite approved a proposal of

Marcos for a six-year term.■Presidential election came in May. Marcos, not

surprisingly, won against a weak opponent.

FACTORS/DEVELOPMENTS LEADING TO THE

BLOODLESS REVOLUTION

■Significant growth of the Gross National Product (GNP) annually by 6.3%

■Four-fold increase in oil prices led to reduction in the workforce

■Crime rates and unemployment rose to alarming levels.

■THERE WAS MASS POVERTY.

A. ECONOMIC CRISIS(results of economic crisis)

B. ASSASSINATION OF BENIGNO “NINOY” AQUINO

■ Outspoken critic of Marcos that shocked and angered the Filipinos.

■ Frequent and massive protests, rallies, marches, and demonstrations in the urban and countryside area.

■ All social strata of different political persuasions marched together attired or ribboned with YELLOW (official color of the Aquinos)

■ Caused capital flight, frightened the IMF, World Bank and creditor bank

■ THE PROTEST LED TO THE BIRTH OF THE PEOPLE POWER.

C. POPULAR GRIEVANCES AND DISCONTENT AGAINST THE MARCOS

REGIME

■ ECONOMIC CRISES

Widespread joblessness

Huge rallies and protests

■ MARCOS FAILED TO ATTAIN ITS OBJECTIVES:

Crony capitalism

Graft and Corruption Land Reforms

■HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS WERE RAMPANT.

C. POPULAR GRIEVANCES AND DISCONTENT AGAINST THE MARCOS

REGIME

arrests detentions tortures Extra judicial executions

■NOTORIOUS ABUSES OF THE MILITARY■MASS POVERTY AND 20 YEARS OF

POWERLESSNESS

D. SNAP ELECTION■ Marcos was declared as winner.■ Aquino called for a boycott of companies owned by Marcos.■ Defense Minister Juan Ponce-Enrile and General Fidel V. Ramos

declared that they would no longer to support the Marcos, and decided to make a stand at Camp Aguinaldo.

■ Jaime Cardinal Sin called on the religious and lay people to go to Camp Aguinaldo to support the Two Rebels.

■ On February 25th, Marcos took his oath of office and that evening the Marcos fled.

■ By the virtue of People Power, Aquino-Laurel assumed power as President and Vice President.

D. SNAP ELECTIONSnap elections Special elections

• Marcos called for this and under heavy attacks from his critics.

• Marcos charged Corazon Aquino as “walang alam”.

PROGRAMS AND

POLICIES

A. Corazon C. Aquino

A. Corazon C. Aquino

B. Fidel V. Ramos

■ Ramos was able to secure major peace agreements with Muslim separatists, communist insurgents and military rebels, which renewed investor confidence in the Philippine economy. Ramos also aggressively pushed for the deregulation of the nation's major industries and the privatization of bad government assets.

■ Under Ramos, the Philippines experienced a period of political stability and rapid economic growth and expansion, as a result of his policies and programs designed to foster national reconciliation and unity.

■ In 1993, He quickly led the nation out of darkness putting an end to the power crisis that crippled Filipino homes and industries for two years.

■ He made programs to fight poverty in accordance with the will of the Filipino people expressed by 229 structural/reform laws enacted by Congress during his term.

■ The years 1993-1997, the Philippine economy recovered dramatically.■ Ramos implemented a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda (SRA) that addressed the

long-standing problem of poverty: jobs and livelihood, health, education and skills training, housing, environmental protection, children and the youth, the elderly and the handicapped, agrarian reform, and access to equal opportunity.

■ Filipino families’ average income grew more during his administration compared to 20 years before. He pushed for the deregulation of key industries and the liberalization of the economy.

■ He encouraged the privatization of public entities, to include the modernization of public infrastructure through an expanded Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law.

C. Joseph E. Estrada■ National Anti-Poverty Commission “Erap para sa mahirap”: Tinutukan ng

Komisyon ang mga batayang pangangailangan ng mahihirap tulad ng pabahay, kalusugan, edukasyon at trabaho.

■ Visiting Forces Agreement: Ang VFA ay ang kasunduan kung saan ang pinakamahalaga at pinakakontrobersyal na probisyon ay ang para sa mga sundalong Amerikano na nasa Pilipinas upang magsagawa ng military exercises kasama ng mga sundalong Pilipino.

■ Repormang Agraryo: Pinalawak ang sakop ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) para sa mga magsasakang walang lupain.

■ Enhanced Retail Access for the Poor (ERAP): Nagtayo ito ng rolling stores na nagbebenta ng murang bigas, asukal at iba pang pangangilangan ng mga Pilipino.

■ Repormang Agraryo: Pinalawak ang sakop ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) para sa mga magsasakang walang lupain.