“Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
– Abraham Lincoln
“...makapagtatag ng sarili at malayang pamahalaan, na sa makat‘wid, ay mamahala ang bayan sa bayan, at hindi ang isa o dalawang tao lamang”
– Andres Bonifacio
Essential Elements of Democracy
How democratic is your country?
1. Access to power and its exercise in accordance with the rule of law
2. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
3. Transparency and accountability in public administration
4. The holding of periodic free and fair elections by universal suffrage and by secret ballot as the expression of the will of the people.
5. Freedom of association
6. The separation of powers
7. Free, independent, and pluralistic media
8. Freedom of expression and opinion
9. A pluralistic system of political parties and organizations
10. The independence of the judiciary
Critics also say that democracy is slow and inefficient in responding to people’s needs.
“Too much democracy?”
“Is democracy a western concept and a foreign imposition?”
Dictatorship refers to centralization of power to a single entity.
The leader personifies the entire political structure as she rules without limitations.
CHECKLIST FOR DICTATORSHIP
AXIS OF DICTATORS
ADOLF HITLER
GERMANY
(1933 - 1945)
started the bloodiest war in history and killed 6 million Jewish people (Holocaust)
POL POT
CAMBODIA
(1975 - 1979)
responsible for Khmer Rouge mass killing and mass graves
GENERAL FRANCISCO FRANCO
SPAIN
(1939 - 1975)
in collaboration with Hitler, executed thousands of enemies in 3 decade rule; reestablished Spain‘s monarchy
FERDINAND MARCOS SR.
Philippines
(1965 - 1986)
responsible for massive human rights violations and destruction of democratic institutions
JOSEF STALIN
RUSSIA
(1929 - 1953)
responsible for the purges of counter-revolutionaries
AUGUSTO PINOCHET
CHILE
(1973 - 1990)
banned opposition parties and responsible for the murder and forced disappearance of his opposition
Marcos and any other dictators had a cult of personality.
They had self-glorifying and conceited portraits hung in public places
ANOINTED BY... GOD?
In trying to capture the mass through Filipino people’s deeply entrenched religiosity, Marcos, as quoted in Unjieng (2009), claimed to have talked to God in his dream and ordered him to save the country because [according to him] he was the only person who can do it…no one else can.
Aside from capturing people’s mind through religion, the regime also tried to capitalize on Filipino culture, championing the Malakas and Maganda narrative.
As father and mother of the Filipinos, Marcos instilled discipline by rewarding the ”good” with a better life and punishing the ”bad”.
BAGONG LIPUNAN SONG
The Bagong Lipunan is a song composed by Felipe Padilla De Leon. It was compulsory to play this song after the Philippine National Anthem
As euphoric as it may seem, the song is nothing but a representation of how the regime ultimately aimed to capture the minds and hearts of the Filipino people.
The 1969 presidential election between Marcos Sr. and Osmenia Jr. was tagged by protesters as Lokohan 69.
LOKOHAN
69
Marcos won overwhelmingly against Sergio Osmeña Jr., as Marcos used the government machinery in his campaign.
His reelection for a second term in 1969 saw the most violent and fraudulent elections of the post war period.
It was also marked by an economy in crises and increasing disappointment of the people.
OPLAN SAGITTARIUS
On September 13, 1972, Ninoy Aquino, in his privilege speech, exposed Oplan Sagittarius.
Oplan Sagittarius is the master plan of a multi-faceted operation for declaring martial law.
MARCOS' DIARY
“I want to perpetuate in power…”
ROLEX 12
Marcos met regularly with this group of military men who shall implement Martial Law., known in history as Rolex 12
Juan Ponce Enrile,
Maj. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos,
Maj. Gen. Fabian Ver,
“Danding” Cojuangco, Jr.
Gen. Rafael Zagala,
Brig Gen. Tomas Diaz,
Gen. Romeo Espino,
Maj. Gen. Jose Rancudo,
Admiral Hilario Ruiz,
Gen. Ignacio Paz,
Gen. Alfredo Montoya
Col. Romeo Gatan.
“Hindi malala ang sitwasyon d’yan sa New People’s Army na kayang sugpuin naman ng ating armed forces through small unit actions only.”
MANUAL YAN
Chief of Staff, 1968-1972 ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES
“It was one of the best things that happened in Philippine history…
we saved democracy.”
Despite what truly happened on the ground, Imelda Marcos has an illusion that their regime saved democracy.
She said in PDI in 1999
But the five items below show a different picture.
1. Suspension of Freedom of Expression and Right to Information
On 23 September, the Filipino people woke up with no news paper. Most radio and TV stations were padlocked and ceased.
Consequently, Voltes V, a Japanese cartoon about young people “volting” in against a tyrannical enemy, was stopped towards its concluding episodes.
2. Political oppositions, media, and journalists were immediately imprisoned
Over the next hours upon the declaration of Martial Law, some eight thousand perceived enemies of the state were arrested (Franco, 2000), including Senators Benigno Aquino Jr, Jovito Salonga and Jose Diokno.
3. Rubber Stamp Batasan
The Philippine congress was closed and padlocked.
4. The Supreme Court was censured and used to legitimize Martial Rule
Even though the gagged Supreme Court questioned the legality of the conduct of the plebiscite, this did not prevent Marcos from ratifying the 1973 constitution by signing the Proclamation 1102.
5. Elections and plebiscites were called “Lutong Makoy” because they were manipulated in favor of Marcos and his candidates
Ratification of the 1973 constitution was called Monkey Plebiscite. In fact, “Sino ang may gusto ng libreng bigas?” was one of the questions asked during the plebiscite by show of hands in ratifying the most supreme law of the land (Quoted in Batas Militar, 2007)
Despite its dubious process, according to Marcos, the 1973 Constitution was ratified with 91% affirmative vote, thereby allowing him to continue beyond 1973.
