Myths of Gold and Glory in Philippine Politics

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8133648
AutoresCecilie Endresen (University of South-Eastern Norway, autor correspondente)
Ano2026
Volume27
Fascículo1
Páginas1-14
Data de publicação2026-01-29
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPolitical Theology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1462-317X • E-ISSN: 1743-1719
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1462317x.2025.2591983
OpenAlexW7126047796
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas12

The “Marcos gold myth” is a revisionist narrative that recasts the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his family from documented kleptocrats into guardians of hidden treasures destined for the people. This myth was at the core of the digital disinformation campaign which led to a landslide victory for his son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the 2022 presidential election. This article analyses the production, reception, and functions of this myth, as “ideology in narrative form” (Bruce Lincoln). It also explores its precursors, in the mythmaking of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, treasure hunting lore, precolonial legends, modern esotericism, conspiracy theories, and Christian concepts. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, the article examines the myth's paradoxical popularity among poor people persuaded that returning a “kleptocratic” elite with an “atrocious” past to power will restore a golden age and serve their own well-being.

Disinformation · Elite · Glory · Mythology · Narrative · Politics · Power (physics) · Treasure · Victory · Asian Studies and History · Balkans: History, Politics, Society · Philippine History and Culture