The Philippines — Marcos ́ “New Society”

After almost two and a half years of martial law rule, a question often asked to what extent has much vaunted New Society of President Marcos solved fundamental problems of Philippines, and at what cost to national polity? Among achievements, martial law regime can point to stability in country and a healthy growth in foreign investments in contrast to high crime rates, political violence, and economic stagnation of pre-martial law days. The benefits, however, have been obtained at a price ? a complete suspension of democratic process and institutions, muzzling of press, and imprisonment of political opponents. In past year question of when President's one-man rule would end has been aired more than once in international press. On this President Marcos has maintained throughout, that it an issue for Filipino people to decide and that he favoured consent by Characteristic of Marcos Adminis tration, scrupulous care has been taken to demonstrate that, unlike other dictator ship, President's power under martial law determined by will of people. And to buttress this claim are results of two nation-wide meetings of citizens' assemblies, or barangays, held in January and July 1973 at which Filipino people voted overwhelmingly for President Marcos' continuance in office and so also for his martial law reforms. There was to have been another meeting of country's 42,000 barangays on 1 September 1974 to enable people to voice their grievances against conduct of public officials (civil and military) and government to have a pulse-taking on political reforms. But nothing came out of proposed referendum, partly because of emergency situation created by August floods and partly because government had its hands full with fighting in Mindanao. Far from spelling death of democracy, proclamation of martial law or authoritarianism, according to President Marcos, is a part of democracy and in accordance with our constitution, and that the Commander-in-Chief provision in our constitution invoked temporarily for period of crisis. But how temporary what many thoughtful Filipinos would like to know. The other troubling feature of martial law rule concentration of power in hands of one man whose acts, according to a decree passed, are beyond review of courts. President Marcos' single-handed rule also a source of unease to some sectors of business community who worry about uncertainties that might ensue with sudden removal of political strongman from scene. To allay fears concerning question of succession to presidency, President Marcos disclosed in August 1974 that he had drawn up a secret presidential decree even before 21 September 1972, that would create an executive council to run government

Political economy · Political science · Sociology · Asian Studies and History · Philippine History and Culture · Public Administration

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