Top 10 Interesting Facts about Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand E Marcos-by Philippine Presidential Museum and Library-Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, known as Ferdinand Marcos was born on September 11, 1917, in Sarrat, Philippines. He was a lawyer and politician from the Philippines who served as head of state from 1966 to 1986.

He formed an authoritarian dictatorship that drew criticism for corruption and stifled democratic procedures.

Marcos went to school in Manila and afterward pursued legal studies at the nearby University of the Philippines. He was found guilty in 1939 of the 1933 murder of a political rival of his father, a politician.

In Manila, he trained as a trial lawyer. He served as an officer in the Philippine military during World War II and also claims of having been a leader in the Filipino guerrilla resistance movement.

 He then ran as the Nationalist Party candidate for president which he won and was inaugurated as president on December 30, 1965. Join me in these 10 interesting facts about Ferdinand Marcos.

1. Marcos received an Honorary Doctor of Laws(LL.D.)

He attended the College of Law at the University of the Philippines in Manila, where Marcos studied law.

He achieved great success in both his academic and extracurricular pursuits, joining the university’s swimming, boxing, and wrestling teams.

He was also a skilled debater, public speaker, and student newspaper writer. He joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi while a student at the UP College of Law, where he met some of his most passionate critics as well as his future government colleagues.

In 1967, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)from Central Philippine University.

2. He converted to Catholic  Religion in order to marry Imelda Trinidad Romualdez

Imelda Romualdez Marcos 2-by Object404-Wikimedia Commons

 Marcos and Imelda Romualdez first met in 1954. They wed in a civil ceremony in Baguio City, followed by a church wedding in the Pro-Cathedral of San Miguel in Manila, after barely two weeks of courtship.

Marcus had to be convinced to switch from his native Aglipayan religion to Roman Catholicism by Imelda.

She was successful in convincing him, and President Ramon Magsaysay officiated the church wedding that followed.

3. Ferdinand Marcos was prosecuted for the murder of Nalundasan

Nalundasan, Mariano Marcos’ political rival, was assassinated by a single rifle shot on the evening of September 21, 1935After brushing his teeth in his Batac home.

This occurred the day after he had defeated Marcos for a seat in the National Assembly a second time.

In December 1938, Marcos was prosecuted for his murder together with other members of the Marcos clan. Also accused were his father, Mariano, and his uncles, Pio Marcos and Quirino Lizardo.

4. Marcos stood for president as a member of the Nationalist Party

President Marcos and his Cabinet-by Malacañang Palace-Wikimedia Commons

Marcos conducted a populist campaign that emphasized his status as a decorated World War II veteran.

By receiving nearly all of the medals and decorations that the Philippine and American governments could bestow upon a soldier, Marcos would assert his title as the most decorated war hero of the Philippines in 1962.

The opposition Liberal Party would later confirm that many of Ferdinand Marcos’ war medals were only acquired in 1962 to support his reelection campaign for the Senate. Marcos won the presidency in 1965.

5. He had too many accomplishments as a president

Marcos stated that the nation became self-sufficient in rice and corn during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 1968, thereby resolving the ongoing food shortage.

In 1980, the Marcos government achieved yet another significant milestone. The gross national product (GNP) of the nation rose substantially, rising from 39.5 billion pesos in 1965 to an impressive 86.7 billion pesos in 1979.

All of the country’s specialty hospitals were also built during his term.

6. He launched the first Philippine-made rocket

The 180 MM missile had undergone 37 different dynamic tests since December 1972.

Other weapons and armaments were also tested as part of the project, which was started by President Marcos.

In September 1975, four “bong bong” rockets named after Marcos’ son were successfully launched.

7. He was baptized into the Aglipayan Church

Facade of the Aglipayan Church (Philippine Independent Church) in Sariaya, Quezon-by Franz Miko Verizon-Wikimedia Commons

 Marcos was baptized into the Aglipayan or Philippine Independent Church. Gregorio Aglipay, a Roman Catholic priest, and Isabelo De Los Reyes created the church in 1902.

Aglipayan later served as the organization’s first Supreme Bishop. Members of this church disavow both the Trinity concept and the Pope’s spiritual authority.

They also disclaimed the existence of miracles, angels, demons, and other paranormal occurrences.

8. Marcos was also a crime person

The Marcos government is said to be accountable for 35 000 cases of torture, 70 000 incarcerations, and 3, 257 homicides, according to the Akbayan party-list organization.

More than 50,000 people, including the “Desaparecidos” or those who had been the targets of forced disappearances, have been arrested as a result of him. During Marcos’ presidency, the peso’s value decreased from P1 to P25 to US$1 per unit. 

And our nation’s debt, which stood at barely $360 million in 1962, had risen to a startling P28.3 billion by the time Marcos stepped down from government in 1986.

9. He was the first and last Filipino president to win a second full term

Ferdinand Marco’s second inauguration-by Philippine Presidential Museum and Library-Wikimedia Commons

On November 11, 1969, presidential elections were held, and Marcos won a second term.

Fernando Lopez, his running mate, was also chosen to serve a third consecutive term as vice president of the Philippines.

Marcos’ second term was characterized by social unrest, beginning with the 1969 Balance of Payments Crisis, which was already underway during the second inauguration.

The Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971, which was another significant event during Marcos’ second term, was marred in May 1972. 

10. He imposed martial law on the nation

President Marcos placed martial law on the nation from 1972 to 1981shortly before the end of his second term.

This was to suppress increasing civil strife and the threat of a communist takeover following a series of bombings in Manila. This warned the public of the possible establishment of a “garrison state”.

Ferdinand Marcos, during his reign, curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties. He abolished Congress, controlled media establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists, including his staunchest critics Senators Benigno Aquino Jr.

He was beheaded by Filipino guerillas in 1945 for aiding the Japanese during World War II and spreading their propaganda.

His corpses were left hanging on a tree after being drawn and quartered with the use of carabaos.