Sa ika-46 na taon ng martial law, tandaan: nilubog nito ang ekonomiya — Pangilinan
The Marcos dictatorship legalized plunder, bringing hunger and misery to our people. Data shows that a huge part of Marcos’s downfall was how low the economy plunged:
1. GDP growth, main measure of economic growth: Average GDP growth during the Marcos years was at 3.8 percent, 4.5 percent in the 2000s, and 6.3 percent from 2010 to the present.
Under Marcos, in 1984 and 1985, the country hit the worst recession in post-war period: a 7.3-percent contraction for 2 successive years.
2. Debt: From $4.1 billion in 1975, Philippine external debt shot up to almost 6 times to $24.4 billion in 1982. We, including our children and maybe even their children’s children, are still paying for those debts.
3. Weaker peso: From 1969 to 1985, the value of the peso against the dollar plunged from P3.92 to P18.61.
4. Jobs: Underemployment peaked at 33 percent in 1984, meaning: about 1 of 3 people who had a job either wanted to work more hours or were looking for additional jobs, but could not find any. The jobs available were not enough to satisfy the workers’ needs.
5. Rising prices: By 1984, inflation shot up to a record 50 percent.
6. Eroding income: From 1966 to 1985, the real wage rate for unskilled workers plummeted to 23.21 from 86.02; for skilled workers, it dropped from 112.9 to 35.55. This meant that an unskilled worker’s P100 wage in 1966 could only buy him or her P27 worth of goods and services in 1985.
7. Corruption: Marcos used his immense dictatorial powers to amass ill-gotten wealth, believed to be about $5 to 10 billion. The Marcos family and their cronies have deliberately blocked and delayed efforts to get all that back for the Filipino people.
So, today, on the 46th year of martial law declaration, we must remember: the dictatorship almost destroyed our economy, and we are still paying the price for that catastrophe. We cannot let that happen again.
Ginawang ligal ng diktaduryang Marcos ang pandarambong, na nagdulot ng gutom at hirap sa ating mamamayan. Ipinapakita ng mga datos na isang malaking bahagi ng pagbagsak ni Marcos ang pagbagsak ng ekonomiya:
1. GDP growth, ang pangunahing sukatan ng economic growth: Ang average GDP growth noong panahon ni Marcos ay nasa 3.8 percent, kumpara sa 4.5 percent noong 2000s, at 6.3 percent mula 2010 hanggang sa kasalukuyan.
Sa ilalim ni Marcos, noong 1984 at 1985, naranasan ng bansa ang pinakamalalang pag-urong ng ekonomiya matapos ang digmaan: 7.3-percent sa dalawang magkasunod na taon.
2. Mga utang: Mula $4.1 bilyon noong 1975, umabot ang utang panlabas ng Pilipinas sa $24.4 bilyon noong 1982, tumaas nang halos anim na beses. Tayo, kasama ng ating mga anak at maaaring maging mga anak ng ating mga anak, ay magbabayad pa rin sa utang na iyon.
3. Mahinang piso: Mula 1969 hanggang 1985, nahulog ang halaga ng piso sa dolyar mula P3.92 sa P18.61.
4. Trabaho: Umakyat sa 33 percent ang underemployment noong 1984, ibig sabihin: mga 1 sa 3 tao na may trabaho ang nais pang mag-OT o naghahanap pa ng dagdag na trabaho, pero walang mahanap. Ang meron lang ay trabahong hindi sapat para matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga manggagawa.
5. Tumataas na presyo: Noong 1984, umabot sa pinakamataas, sa 50 porsyento, ang pagmahal ng presyo ng bilihin.
6. Nababawasang halaga ng kita: Mula 1966 hanggang 1985, ang totoong halaga ng sahod ng mga unskilled worker ay bumagsak sa 23.21 mula 86.02; para sa mga skilled worker, bumaba ito mula 112.9 sa 35.55. Ang ibig sabihin nito: ang sahod ng isang unskilled worker na P100 noong 1966 ay nakakabili na lang ng P27 na halaga ng bilihin at serbisyo noong 1985.
7. Katiwalian: Ginamit ni Marcos ang kanyang napakalawak na kapangyarihan bilang diktador para mangamkam, na pinaniniwalaang umaabot sa $5-10 bilyon. Sinasadyang harangin at maantala ng pamilyang Marcos at ng kanilang mga crony ang mga pagsusumikap na maibalik ang nakaw na yaman sa sambayanang Pilipino.
Kaya ngayon, sa ika-46 na taon ng deklarasyon ng batas-militar, dapat nating tandaan: halos wasakin ng diktadurya ang ating kabuhayan, at hanggang ngayon nagbabayad pa rin tayo sa kalamidad na iyon. Huwag nating hayaan na maulit ito.
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On Enrile’s statement that late President Marcos declared martial law in September 1972 because the Liberal Party has already agreed on forming a coalition government with the communists:
That was the lie peddled by Marcos to justify his desire to perpetuate himself in power to include the staging of Enrile’s fake ambush, which he himself admitted to during the onset of the EDSA People Power uprising.
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Iyan ang pinakalat na kasinungalingan ni Marcos para bigyang-katwiran ang kanyang balak na manatili sa kapangyarihan, kasama ang pekeng ambush kay Enrile, na siya mismong umamin sa simula ng pag-aalsa ng EDSA People Power.