Marcos is (not) a hero?

Hey Flips! Today is the birth centenary of former president Ferdinand Marcos, that’s why the local Internet community has gone bonkers once more, turning their respective timelines into virtual warzones (much to my entertainment). Some say he’s a hero, while others call him a villain. So let me join in the fun!

I also do not consider Ferdinand Marcos as a hero. But neither was he a villain. For me, he is simply a powerless historical figure, a former president who did a lot of bad things (crony capitalism; embezzlement of millions of dollars; condoning human rights abuses of Fidel Ramos and Fabián Ver; harassment of political rivals; faking a few war medals; banning Voltes V from local television — probably the most vile move he ever did; agreeing to neocolonialistic US policies during his first few years which empowered his authoritarianism; etc.) and a couple of good stuff that we really don’t need anymore (power plants such as the Bataán Nuclear Power Plant, Leyte Geothermal Production Field, Makban Geothermal Power Plant, Angat Hydroelectric Power Plant, etc.; establishment of numerous state colleges, universities, and secondary schools; Cultural Center of the Philippines; Folk Arts Theater; Philippine International Convention Center; National Arts Center; the National Artist of the Philippines award; health centers such as the Philippine Heart Center, the Lung Center of the Philippines, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute; modern roads, bridges, and highways like North Luzón Expressway, South Luzón Expressway, Marcos Highway, San Juanico Bridge, Maharlika Highway, etc.; Light Railway Transit; rehabilitation of the walled city of Intramuros; Department of Agrarian Reform; International Rice Research Institute; the Philippine National Oil Company which then controlled Petron Corporation that sold cheaper gasoline; the “Kadiwa” store system which was very helpful to the impoverished; credit programs such as the “Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran“, the “Gulayan sa Kalusugan“, and “Pagkain ng Bayan” programs, etc.; housing programs; various labor reforms and export development; strong recognition of Sabah, Borneo and the Spratly Islands as part of our patrimony; recognition of the Spanish language as one of our official languages through Presidential Decree No. 155; taking good care of his number one political rival by allowing him to go to the US for a heart surgery; harassment of oligarchs such as the López clan of Iloílo; peace and order/suppression of communist rebels; litter-free roads; disagreeing with neocolonialistic US policies during his last few years which led to his downfall; etc.). So I guess the best way to fight his memory is to stop patronizing all the things that he ever did for us, good or bad. Seriously. 😂😂

Indeed, Marcos was not a hero. Nor was his rival Ninoy Aquino. The former was just a president. The latter, an oppositionist. They are simply historical figures. Deal with it. #Marcos100  😂😂😂😂😂

Originally posted from an experimental blog of mine, this time with slight edits.