Long Term Reaction
Throughout the 70's, large nation-wide protests and intense lobbying by the For Free Philippines (FFP) organization and the other solidarity groups demanded the withdrawal of the United States support for Marcos and asked President Marcos to suspend Martial Law. In 1973, the United States Congress held hearing on human rights violations in the Philippines. Because of these confrontations, Ferdinand Marcos started losing the support of the International Community.
In 1974, The Coalition Against the Marcos Dictatorship led a march through downtown Washington D.C. to protest U.S.'s support for Marcos.
- The Martial Law Days
In 1974, The Coalition Against the Marcos Dictatorship led a march through downtown Washington D.C. to protest U.S.'s support for Marcos.
- The Martial Law Days
Mr. Liongson was jailed (1972) for a few days during Martial Law.
Because of the protests, Marcos tried to regain the people's trust by launching his new political party, the Kilosang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), which embodied his ideological vision of a new economic system for the Philippines.
"Marcos initially had laudable intentions: to improve the economy, to increase agricultural . . . productivity, and to dismantle the oligarchy that had dominated the nation. However, he became corrupted by power, and measures set in place to curb students protest and the challenge from communism became permanent."
- New Encyclopedia.com |
Despite its human rights violations and financial problems, like the country paying for its poorly managed economy; Marcos' Constitutional Convention effectively rewrote the Philippine Constitution which gave Marcos virtually unlimited power and tenure. This irresponsible act aroused deeper aggression and disbelief of Filipinos.