DARKNESS FALLS ON THE PHILIPPINES The Philippine Daily Express, then a tabloid, announces the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972. INQUIRER ARCHIVES
Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas on Saturday branded as “a big lie” the view peddled by some in social media that the Philippines enjoyed its golden years under President Ferdinand Marcos.
Roxas was responding to a comment by one of the thousands of students and graduates who attended the #daangmatuwidpamore youth conference at the Kia Theatre at Araneta Gateway in Quezon City that echoed the view that the economy under the Aquino administration paled in comparison to the Marcos years from 1965 to 1986.
“That is not true. During the time of Marcos, average economic growth was only 3 percent. In the past five years, the economy grew by more than 6 percent every year, or more than double,” said Roxas.
He said that more important than the actual numbers, the Aquino administration was better than the Marcos dictatorship because nobody plundered the government.
“This administration has no record of human rights violations…and the field was leveled for all sectors through the expansion of Philhealth and the conditional cash transfer program,” Roxas said.
In an interview with reporters after the youth event, Roxas said the misleading yarn about the “golden” Marcos years only showed that they (the Marcoses) had not stopped their propaganda nearly 30 years after they were kicked out of Malacañang through the Edsa People Power revolt.
“There are forces in our society waiting for the chance to bring back the immoral, crooked and corrupt past. We have to continue with our reforms and be alert,” said Roxas.
Despite lagging behind in the recent Pulse Asia survey, Roxas said he was optimistic he and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, would come out on top in next year’s polls.
The latest survey showed Roxas ranking third in the presidential race behind Sen. Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay. Robredo was fourth in the vice presidential race behind Senators Francis Escudero, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Alan Peter Cayetano.
“Survey results go up and down. The real judgement on me and Leni is still to come. We will continue to present our platform,” said Roxas.
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