Welcome to the Philippines, where the karaoke is loud, the food is glorious, and apparently, historical amnesia is a national sport.
Let’s talk about the Marcoses. Yes, those Marcoses. The ones who ran the country like it was a family-owned pawnshop, declared Martial Law like it was a weekend promo, and then fled the country with billions in “souvenirs.” And just when we thought the series ended—surprise!—we gave them a comeback tour with a 6-year season renewal.
Previously on “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things”…
Ferdinand Marcos Sr. gave us the 70s and 80s in style—by “style” we mean:
- Declaring Martial Law and making sure no one could legally say, “Hey, this seems kinda wrong.”
- Arresting journalists, students, and anyone who looked like they owned a critical thought.
- Torturing, killing, and disappearing thousands, all while keeping receipts for Swiss bank transfers.
- Stealing an estimated $10 billion in public funds. That’s right. Ten. Billion. Dollars. That’s enough to buy every Filipino their own Jollibee franchise and a lifetime supply of gravy.
And how did it affect the average Filipino?
- Your grandparents? They were silenced.
- Your parents? They inherited debt and trauma.
- You? Still paying for loans from the 1980s while watching TikToks that claim Martial Law was “the golden years.”
Then Came the Sequel: “The Son Also Rises”
After a brief exile in Hawaii (which, to be fair, beats jail time), the Marcoses came back. Not to apologize. Not to return the money. Nope.
They came back with rebranding, rhinestones, and a social media team that could probably sell adobo to a vegan.
And in 2022, Bongbong Marcos—yes, the son of the dictator—became President.
Because nothing says “national healing” like letting the family who robbed you manage the vault again.
So… What Happened to Our Moral Compass?
We used to have it. Honest. It was shiny, pointed north, and helped us oust a dictator through a peaceful revolution.
Then somewhere between YouTube revisionist documentaries and TikTok edits of Bongbong to dramatic OPM music, we lost it. Or maybe we pawned it for load credits.
Let’s face it:
- We treat corruption like it’s a birthright.
- We value “name recall” more than track record.
- We confuse unity with “shut up and forget.”
It’s like our national motto became: “Forgive and forget… especially if they have a nice campaign jingle.”
Why Every Filipino Got Screwed
You might think, “Well, that was in the past. It didn’t affect me.”
Wrong.
- You’re still paying taxes on debt they left behind.
- Your job market is a mess partly because they wrecked the economy.
- Your trust in government? That got broken around 1972.
- Your education system? Underfunded, so you’d never learn how bad it really was.
They didn’t just rob the treasury. They robbed every Filipino’s future.
And Yet… We Gave Them a Sequel
Like a bad rom-com with a cheating ex, we gave the Marcoses another shot. Not because they changed. Not because they repented. But because they posted better content.
We voted with our vibes. Not our brains.
Because in this country, justice has bad Wi-Fi, but disinformation runs on fiber.
Final Thoughts Before We Scroll Away
We’re living proof that history repeats itself—first as tragedy, then as trending hashtag.
So here we are. Still broke. Still confused. Still wondering why our leaders seem allergic to accountability.
Maybe someday we’ll find our moral compass again—probably under Imelda’s shoe closet.
Until then, mabuhay. And good luck out there. You’ll need it.