Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thinks that if there was no EDSA 1, the Philippines would have been like Singapore today. Do you agree?

Dino Monzon, Caloocan City: I agree. Under President Marcos, the Philippines was disciplined and orderly, with a strong economy, US bases, few serious crimes, rapid progress, and a law with teeth.

Jun Montebon, Parañaque City: Understandably, Bongbong is his father’s son.

Nice try

Ruth Mabunga, Manila: Nananaginip ka pa rin?

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: Uhhmmmm, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is daydreaming. He is creating a scenario that is out of this world. I think he was ill-advised in commenting such an unbelievable statement or he is up to something else. It’s a good try, Mr. Senator, and I don’t buy your statement. Have a good day.

Dezi Martinez, Metro Manila: Libreng mangarap, Mr. Senator.

I agree

Thess Lota Hermano, Muntinlupa City: I tend to agree with Sen. Bongbong Marcos. Before EDSA 1, our country was faring well with our ASEAN neighbors and even with well-to-do countries. Now, our country is the laggard in the region, and probably would fare better only against the poorest countries in Africa. Despite the fact that we regained our freedom and democracy, our situation now is worse than before. Instead of being minimized, corruption has continued and become entrenched, criminality has become rampant and unbridled, and unemployment and poverty have continued to surge. Because of this, thousands of Filipinos are leaving in droves everyday for better paying jobs overseas.

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: It could be true because after two Edsas, we are still at the tailend, lagging far behind in terms of economic progress.

No thanks

Marlon Pielago, Teresa, Rizal: Singapore? Where people cannot express their feelings/opinion towards the government? Kayo na lang. At least I’m still free and have basic rights.

Dr. Gen Padilla, Valenzuela City:  Singapore may be rich, but its government is totalitarian. Bongbong is showing his true colors. Dictator Sr. begets Dictator Jr.

They brought about our downfall

Choy Zablan, Metro Manila: Honestly, even though our family is maka-Ninoy, my parents told me that Marcos’ administration during its first few years was really good. However, according to them, excessive extravagance led to greed, then corruption, then dictatorship, and so on and so forth. Hence, people longed for their long-lost freedom. Anything that is excessive is not good. Sayang talaga.

Dims Dac Bermio Dlay, Davao City: We were better than Singapore and most countries in Asia until the Marcoses started the road to nowhere. It is the likes of him who never want to leave the power of politics that doomed this country. From their parents to children, an unpardonable wrong.

Chris Edward Garcia, Metro Manila: Yeah, if it weren’t for your parents, Bongbong, we could’ve realized that potential. But power and greed unfortunately got to their heads and that’s when the country started going downhill.

Noel Punzalan, United Arab Emirates: We could have been, we should have been. Only when your family started to become greedy for money, greedy for power, your family started it all.

R. Los Banos, Las Piñas City: I disagree. The Philippines was the second most prosperous nation in Asia while Singapore was a filthy Malaysian backwater when Marcos Sr. won the presidency in 1965. At the time he was ousted in 1986, Singapore was already a wealthy industrialized country while the Philippines sank to the poorest of the poor, joining the league of countries like Bangladesh. Obviously, we were on a steady economic decline while Macoy was in power. We could have been worse off than we are today had there been no EDSA 1.

Rolly Darjuan, Parañaque City: No, the downward trend of the Philppines financially, morally, spiritually started during the reign of Marcos.

Joel Caluag, Bulacan: In his dreams. To be frank, corruption in the AFP and other government offices now are still spilling over from the Marcos regime.

Nandy So, Quezon City: To Bongbong Marcos: The Philippines would have been a Singapore now under Marcos? Have you forgotten that we were no. 2 economically in Asia before your father ruled Philippines? Sino ang niloloko mo? My God, what gall!

Dr. Francis Regalado, Manila: I think I’ll vomit at his comment. Singapore is one of the most transparent countries in the world. The Philippines was one of the most corrupt, 25 years ago and counting. If it wasn’t for corruption being implanted by that regime, nowadays, we wouldn’t have problems uprooting it.

Marife Tolarba, Albay: I don’t think so. The Marcos regime was nothing but a regrettable moment in our history. The EDSA spirit placed the Filipinos on the right track again. Sen. Marcos today doesn’t have the right to compare the country in any of the developing countries in Asia, because we could have achieved more than any Asian country has achieved if Marcos was never a Philippine President.

In a word

Gerald Magno, San Juan, Rizal: Bitter.

Teresita Apognol, Metro Manila:  Whatever! Ha ha ha.

Lesser evil

Jary Nubla, Metro Manila: Even if the government his dad ruled was corrupt, I believe that it did a lot more good than the governments that succeeded it.

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: Are we better off today than 25 years ago? Today, we are the no. 2 most corrupt nation in the world. Kidnappers, bank robbers, murderers, illegal recruiters, drug dealers, corrupt officials, etc. are a dime a dozen and crime occurs almost everyday. Nothing has changed at all. I am not a Marcos loyalist but when I start comparing, yes, just maybe we could have been like Singapore today. I would believe Sen. Marcos because I have something to base my opinion on, looking at our conditions today. So, people should bury the hatchet and just admit that we are in a worse situation now than before. Buti na lang we have the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Charice, Donaire, to name a few, so that people from other nations know that we do exist and have talented people besides being a corrupt country.

FM bungled his chance at greatness

Paula Leynes Felipe, Manila: Marcos was in power for more than 20 years longer than anybody else. He of all Presidents should have done something good.

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: Lee Kwan Yew made Singapore one of the greatest economies by 1985, 20 years after he took leadership in 1965. What did the Philippines become under Marcos in 20 years? I think nothing changed.

Felix Ramento, USA: How can he be so sure about that when, as a young man, he was then just as spoiled as any dictator’s son during their heyday? Fortunately or unfortunately, FM was already gravely ill and losing the grip of power immediately preceding EDSA 1. Indeed, he had the chance for greatness, but FM bungled it.

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: When Marcos Sr. became President in the 1960s, our economy was the envy of many Asian countries. Singapore was having gargantuan labor problems instigated by the Communist Party. This was complicated by Singapore’s multi-racial composition. But Pres. Lee Kwan Yew’s stewardship transformed Singapore into the only First World country among Asian countries, equal to US, UK, and some European countries. And what happened after Marcos Sr.’s 20-year rule? From top second in Asia, we ranked bottom second. His 20-year rule emboldened government officials and army generals in multi-billion corruption. Our foreign debt amounted to billions of US dollars at the end of the Marcos era. The $64 question: Why did Marcos Sr. not transform the Philippines into a Singapore in his 20-year rule when he had all the opportunities? Sen. Marcos Jr. should read Lee Kuan-Yew’s book, “From Third World to First”.

Did he mean Singa-poor?

Cesar Concha, Riyadh: Baka ang ibig nyang sabihin “Singapoor”. Eh sa administrasyon nga ng tatay niya nagsimulang magkaleche-leche ang buhay ng Pinoy.

Rene Poder, Manila: If Edsa did not happen, we would be Singa-poorer.

He could’ve been our best President

Arthur Gimena, Metro Manila: True, and much better than Singapore even. Circa the late ‘70s to ‘80s, we were better than most Southeast Asian countries, but after the dictator’s plunder, we hit rock-bottom. But I have to concede, Ferdie, minus the undisputed corruption, would have been the best President this country had.

Elpidio Que, Vigan: Minus the late Ilocano President’s business cronies, what Sen. Bongbong says is probably correct. These were the vile men who raped our economy without let-up because of their “connections” to his father. Favorable decrees were issued for these cronies, at the expense of the national coffers, laborers and farmers.

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: I totally disagree with the thinking of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. His father was President for 20 years, 14 under his one-man rule, yet he only built an irrigation project in Central Luzon that enabled the farmers to plant palay twice a year. He also built the first LRT, but the prices of basic commodities went up uncontrollably. The peso-dollar exchange rate rose from P4:$1 when he took the Presidency to P18:$1 when they were ousted in 1986. OFW remittances through PNB were withheld for reasons beyond belief. The gold bullions of the Central Bank dissipated. Pres. Marcos must have learned from Leh Kwan Yeh, but failed to adopt the Singaporean economic program, though there were rampant human rights violations. Pres. Marcos became sick and the Imeldific led the Marcos official family and friends in gallivanting, while the poor masses were starving and dying. It was he who inflamed the NPA that many victims of injustice found it better to join Dante Buscayno’s cause. If Pres. Marcos only did well, we could have been better than Singapore as we have abundant natural resources.

History has not been kind to Marcos

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: I believe Pres. Marcos had a vision for our country, only that some segments of our society made him a scapegoat in the name of politics. PM Lee Kuan Yew ruled Singapore through authoritarianism and yet Singapore today is an economic tiger in Asia. What a great mistake for those who do not know the game of politics. Ferdie Marcos is still the best President, only that history is not so kind and fair to him.

He could be right

Roque Tibor Jr., Manila: I agree with Sen. Bongbong that, indeed, the late strongman Marcos was far better than all the Presidents after him! During his time, the Philippines was already next to Japan in Asia, even better than Singapore; but now, after Laos in the bottomline, the country is just a few notches up! Poor Philippines! I thought after EDSA I, the country will be better off, but I was wrong. Worse, the present government is bringing us to our graves!

Perhaps if he hadn’t gotten sick

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: I would believe this if Marcos didn’t get sick of lupus, and was able to follow up the reforms of Martial Law. As he lay sick, Imelda made hay.

No with their ill-gotten wealth

Louella Brown, Baguio City: I disagree with Sen. Ferdinand Marcos that if there was no Edsa 1, the Philippines would have been like Singapore today. How would that be possible when the Marcos family left the coffers of the government empty?

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: The billions of dollars stashed in foreign banks could have spelled that dream.

Maria Belen Sison, Metro Manila: His family’s Swiss bank accounts, if that is not plunder, what is? His Dad’s desire to stay in power stifled Philippine progress.

Ed Cabigting, Metro Manila: Sen. Marcos was too young to know at the time how his father plundered our nation. The reverse is true: If former President Marcos did not introduce corruption on a large scale, then the Philippines would be like Singapore now.

Authoritarian rule gone bad

Loi Castillo, Davao City: Marcos started along with Mahathir of Malaysia and Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore as dictators in the early ’70s. Unfortunately, Marcos went wrong in the latter part of Martial Law and the rest is history. Malaysia and Singapore are products of correct authoritarian rule.

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: What is Sen. Bonbong Marcos talking about? The Philippines was second to Japan when his father took the presidency from former Pres. Macapagal. Baka sa kangkungan tayo pupulutin. His father spoiled the AFP, so he can perpetuate his dictatorial power, but people power toppled him. Sa Singapore, authoritarian nga, pero wala namang kurapsyon dun, unlike in our country.

Dennis Vibandor, Camarines Sur:  Where in the world did he get that idea, when for most of his teenage years, he lived in luxury and studied in another country? Yes, Singapore was led by Lee Kuan Yew with an iron hand, but the only difference is that Chairman Lee had more compassion for his people.

Au contraire

Billy Valero, Metro Manila: If there was no Edsa 1, the Philippines would have been like Egypt and not like Singapore.

Elmo Cruz, Manila: That the Philippines could have been another Singapore were it not for EDSA 1986 is an insult to the entire Filipino nation. Pres. Noynoy could be immature sometimes but Bongbong seems not to have grown up at all.

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