Values Education
Methods of Philosophizing: Distinguishing Opinion from Truth, Evaluating Opinions
Toni Talks: The Greatest Lesson Bongbong Marcos Learned from His Father
Breanna Erylle C. Liao
Claims
Proofs
Negations
References
Family
1
It wasn't normal. There wasn't such a thing as a normal day. Every
day was different. What formed the way I do things is how my father
or my mother would react. It's having watched both of them handling
the problems that they were confronted with on a daily basis. I think
that's what really made my own personality when it came to such
things. I would say that the many incidents that I watched them handle
really taught me how to approach problems or how to take, you know,
the challenges that inevitably come up.
I agree with that public perception. Well, in the earlier part of my life,
the privileges we enjoyed, we grew up in comfort. We never needed for
anything.
Ferdinand Marcos has stolen an accumulated wealth of USD 10
million.
A documentary called “The Kingmaker” featuring the story of
Imelda Marcos and her family presents the corruption and richness
of the Marcoses throughout their lives.
Imee Marcos has been active in the world of politics at a young
age. She is known to have a conflict with Trajano, a student from
UP.
Bongbong Marcos is known to have a viral video of a party abroad
in the presidential yacht wherein he, along with his friends, was
seen dancing and singing. His first step into politics was as a
vice-governor in Ilocos Norte when he was 23. As time went by he
attempted to become the Vice President of the Republic of the
Philippines last 2016.
Ap, T. C. (2016, May 4). Philippines election:
Who is Bongbong Marcos? CNN.
https://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/04/asia/philippin
es-bongbong-marcos/index.html
Javier, R. B. K. (n.d.). A family affair | 31 years
of amnesia. Copyright © 2016. Philstar.Com All
Right Reserved. Retrieved September 24, 2021,
from
https://newslab.philstar.com/31-years-of-amnesia
/first-family
Mellor, W. (2020, February 19). Philippines fired
up over Imelda Marcos documentary. Nikkei
Asia.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Philippines
-fired-up-over-Imelda-Marcos-documentary
Irene Marcos and her marriage with Gregorio Benitez Araneta was
considered the “wedding of the century” during the time as they
attempt to rival Prince Charles and Princess Diana. She also chose
to rebuild the biggest church in Ilocos.
Surely, the Marcoses lived life differently than the ordinary.
Although they have wealth, problems are what they deal with on a
daily basis. They are known to be corrupted.
Politics
2
When I became governor of Ilocos Norte, I got to talk-- Since I was
spending all my time there, I got to talk to some of his friends and the
people who were around him when we were still living in Ilocos. And
they said, "Since he was 16, he already knew who'd be his cabinet
members." He really is the type who's- I suppose, the most
The Marcos family was truly praised by the citizens of Ilocos, as
they set September 11 the ‘President Ferdinand E. Marcos Day’
and dedicate a museum located in Batac, Ilocos Norte. The
Marcos Museum and Mausoleum exhibit the milestones and feats
of Ferdinand Marcos throughout the years. Marcos undoubtedly
represents the town of Ilocos.
Cepeda, M. (2020, September 5). House OKs bill
declaring Marcos holiday in Ilocos Norte.
Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/house-approvesbill-declaring-ferdinand-marcos-holiday-ilocos-n
orte
single-minded person I've ever known. If it had nothing to do with his
work, he just wouldn't spend time on it.
Primer Media Inc. (2017, March 5). Marcos
Museum and Mausoleum in Ilocos Norte: From
ancestral home to museum. Travel.
https://primer.com.ph/travel/2017/03/05/marcosmuseum-and-mausoleum/
3
Yeah, he was [a disciplinarian and strict]. His only thing was "study
hard." Just that. Just work hard, study hard. That was his main thing.
As long as you're studying hard, you're okay with him.
Ferdinand Marcos was exemplary in the 1954 bar exam with a score of 92.35%. However, he was in jail for 27
days of his preparation. With these two contrasting points, Marcos can be perceived as hardworking despite the
isolation or troublesome to the extent of bringing himself to jail in a time of his education. Bongbong Marcos was
greatly influenced by his father when it came to academic standing.
F. (2019, October 3). 18 Intriguing Facts You
Might Not Know About Ferdinand Marcos.
FilipiKnow.
https://filipiknow.net/facts-about-ferdinand-marc
os/
4
I remember saying, "The enemy. There's a waging war." And he
answered me, he said, "I have spent my whole life defending
Filipinos." "I cannot hurt them now." That was it. Put your guns down
and we're not shooting anyone.
No, I wasn't [scared]. I can't say I was, because militarily we were
not-- We had an advantage. It's just he chose not to fight. And then
they took us to Clark. When we got to Clark, they disarmed us. We flew
to Guam. Which is what happened.
Juan Ponce Enrile, the defense minister during the Martial Law,
stated that forces of the military were fully armed with rockets and
machine guns. Additionally, they had four battalion troops, each
with 700 soldiers.
Thousands of Filipinos were badly affected
by the Martial Law and the regime of
Ferdinand Marcos: 70 thousand imprisoned,
34 thousand tortured, and 3240 were killed.
As the youth of the time fought for their
rights, they were killed, sexually assaulted,
and burned. From 1965-1986, 398
disappeared. Until now, justice was not served
for the crimes that occurred in Martial Law.
They are shooting anymore, as they have shot
enough.
Rappler.com. (2021, September 17). LIST:
Bongbong Marcos’ false claims about Martial
Law on ‘Toni Talks.’ Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/b
ongbong-marcos-false-claims-martial-law-toni-g
onzaga-show
The greatest robbery of a government,
announced by the Guinness Book of Records,
was the Marcoses during their regime. Their
time was also considered “the dark chapter in
Philippine history.” In addition to this, the
Philippines was the “sick man of Asia.” The
economy of the Philippines worsened each
year, as its development loss declined the
most in the last years of Marcos’ time,
underemployment and unemployment rate
spiked from 10% to 33%, and when we
started to recover from the damages of the
regime, we were left behind from the other
countries whose GDP has grown 4 times by
1982.
de la Cruz, C. I. (2020, September 4). ICYDK:
Ferdinand Marcos Has a Guinness World
Record. SPOT.PH.
https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news
-features/83485/marcos-holds-guinness-world-re
cord-title-for-greatest-robbery-a833-20200904?ut
m_source=Facebook-Spot&utm_medium=Owns
hare&utm_campaign=20210916-fbnp-newsfeatur
es-marcos-holds-guinness-world-record-title-forgreatest-robbery-a833-20200904-fbold&fbclid=I
wAR17I0iPIXhhnPNn76XyttyAY7obZjJRZ5pn2
0srfOao0r4C6BHZyQwcykk
Amnesty International (2018, September 21).
PHILIPPINES: RESTORE RESPECT FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS ON 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF
MARTIAL LAW. Amnesty International.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/
2021/05/ASA3591392018ENGLISH.pdf
5
I'm the son of the- of the longest-lasting president who brought- who
brought the Philippines into the modern world, really. And who
became-- who brought to the Philippines a sense of nationhood.
Mandrilla, K., & Punongbayan, J. C. (2016,
March 5). Marcos years marked “golden age” of
PH economy? Look at the data. Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/voices/imho/marcos-eco
nomy-golden-age-philippines
Rappler.com. (2021d, September 17). LIST:
Bongbong Marcos’ false claims about Martial
Law on ‘Toni Talks.’ Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/b
ongbong-marcos-false-claims-martial-law-toni-g
onzaga-show
6
The criticism [Oust Marcos]? It was nothing. He just kept on doing his
job. That's nothing. He said, "I've been called worse names." "I've
been called every name in the book." He'd keep on laughing.
If you're making your enemies angry, you're doing a good job. And we
go back to Churchill. If you haven't made any enemies, you haven't
done anything. That's how it is. That's the life in politics. You can't
avoid that. Even the most popular ones.
I would say the most important part [of his father’s legacy] is that
sense of nationhood. When we were proud to be Filipino and we would
go out abroad and say, "We are Filipinos." I think that was the first
thing and a small part of that was OPM. Original Pinoy Music.
Because it's the culture. This is what it means to be a Pinoy. This is
what it means to be Filipino. And that happened during this time.
Living during the Martial Law as you reflect
on what it means to be a Filipino is
saddening. Media was a huge threat during
the time of Marcos, but a huge influence on
the culture of the Filipinos. It was through
media that defined us as Filipinos, especially
with freedom of expression. However,
Marcos issued the Letter of Instruction No. 1,
wherein the military was given the power to
take over media outlets. Some outlets that
closed down were television and radio
stations, newspapers, and magazines. Along
with this, he issued Presidential Decree 36
that influenced the creation of the Mass
Media Council. Thousands of jobs were lost
and journalists were arrested.
Elemia, C. (2020, September 19). FAST FACTS:
How Marcos silenced, controlled the media
during Martial Law. Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/how-marc
os-silenced-media-press-freedom-martial-law
Debts rose and the economy of the
Philippines deteriorated. From the 1977 debt
of $8.2 million, it grew to $24. 4 billion in
1982. It is not understandable as to how the
Philippines’ economy was considered in its
“golden ages” in Marcos’ time.
Amnesty International (2018, September 21).
PHILIPPINES: RESTORE RESPECT FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS ON 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF
MARTIAL LAW. Amnesty International.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/
2021/05/ASA3591392018ENGLISH.pdf
Francisco, K. (2020, September 17). LOOK
BACK: The Philippine Constabulary under
Marcos. Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/look-backphilippine-constabulary-marcos
7
Built, all the roads, the schools, the educational system, the medical
system. That's all wonderful and something that we should continue
too-- it's that sense of nationhood.
Numerous infrastructures were built during the Marcos regime.
Some of these are the Cultural Center of the Philippines, The
Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (Folk Arts Theater), Philippine
Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and the San Juanico
Bridge. All of these surely supported the convenience of the lives
of Filipinos.
Samonte, J. (2019, October 10). Infrastructures
Built During Marcos’ Time. Real Estate Blog Trending News , Guides, Tips and Articles |
Hoppler.
https://www.hoppler.com.ph/magazine/lifestyle/in
frastructures-built-during-marcos-time
8
The best thing about him as a leader, as a president. He was an actual
leader. I think the problem now we have is that we lack leadership. You
cannot be president following surveys, which is a tendency that we
have not only here, but in other countries as well.
Unity is very valuable in terms of the government and its society.
Undoubtedly, the Filipinos have stayed together in kicking out the
Marcoses. In present times, Duterte wishes to united Filipinos in
resisting and correcting “a culture of murder and plunder.” It took
four days of mass protests in the now-called EDSA for Marcos to
It is between the government and its society
that Filipinos do not unite. Thousands of
Filipinos were killed trying to fight for their
rights.
Online Editor. (2021, September 22). Marcos’
Martial Law and Duterte’s plunder, treason,
despotism: Never again!
Https://Varsitarian.Net/Editorial/20210921/Marco
s-Martial-Law-and-Dutertes-Plunder-Treason-De
And we were united. We were united as one. We're all working in the
same direction. And we've lost that a little bit. And that's what I would
like-- That's how I would introduce myself.
leave the Philippines.
Ferdinand Marcos signed Proclamation No.
1081, wherein the whole nation was placed
under Martial Law, last September 21, 1972,
right after bombings occurred in Metro
Manila. The Congress then was dissolved,
dictatorship prevailed. All the power was held
by the President only and he provided such
power to the military as well, in arresting
anyone who wishes to go against the
government.
spotism-Never-Again?Fbclid=IwAR0gcmMt9Zy
9uueN4a5O2S0r8vf8PNi9Y9jYHvZFGrMvVQL
zIj54t0WYWD4.
https://varsitarian.net/editorial/20210921/marcosmartial-law-and-dutertes-plunder-treason-despoti
sm-never-again?fbclid=IwAR0gcmMt9Zy9uueN
4a5O2S0r8vf8PNi9Y9jYHvZFGrMvVQLzIj54t0
WYWD4
Amnesty International (2018, September 21).
PHILIPPINES: RESTORE RESPECT FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS ON 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF
MARTIAL LAW. Amnesty International.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/
2021/05/ASA3591392018ENGLISH.pdf
9
[Filipinos are] Very resilient. Tough. We're tough not in that arrogant
or aggressive way, We're tough in a very gentle Asian way, which is for
me, the most remarkable quality that Filipinos have. We're the best.
Pinoys are the best. You can bring them anywhere. Ask them to do
anything and as long as their fellows back them up, as long as you
support them, They'll do good. You cannot put a Pinoy down. They
won't stop. Especially for the family.
It is evident through the People Power Revolution. The support
towards Corazon Aquino was immense, as hundreds and
thousands of Filipinos came together to fight peacefully against
the Marcoses. They were tough and their resiliency is
commendable.
The People Power Revolution, Philippines 1986.
(n.d.).
Https://Origins.Osu.Edu/Milestones/People-Pow
er-Revolution-Philippines-1986. Retrieved
September 24, 2021, from
https://origins.osu.edu/milestones/people-power-r
evolution-philippines-1986
10
[I am tired about] Lies. I'm really tired of hearing lies that are already
been disproven...
If you don't want to be criticized, don't go into public life. When people
are spouting lies, I always tell myself, don't worry about it. You have
the advantage. You know the truth. So I take refuge in that. And your
truth is. And the truth is not what you're saying. It's entirely something
else. Just think of the things that were being said in '86. February,
March, April, with all the things that were said like, "We discovered
this, that..." All of them have been proven as lies. But they keep
pursuing it. Well, if that's what they really want, then fine. Waste your
lives on that. Okay, that's your business.
Taking note of the following context: the
Marcoses have won and lost numerous cases
in the Philippines and around the world.
Corruption and violations of human rights
were the cases denied by Bonbong in this
interview in defense of his father. Examples
of these are the case of the 9539 victims of
the Martial Law in the US District Court in
Hawaii and the $359 million worth of assets
own by the Philippines. Recently in 2018,
Imelda Marcos was found guilty of graft.
Rappler.com. (2021c, September 17). LIST:
Bongbong Marcos’ false claims about Martial
Law on ‘Toni Talks.’ Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/b
ongbong-marcos-false-claims-martial-law-toni-g
onzaga-show
The Marcos administration has been covering
the health status of Ferdinand Marcos. His
health deteriorated when he stayed in Guam
as Bongbong mentions in the interview.
politics.com.ph. (2015, May 30). Strongman:
Marcos was fitness freak, says daughter Irene |.
Politiko.
https://politics.com.ph/strongman-marcos-was-fit
ness-freak-says-daughter-irene/
Other Information
11
Gym [is my exercise]. Because my schedule is so crazy. I can't do it
like before. So that's what I do now. Just have to stay fit, especially
after Covid. It's my father's influence. My father was… before the term
was invented, he was a health freak and he would exercise at least, at
least an hour a day, sometimes twice a day. He would bring us to the
gym and said, "Come." When we were little.
Other than Bongbong, his sister Irene, also confirms how
Ferdinand Marcos was a fitness freak. Their father was known to
do 300-sit-ups, 300 squats with barbells, and 300 scissors kicks
with 4 inches off the ground per workout. Irene states that “He
turned us [his children] all into jocks.”
Rappler.com. (2021b, September 17). LIST:
Bongbong Marcos’ false claims about Martial
Law on ‘Toni Talks.’ Rappler.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/b
ongbong-marcos-false-claims-martial-law-toni-g
onzaga-show
After considering both sides of the story, where do you stand? What conclusions can you derive from your own research? What is your takeaway from these lessons on "Distinguishing Opinion from Truth" and "Evaluating Opinions."
After doing my research, Martial Law did more harm than good to the Philippines. The interview between Bongbong Marcos and Toni Gonzaga, although mean no direct harm, exhibits how the constructed perspective of Bongbong became his
words against the fact checks that reliable organizations have presented. I became more enlightened due to the in-depth research I conducted. Formerly, I thought that the economy of the Philippines during the Martial law was progressive, that
our country was in its “golden age” during the time. However, terms such as “dark history,” “sick man,” and many others convinced me as a researcher that the Philippines was in need of help in terms of its people and economy. The system of
Martial Law promotes war and disaster, taking the lives of many Filipinos. Freedom was taken from us. The Marcos family was influential and impactful to the Philippines’ history. It changed our culture, beliefs, and it may have brought and
divided us, Filipinos. The desire for power changes people and the ones around them. Once such power controls us, it may lead to harming others. In terms of the interview, Bongbong Marcos’ statements are valid, just like everyone else’s.
However. It may not be deemed as right. Although we all have our own truths, it is acknowledged as opinions. Data is valuable in coming to terms with the truth. Even so, where do we truly see the truth? With one’s own eyes witnessing a
moment? From research? Our evaluations from such truths change the story, even in the slightest bit. Therefore, distinguishing opinion from truth may come off as a blurry line. Nevertheless, evaluating these statements requires reflection and an
open mind.