User:Mjholervi/sandbox

Imelda Marcos during the Martial Law
Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972. The president considered this his most important political decision, in which through such, he was able to spark the uprising of Communist-inclined radicals and so-called clerico-fascists which then led to the Democratic Revolution. He was guided by the First Lady, Imelda Marcos, who was then hailed as the “Rose of Tacloban.” It was in these years that both Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda Marcos underwent a crucial transformation which fueled their vision of a reborn and revolutionary Philippine society. The campaigning period transformed Imelda into a committed reformer and activist. Imelda Marcos believed that they had sought to accomplish a changed society through the proclamation of the Martial Law which was therefore the reason why she was, aside from being a conscience of Marcos’ administration, the heart of the revolution. Because of her year-long campaign and exposure to to poverty and aridness, Imelda claimed to have become more committed towards a changed society in which the unfortunate people would have more opportunities to live better lives.

Proclamation No. 1001
On April 17, 1972, Marcos issued Proclamation No. 1001 which awarded Filipinos who made distinct and significant contributions to arts and letters. The category was named Award and Decoration of National Artist. Fernando Amorsolo was declared the First National Artist. According to Imelda, the National Artist Awards is a small token of appreciation for the joy, beauty and goodness the artists have given the people. It was also a way to express gratitude towards the artists who shape and give life and meaning to the country.

Assasination Attempt
It was in an awards ceremony that Imelda Marcos attended on December 7, 1972 when a man named Carlito Dimahilig had an attempt to kill the First Lady. During the live-telecast of the event on television, Carlito Dimahilig assaulted Imelda Marcos with his bolo knife. In order to defend herself from the knife, Imelda covered both her arms over her arms over her chest so that her organs won't get hit. Mrs. Marcos fell backwards as Carlito Dimahilig continuously sliced her arms. The attempted help of Congressman Jose Aspitas and Lina Amor Robles, the secretary of beautification campaign, only lead to them having cuts in their arms from the knife. Afterwards, the security team of Imelda Marcos started shooting at Carlito Dimahilig which resulted to his death. With a helicopter, Marcos was brought to the nearest hospital. The marks on her arm by the slashing of the knife needed 70 stiches, and caused tender damage that needed surgery. With the quick response to the First Lady's needs because of her wealth and the use of the helicopter going to the hospital, she was able to return to her normal state with no delay, but she still used a sling for many months to support her arm. The assailant was shot dead by Marcos's security team. Though Imelda Marcos was not fatally injured, her wounds required seventy-five stitches. Link to the video is provided here:

1973
Around 1973, Queen Sirikit of Thailand said to Imelda, “You are like a Greek goddess.” She was so impressed with Imelda’s glamour that before Imelda’s departure for Manila, Sirikit said to Imelda, “Imelda, you are my sister.” On January 16, 1973, Imelda, her arm still bandaged from the assassination attempt, occupied a prominent place among world leaders as the official Philippine representative to the inauguration of American President Richard Nixon. At the same time, when her hands were lacerated during the assassination attempt, Van Cliburn, a pianist, invited her to the Metropolitan Opera. Their love of music originally brought them together. He is another favorite of Imelda aside from George Hamilton whom she met in the early 1980s.

National Arts Center
In 1973, Imelda Marcos presided at the groundbreaking ceremonies of one of the country's cultural landmark, the National Arts Center at Makiling, in the province of Laguna. This groundbreaking ceremony pertained to a foundation of a new society. Imelda envisioned it as a center and academy for arts in which people who have creative minds and capacity for innovation would flourish.

Meralco Deal with Eugenio Lopez, Sr.
Eugenio Lopez, Sr. was forced to submit to any of the president's demand. Marcos used all the forces of the steak to break the hold of the Lopez family in Meralco. In early 1973, the Board of Power slashed a scheduled Meralco rate increase from 36 to 21 percent, creating a serious revenue shortfall for the company. In March 1973, an Inter-Agency Team headed by Marco's executive secretary Alejandro Melchor forced eight top Meralco executives to resign from the company's subsidiaries. In Auguts-September 1973, Central Bank givernor Gregorio Licaros refused all loans to Meralco until it had been sold and had paid back taxes. In Ovtober 1973, Kokoy Romualdez forced an humiliating resignation of "30 trusted officers" from MSC at the annual stockholders meeting. Finally, in November 1973, Eugenio agreed to sell the Lopez Family's 27 percent of MSC stock to the Marcos-controlled Meralco Foundation for only Php150 million, which would be paid over a ten-year period.

1974
Between 1969 to 1973, Imelda was magnificent. She was fabulous but still have softness within her. However, by 1974 onwards, Imelda showed signs of hunger for attention, power and luxury. Imelda was no longer content with material accumulation. She has developed a taste for finer things: pedigree, the game of diplomacy, and recognition on the international stage. She lectured to the UN general assembly, noting that the world’s problems “have their roots in injustice, intolerance, greed and dominance by the strong.” She spent several decades of her life dressed in elaborate gown, making impassioned speeches and inaugurating building and projects. Between 1974 and 1985 Imelda flew from one end of the globe to the other. Each trip involves thousands of dollars in expenses.

Miss Universe Manila Pageant
She also staged festivals and processions rivaling those by Cleopatra and Cecil B. De Mille. In July of ‘74 was the Miss Universe Pageant, followed shortly by an Ali-Frazier fight. Those events were capped by a spectacle called Kasaysayan ng Lahi (“History of the Race”), a mammoth parade in which the country’s different tribal groups were represented. The Kasaysayan extravaganza took place on Imelda’s birthday July 2. After watching the parade on TV, one Manila resident, Situ Aduani, was so impressed with Imelda that she gushed: “She’s divine, she’s really divine!” What Aduani probably didn’t realize was that in preparation for the spectacular event 100,000 shanty dwellers were evicted from their shacks and relocated because they spoiled the scenery. The pageant also cost the country some $11 million, according to Marcos’ former propaganda minister Primitivo Mijares.

Inauguration of the Folks Arts Theater
Imelda Marcos presided once again at the inauguration of the Folks Art Theater on July 7, 1974. The massive building which designed by Leandro Locsin and was built on a record of 70 days would be the site of the 1974 Miss Universe Contest. She called this "a monument to the Filipino Spirit." She had this built because she felt the need for the diversity of the Filipinos' ideas to have a home and for the neglected arts of the folk would therefore be known and appreciated. It expressed the grandeur, wealth and beauty of Philippine culture. This also paved the way for local and overlooked artists to be recognized and make a name for themselves.

1975
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were in Manila in 1975, when Imelda was named the first governor of Metro Manila.

Marcos has a handwritten order, entitled Presidential Decree Number 731, and dated June 7, 1975. The decree states that in the event of his death or permanent incapacity, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos some other members shall exercise the powers and duties as President. In December 1975 an article in Cosmopolitan named Imelda “one of the ten richest women in the world.”

Inauguration of the Philippine Heart Center
In Quezon City, Imelda pushed the creation of the Philippine Heart Center for Asia, which cost $50 million and had only 100 beds, the Lung Center, a Kidney Center, Eye Center, Children’s Hospital.

1976
Philippine International Convention Center was completed in 1976. This is one of Imelda’s projects.

Imelda was appointed governor of Metro Manila in ‘76 and she took charge over Manila and Quezon City, twelve satellite towns in Rizal province and one municipality in Bulacan. The total land area this covered was 635 square miles.

William Sullivan, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines from 1973 and ‘76, recalls some of his own encounters with Imelda in his memoir, OBLIGATO, Notes on a Foreign Service Career. He notes: “My relationship with Imelda was a rocky one. She insisted on being styled as the First Lady of the Philippines, and I could never bring myself to use that title. She resented this.”

Projects and Developments proposed by Imelda Marcos
In 1977, Imelda had a big hand in developing 13 luxury hotels within one year to open in time for an IMF conference in Manila.

1978
In ‘78, when Vice President Walter Mondale visited with the Marcoses, the couple entertained him and his wife with their usual lavishness.

Imelda masterminded the remodelling of Malacanang in ‘78 which ran up a tab of Php 200 million.

Imelda's Shopping Spree in New York
A receipt from Bulgari’s in Manhattan was found and it was dated ‘78. It was for jewelry whose sum totaled $1.43 million. A Cartier representative, on the other hand, in Hong Kong also said in ‘78 that Imelda had assembled the world’s largest collection of gems. Rene Kencht, a Manila businessman, recalled how a major Beverly Hills jeweler informed him that starting in the late ‘70’s, Imelda had indeed become the biggest buyer of jewelry.

1979
In 1980, Imelda commissioned the publication of the book Malakas at Maganda under the aegis of her favored architect.

Launch of BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Sites and Services)
Imelda Marcos was dubbed the BLISS housing project chairman of the cabinet committee in February 1979.

Silver Wedding Anniversary
Imelda Marcos and her husband celebrated their Silver anniversary. This anniversary topped the Lopez’s 1968 Ruby anniversary; the Lopezes had spent ₱2 million, compared to  $3 million the Marcoses spent. The Marcoses had not attended that anniversary, which indicated the fall of Marcos-Lopez tandem. The Marcos’s silver anniversary reportedly had a silver a carriage pulled by eight white horses.

1980
On September 30, 1980, Ferruccio Ferragamo sent a reply to Gliceria Tantoco’s of Rustan Commercial Corporation letter regarding Imelda’s special orders. It states that as a policy,  Ferragamo does not make special orders but considers Imelda an exception.

Exile of Opposition Leader Benigno Aquino Jr.
In December 1980, Imelda visited Benigno Aquino in New York, her husband’s arch political rival. Even in 1980, she was obsessed in proving that she would fight tooth and nail to stay on top. She even videotaped Nixon having dinner at her suite at the Waldorf.