* 1st National Election under martial Law

*Interim Batasang Pambansa

>June 12, 1978 – 80th anniversary of the Philippine independence from Spain, the Interim Batasang Pambansa (Provisional National Assembly) held its inaugural session at the newwly-constructed building on Constition Hall, Diliman, Quezon City.

>All the assemblymen were present except those from Region XII, where no winning candidates had yet been proclaimed. The oldest member was 82-year old Pablo Floro of Metro Manila, and the youngest was the 19-year old Rogelio C. Payuan of Cavite City, a youth sectoral representative. In addition to the 165 elected members, the body had 35 members appointed by the President and 14 sectoral representative.

>However, Marcos as President and prime minister with indefinite tenure dominated the body. Hecould still legistate by decree, veto measures adopted by the parliament, or dissolve it altogether. In turn, the body could not remove the President-prime minister, ratify treaties, or repeat or change any decree of the President.

> Nonetheless, in his long (1 1/2 -hour) inaugural address, President-Prime Minister Marcos hailed the body as a step towards parliamentary democracy in the Philippines. He reviewd the achievements of his administration under martial law and outlined a program for government in the futur. Then he announced new nation; moto for the country, “Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa” (One Nation, One Spirit).

>July 31, 1978 – the members of the IBP elected former Chief Justice Querube C. Makalintal as Speaker

*1st Local Elections under Martial Law

>January 30, 1980 – first local elections were held under martial law. On that daw, Filipino voters cast secret ballots for their local official – 73 provincial governors, 446 members of the sangguniang panlalawigan (provincial boards), 59 city mayors, 59 city vice-mayors, 437 members of the sangguniang panglungsod (city councils), 1,501 municipal mayors, 1,506 municipal vice-mayors, and 11,904 members of the sangguniang bayan (municipal councils).

> The election resulted in another landslide victory for the KBL or government party. Oinly a few opposition candidates for local positions won at the polls. These candidates belonged to the Laban, Nacionalista Party, Pusyon Bisaya and National Union for Liberation, or were independent candidates.

*End of Martial Law

>January 17, 1981 – President Marcos signed Proclamation No. 2045, ending eight years and four months of martial law in the Philippines.

>Certain conditions were attached to this proclamation, such as the continued prominence of the armed forces in suppressing “lawless crimes, insurrection, rebellion or subversion,” and the continued suspensions of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus in the two autonomous regions (Region IX of Western Mindanao and Region XII of Central Mindanao).

>Furthermore, limitations on criticism of the administration were continued by means of the Presidential Commitment Order (PCO) and arrest and seizure without warrant orders (ASSO), whereby the police or military could arrest anf detain a person, or seize the property of a detainee, when the latter engaged in anti-government activities.

>Thus, the lifting of martial law was dubbed by the oppositions as a mere “facelifting” amd mot a real return of democracy.

*Foundation of New Society

*Foreign Relations under Martial Law

*Facade of Democracy

*Losses from WWII

> Of the Asian countries, the Philippines was the most devatated by the Japanese and, incidentally, by the Americans during the 2nd World War.

> In the words of former American Ambassador Paul V. McNutt: “The Philippines waswithout question the most completely destroyed and dislocated battleground war.”

>Total war losses of the Philippines $8,079,624,000 or Php 16,159,243,000. This included the monetary value of 1,111,938 human lives lost, appraising each human life as worth $2,000

I. Physical damages (private and public property lost).....$807,411,000

II. Loss of human lives (1,111,938 lives lost at $2,000 per human life).....$1,667,892,000

III. Goods and services commandered by Japanese forces.....$5,514,321,000

TOTAL WAR LOSSES.....$8,079,624,000

*Roxas Administration