Handing Down Power As Political Dynasty

Written in response to: Start your story with a character or a narrator saying, “Don’t you remember?”... view prompt

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Contemporary Creative Nonfiction Speculative

I want to introduce myself as the narrator of the past political event that happened in the Philippines electing two highest leaders the President and Vice President. Marta Sarmiento is my name who was born in that South East Asian country living there for forty five years. For that forty five years I witnessed the People Power Revolution that led to the Downfall of President Ferdinand Marcos and his family who were uprooted from Malacanang Palace to Hawaii in 1986. Don't you remember Imelda Marcos the First Lady and her famous shoes thousands of them displayed inside the palace and the family were branded as robbers for many allegations plundering the economic resources with their cronies. Ferdinand Marcos was not buried right away when he died but interred privately in his province Ilocos Norte in Northern Philippines. His family were back home again and continued their political careers his children Imee Marcos and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Even Imelda Marcos was back in politics considering the Ilocos region as their political stronghold. The family have fought many lawsuits but didn't received any conviction at all locally and internationally about their hidden wealth even the famous Marcos Gold During the time President Marcos declared Martial Law and most people heard about the New People's Army one reason why he declared many joined and went to camp in the mountains formed their brigades and the underground collection of money with the political propaganda that a new government will be set up to alleviate the people's suffering of poverty and lawlessness from the military abuses. Many people died when clashes of the military and NPA occurred during operations to curb their activities of collecting money from big businesses recruitment of students to join the movement as they disappeared without the parent's consent. It has been said there is already two governments operating in the Philippines and there can be no outside intervention to meddle with the problem. The leaders of the NPA collecting money were living abroad. The aftermath of Martial Law lifted by the election of a new president didn't stopped the activities of the NPA instead people has to support the underground movement by paying illegal regular amount to them. There are also many casualties during elections when the NPA fielded their own candidates and the legitimate candidates were ambushed then these illegal political figures governed certain villages and towns in the country until they have been elected to the ranks of the lawmaking body in the House of Representatives and the Senate as well. This is the political scenario when the past president Rodrigo Duterte entered Malacanang Palace and set the the nation to face many political struggles against drug addiction, the NPA as a government adversary. the Abu Sayyaf a terrorist group in Mindanao and Corruption. Using the Armed Forces as his political tool to eradicate drug money collection, NPA money collection he was able to unify political adversaries aside from setting an example there must be no corruption among government employees . People gave him the highest hope to clean-up the government and get back the people's confidence of his good governance. Many members of the New People's Army laid down their arms to lead a normal life. He ordered the burial of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sent out of prison. The only political figure that was put to jail by the Duterte Administration was former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima the alleged drug queen. He fulfilled his campaign promise that because of his age he will no longer run for the same position but will now retire. During the filing of candidacies last November the handing down of political power to past presidents Ferdinand Marcos and President Rodrigo Duterte Ferdinand Marcos Jr, son of a past president, and Sarah Duterte daughter of another past president ran for the highest position for President and Vice President. Now it is a political family dynasty. With landslide votes both gathered the highest votes in the history of electing government officials. in the Philippines. There is so much and highest expectations to be accomplish by the incoming administration vindicating the Marcos family named as robbers where people will wait and see what happens if they will share their wealth to the Filipino people declared in the Marcos Foundation to be the first and formost beneficiary. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. candidacy met many obstacles as he ran as a candidate because of the ,any lawsuits but were ironed out by the Supreme Court. He was voted as a former senator. He ran for vice=president in the past election filing a protest against his rival Leni Robredo for election fraud of miscounted votes. There was no decision made to the protest until this May 2022 election as they face each other for the position of President of the Philippines. His son won a congressional seat in the Ilocos region. His son just announced the conditon of his father infected with Covid 19 for the second time. The new president took oath of office last June 30 2022 at the National Museum in the open air witnessed by thousands of Filipinos with bright hopes for a change economically and socially where women are now famous being OFW's (Overseas Filipino Workers) declared as modern heroes leaving their families to work abroad and leave their families contributing a big chunk to the Philippine economy with their regular dollar remittances. There is a question if the new government will continue or discontinue to develop the program for the sake of Filipinos to break or not to break the family due to long separation. The impending problem of the newly elected Vice President Sarah Duterte is to overhaul the Department of Education being appointed as the Secretary of Education infiltrated by the New People's Army (NPA) where students were recruited to the ideals of the movement. Only in the term of President Rodrigo Duterte as president when parents had the freedom to express to cry out to the government where their children are still living or not having disappeared at their school campuses from universities and colleges . Student leaders and school instructors who finally joined the government promised by President Rodrigo Duterte that they will be protected and given all the privileges like ordinary citizens of the Philippines. These were broadcast in the local media about the process of recruitment and some are even teaching in the remote areas of Philippine villages of the communist movement of the New People's Army. Will the newly elected president and vice president who seemed to have united all political fronts when all political parties signaled by their presence at their oath taking ceremonies to work for a better and progressive Philippines?

July 24, 2022 11:01

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