02/07/2022
Love thy Mother: The manifestations of the Edifice Complex
by Dan Laurenz Sipalay
The infamous philosopher Sun Tzu once said, “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” Such strategy relies on deception and fraudulence in the grand scheme of things— a trait that is shared by the Edifice complex. Think of it as overcompensation: using your strengths in order to hide your weaknesses. Only this time, the strength of a country ruled by kleptocrats is a mere facade.
Associated with former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, the term ‘edifice complex’ was independently coined in the 1970s by Benjamin H. Cervantes in order to criticize the construction of the controversial Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). The project was planned and executed against the backdrop of the 1969 Presidential Elections,in which Ferdinand Marcos Sr. would win later on.
You see, Mr. and Mrs. Marcos went on with the narrative that the myriad of infrastructure projects signify change and progress. It’s like holding up a sign that says, “This is where your taxes go”, but in reality, it’s all just for show.
One big illusion
Philippine Heart Center, San Juanico Bridge, Bataan Nuclear Power Plant—these are just some of the mega infrastructure projects that the ‘power couple’ completed when they were at the height of their power. Funded by foreign loans with payment deadlines that extend far beyond the President’s term, these construction projects were used as effective political and election propaganda.
It works much like a smokescreen – once you blow off the smoke, you will see that there is nothing left. Such extravagance cannot hide the fact that millions of Filipinos have been robbed by a single-family. Imelda Marcos, the so-called ‘Iron Butterfly’ due to her over-the-top taste in dresses, has been labeled as out of touch with the Filipino poor.
In one instance, Mrs. Marcos commissioned and supervised the construction of the Coconut Palace in order to serve as a papal abode for Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Philippines in 1978. However, the Pope refused to stay at such an extravagant accommodation given the level of poverty in the Philippines.
In a show of power and wealth, Imelda even leveled a mountain in order to make room for an elevated mansion. Construction of the so-called Palace in the Sky began in 1981 and was hastened when United States President Ronald Reagan announced his intention to visit the Philippines in November of 1983. Then, he canceled his trip to the country, and work on the palace immediately stopped. With the scaffolding completely intact, the place was opened for public viewing, with critics referring to the unfinished mansion as a symbol and a proof of the extravagance displayed by the Marcos regime.
To be Imeldific
Going on a shopping spree is reserved for the middle class. Going on a shopping spree in New York City is an activity for the elite. Going for a shopping spree in New York City using public funds is quite Imeldific—yes, this is a term that describes the behavior of Imelda Marcos then and now. Using fake overseas bank accounts, the Marcos family utilized public funds in order to finance their needs and wants.
In fact, the issue that is often associated with Mrs. Marcos is her extravagant collection of 3,000 designer shoes. In addition to this, the Marcos estate is full of original paintings and sculptures, with the majority of them being seized by the Presidential Commission on Good Governance (PCGG).
Speaking of style, the Brutalist style of architecture is closely associated with the mega infrastructure projects of the Marcos regime. Most buildings constructed in that era were considered primary examples of this distinct style, wherein the interesting part is that nobody knows the reason why this style of architecture was chosen by Mrs. Marcos. There are speculations that Brutalist architecture was chosen in order to emphasize and represent the grandiose characteristics of the regime. As Brutalist architecture is known for its high design for a low building cost, others think that they did it in order to embezzle more money,
The second coming
The ironic thing is that the evidence of the excess spending during the regime of the father would pave the way for the son. Described as achievements and accomplishments of the so-called golden years, the Marcos family succeeded in changing the narrative and portrayed themselves as the oppressed rather than the oppressors.
The sad thing is, many of the voters perceived the myriad of mega infrastructure projects as the reason why they voted for Ferdinand Marcos Jr., popularly known as BongBong Marcos or BBM, in the first place. Often citing the social media sites such as TikTok and Facebook as their primary sources of information, these Marcos loyalists cheered for the second coming of the Marcos family.
So what can we expect now that the Marcoses are back in power? Nothing. The fact that BBM does not view the actions of his parents as sinful and wrong tells you all that you need to know. If something is not broken, then why fix it? If something is not wrong, then why change it? What we can expect, however, is that Junior will execute the same tricks proven and tested by his parents. He may even create his own smokescreen, wherein once you blow off the smoke, you will find that everything is gone.
“Perception is real, (and the) truth is not. I’m not fighting for money and possessions. I’m fighting for something more precious. I pray that as we enter the cyber age–the Age of Transparency–the facts and the truth will (come) out.” — Imelda Romualdez-Marcos
