Award-winning actress Dexter Doria on Tuesday, January 18, refuted the claims of Marcos apologists that Martial Law was the “Golden Era” of the Philippines.
On her YouTube vlog, GOLDEN ERA ANG MARTIAL LAW??!! ANG KATOTOHANAN, IBINUNYAG! she enumerated the misinformation regarding the Marcos regime, including the assertion that life was better when Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was the Philippine President.
Doria explained that Martial Law was executed for 14 years.
She admitted that there may have been developments during that time but it was not enough.
The initial debt by the Philippines in 1962 was at $363 million but ballooned to $28.3 billion after Marcos was ousted.
“Yung kinakaltas na tax sa atin ngayon ay pinambabayad lang sa utang na ‘yan. Kahit pa mga anak nang anak niyo, magbabayad sa mga utang na ‘yan!” the actress stressed.
There was also a belief that electricity was free during Martial Law.
“Libreng kuryente ba kamo? Hindi totoo iyon,” debunked Doria.
According to her, the infamous Bataan Nuclear Power Plant which would have provided electricity to the country never materialized due to miscalculations with its construction.
The actress also added that it may cause another Chernobyl incident if it got opened.
“Yung sinasabing Bataan Nuclear Power Plant na nagkakahalaga ng $2.3 billion ay hindi man lang nabuksan. Dahil mali ang pagpaplano at mapanganib sa kalusugan. Remember Chernobyl?”
Furthermore, Doria revealed that during Martial Law, crony capitalism and corruption were rampant.
“Talamak ang graft and corruption. Naitalaga si Marcos na nagnakaw ng $10 billion. D’yan napunta ang tax namin na babayaran ng tax niyo.
“Noon nauso ang crony capitalism, ang pagbibigay ng malalaking proyekto sa mga kaibigan na walang bidding bidding. Kaya tiba-tiba ang buong dabarkads. Everybody happy except the taxpayers.”
Also, there was no truth behind the claim that the economy was flourishing during Marcos’ term.
“Ang totoo? Yung inflation noong 1984 ay umabot ng 50% at pahirapan pa ang mga bilihin,” Doria revealed.
The actress still respects those who defend the Marcoses but hopes they get enlightened by the tyranny during the Marcos Regime.
“Nasa sainyo na kung gusto niyong magpaloko pa rin. Pero sana, mamulat na tayong lahat,” she ended.
Her knowledge about Martial Law is from her own experience. She was then a UP student when it happened. She witnessed all the things written in history books.
“At ang masasabi ko, totoo lahat ng napanood niyo dito. At handa akong pumunta sa kahit anong lugar sa buong Pilipinas, o sa buong mundo, at patotohanan ko because I was there,” said the actress during the presscon for the musical film Katips back in November 2021.
Doria also partook in the famous EDSA Revolution that removed Marcos from his seat of power.
