Module 2: James Ramos

Module II: The Common Good and “Imelda”
The movie, “Imelda” was considered to me as one of the most entertaining and yet, most awkward documentaries I have ever watched regarding the former Philippine first wife. For her to explain and opinionate her husband’s role and actions as president during the 70’s to mid 80’s are even more amusing to witness as she puts into her own words about their reasons behind their supposedly contributions to the common good of the Filipino people. Although Imelda may have helped the Filipino people become well recognized around the world, it was both tragic and relieving to see the reaction of the people’s revolt end their long term reign during the video. As a result, I will discuss my opinions about Imelda’s actions during her husband’s presidential reign in the past, her philosophy of beauty, and explain from my perspective upon whether or not the common good of the people were really fulfilled during the time of the Marcos administration.
In my opinion, I thought some of Imelda’s accomplishments, such as influencing the Philippine people in her support of her husband’s campaign’s, discussing foreign policies with other nations, and attaining international recognition for the Philippines have been extraordinary. What makes it more astonishingly unique is that she was the first wife of the president who took care many of these events and international affairs. That was one I admired about her the most because I would think such responsibilities for a women would be very difficult especially dealing with many cultures that are mainly male dominated.
On the other hand, I felt that many of her actions also resulted with a negative impact on the Filipino people, mainly in its economy. Not to say that Imelda should take all the responsibility of what occurred, but their handling of the money borrowed from the international bank and world wide bank were obviously used illegally. From my understanding, when countries borrow money from the WWB, its purpose is to provide financial aide to a country in need of development and in strengthening its industries economy. However, from witnessing the video it showed that much of the money were being misused with lavish and glamorous parties, buildings which were not needed at the time, and other miscellaneous things which could have been used in another way to provide aide to the Filipino people. Seeing president Marcus and her wife spend the money mainly for themselves and their so called “cronies” was also shameful because the people who would be most affected with the loans borrowed would be no other then the Filipino citizens of the country.
Just thinking that the money was mainly for the common good of the people bothers me because seeing the reactions of the Filipinos during the peoples revolt showed that they have been suffering for a long time and that the Marcus administration weren’t really doing their job. As a result, they reacted with such feelings that to me were extremely difficult to describe. Watching the video made me empathize over their courage to get back what they owned, which is their right to live an equally comfortable life and to remove someone, President Marcus, from hindering their ability to.
I believe to some degree the common good for a society is imperative, especially in the case of the Philippine people. For a country that has been colonized numerous times, it just hurts to think of its own people treating its own people unfairly too. Furthermore, by having power as president and dictating citizens of that country was outright unethical because the consequences showed an oppressed society.
Although I may be for the common good, I’m still unaware and uneducated of the entire truth about the Philippine society. I feel that I’m not obligated to judge upon them because I haven’t lived in the Philippines before and haven’t grasps the reality that they live in today. I feel that it is important to have equal rights to many things such as education, health service, financial welfare, but it is difficult to sustain this equality among everyone if money and the mindset of many people differentiate. Look at the United States for example, we still struggle to sustain these services and yet we are one of the most developed countries in the world.
As for Imelda’s philosophy based on beauty, I found it abruptly ridiculous with her drawings. I mean beauty is important but I think she mainly reflected that more upon herself rather than the people of the Philippines. I found her ways of influencing people very manipulative and silly too. However, it did work for some time and I can’t say that people to this day don’t’ believe in her philosophy. It’s just that I find it amazing about how her influence has spread through out the world with her collection of 3000 somewhat shoes to her “it’s all about Imelda” catholic church back into her home town. In addition, I even find it very creepy that they still have President Marcus’s body unburied and covered in a glass covered case for people to see as if they were in a museum.
All in all, I think the documentary about Imelda shows the power she has over the Filipino people still exist in people, particularly Manila, and that during her husbands reign in the Philippines was an experience witnessed by everyone around the world, especially for the Filipino people who had to live with his dictatorship. I just hope that the people of the Philippines learn from their history and decide not to have another president like him.