

Talumpati: Ferdinand Marcos

Before September 11 was hijacked and became 9/11, the day was better known to Filipinos as the birthday of Ferdinand Marcos, former President of the Philippines.

There is a lot that has already been written about Marcos—and there's probably a lot more that will never be written—but this post will focus only on his inaugural address on 30 December 1965.

He talked about "a young patriot... [who] fell from a tyrant’s bullet and out of the martyr’s blood that flowed copiously there sprang a new nation." He was, of course, referring to Jose Rizal and the birth of the first Philippine republic, but he may as well have been predicting the death of Ninoy Aquino and the end of his dictatorship, too.

The excerpt below is taken from the Marcos Presidential Center. The translation is mine.

To Be Great Again
Ferdinand Marcos
Sixty-nine years ago today, a young patriot and prophet of our race fell upon his beloved soil. He fell from a tyrant’s bullet and out of the martyr’s blood that flowed copiously there sprang a new nation.

That nation became the first modern republic in Asia and Africa. It is our nation. We are proud to point to our country as one stable in an area of stability; where ballots, not bullets, decide the fate and parties.
Thus Kawit and Malolos are celebrated in our history as acts of national greatness. Why national greatness? Because, armed with nothing but raw courage and passionate intelligence and patriotism, our predecessors built the noble edifice of the First Asian Republic.

Today the challenge is less dramatic but no less urgent. We must repeat the feat of our forebears in a more commonplace sphere, away from the bloody turmoil of heroic adventure – by hastening our social and economic transformation. For today, the Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity and his courage.

This nation can be great again. This I have said over and over. This is my article of faith, and Divine Providence has willed that you and I can now translate this faith into deeds. I have repeatedly told you: each generation writes its own history. Our forbears have written theirs. With fortitude and excellence we must write ours.

This is your dream and mine. By your choice you have committed yourselves to it. Come then, let us march together towards the dream of greatness.

Muling Maging Dakila
Ferdinand Marcos
Sa araw na ito, animnapu't siyam na taon na ang nakalipas, namatay ang isang batang bayani at propeta ng ating lipi sa kanyang minamahal na lupain. Isang bala ng diktador ang pumaslang sa kanya, at mula sa pagdaloy ng dugo ng martir ay tumubo ang isang bagong bansa.

Ang bansang iyon ang naging unang makabagong republika sa Asya at Africa. Ito ang ating bansa. Ipinagmamalaki nating matatag ang ating bayan sa isang rehiyong matatag; kung saan balota, at hindi bala, ang humuhusga sa kapalaran at mga partido.

Kung kaya pinararangalan natin sa ating kasaysayan ang Kawit at Malolos bilang mga halimbawa ng pambansang kadakilaan. Bakit pambansang kadakilaan? Sapagkat itinayo ng ating mga ninuno ang matibay na haligi ng unang republika sa Asya na taglay lamang ang tapang, talino at kabayanihan.

Ngayon, ang hamon ay hindi na gaanong mapapansin, ngunit ito'y mahalaga pa rin. Kailangang ulitin natin ang mga ginawa ng ating mga ninuno sa isang mas karaniwang panahon, malayo sa madugo at dakilang pakikipagsapalaran – sa pamamagitan ng pagpapabilis ng pagbabago ng ating lipunan at kalakalan. Sapagkat ngayon, tila nalimutan na ng Pilipino ang kanyang diwa, dangal at tapang.

Maari pang muling maging dakila ang bayang ito. Paulit-ulit kong binabanggit ito. Ito ang aking pinaniniwalaan, at ninanais ng Poong Maykapal na tayo'y magtulungan upang isakatuparan ang ating panalangin. Maraming beses ko nang sinabi ito: sinusulat ng bawat salinlahi ang sariling kasaysayan. Naisulat na ng ating mga ninuno ang kanila. Tangan ang lakas ng loob at kahusayan, kailangang isulat natin ang atin.

Pangarap natin ito. Sa pagpili sa akin, inaako niyo ito. Samahan niyo ako sa pagkamit ng pangarap ng kadakilaan.

Category: Talumpati

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