STS THY- in10se

Imelda Marcos: The Woman Behind

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Every Filipino knows her. She's not just the typical first lady the country had. She did things beyond the people's expectations. She was not just Mrs. Marcos. She was once the "Mother of the Philippines".

In the documentary "Imelda", Imelda's life story was revealed to the public. From her childhood years to shining puberty years up to the time where she became Former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos' wife, her experiences were told by the people who had been part of her life. These experiences and struggles she encountered in her life made her the woman we know today.

As a first lady, Imelda did a lot of projects that focused on cultural enrichment of the Philippines. One of these was the building of Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) that however became very controversial during its construction for many workers died and were buried there when the building collapsed. Also, cultural dances were highlighted and nationalistic attitude was encouraged. Healthcare was also an important factor for her. Concrete evidences of this advocacy were the establishment of Lung Center of the Philippines and the improvement of the reproductive health by especially in the barrios.

Despite the fact she indeed work for the country, Imelda is well-known for her extravagance and lavish lifestyle. She was once a fashion icon. During the reign of her husband, she owned a thousand pair of shoes, expensive wardrobe, and luxurious jewels. Items were believed purchased using the public’s money or from corruption. From this, the word “Imeldiffic” emerged that has a negative connotation associated to “vanity” and “lavishness”.

She seemed to be the woman that had it all and grabbed it all while her husband was in power. But no matter how negative her general image is, we can’t deny that she had done a lot for this country and proved to the masses that she can make a difference for the nation to progress.