Marcos loyalism

Marcos loyalism refers to the supporters of Ferdinand Marcos, 10th president of the Philippines and supporters of Bongbong Marcos, 17th president of the Philippines. Members of his political base were often referred to as "Marcos Loyalists" (Filipino: Loyalista ni Marcos).

Ideology

The ideology of Marcos loyalists centered on constitutional authoritarianism, a cult of personality and the narrative of romanticized belief that the martial law era as a "golden age".

Symbols

V Sign

The V sign or victory symbol was associated with the Marcos family when Ferdinand Marcos Sr. used the gesture during his four presidential campaigns. His son and namesake, President Bongbong Marcos, his electoral alliance, and his supporters used the "V sign" gesture as the official identity of their political campaign during the 2022 presidential elections. In the pro-Marcos camp, the "V sign" (made by raising the index and middle fingers to form a V) stands for victory and peace.

Color Red

The color red became prominent in the Marcos political machinery during the late 1970s through the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. For the loyalist camp, red signifies strength, unyielding political continuity, nationalism tied to the strongman era, and a direct counter-symbol to the anti-Marcos opposition's yellow. Loyalists also clarified that their usage of color red is not the same as Leftist, Communists usage of the color, in which they called "hijacking of the terrorists".

Allied parties and organizations

Political parties

Political organizations

  • Kabataang Barangay (currently Sangguniang Kabataan)
  • Marcos Loyalist Movement
  • One Nation Movement
  • Kilusang Pilipinismo (founded by Nilo Tayag, a former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines)
  • United Vloggers and Influencers of the Philippines (A group of internet vloggers formed in 2022 to support Marcos Jr.'s presidency)
  • Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (a multi-sectoral and civic alliance in the Philippines that actively voices support for the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., particularly regarding national sovereignty and anti-disinformation campaigns.)
  • Reform the Armed Forces Movement (a once Anti Marcos military cabal who later pledged loyalty to Marcos Sr., and staged several unsuccessful coups against then-president Corazon Aquino)

List of Marcos loyalists

Legacy

Following the 1986 People Power Revolution and the end of the dictatorship, the Marcos family returned from exile in the 1990s and gradually re-established their political influence in the Philippines. Over the following decades, family members and political allies engaged in efforts to rehabilitate the regime's historical narrative, frequently presenting the martial law period as a "golden age" of infrastructure development and law and order.

The concept of Marcos loyalism saw a major revival with the election of Bongbong Marcos as president in 2022. Some media have described this resurgence as a "Marcosian restoration".

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Mid-week: Volume 1, Issues 14-26. Lagda Pub. Incorporated. 1986. p. 12.
  2. ↑ Vincent Bevins (May 19, 2020). The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program That Shaped Our World. PublicAffairs. The right-wing Marcos, reelected under slightly suspicious circumstances in 1968, and his wife, Imelda, were close friends of California Governor Ronald Reagan, who attended the gala opening of Imelda's lavish, multimillion-dollar Cultural Center.
  3. ↑ Gokay, Bulent; Aybak, Tunc (2023). "2023 Elections in Turkey within Global Context: Right Wing Populism in the Era of Global Shift". Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies. doi:10.1080/19448953.2023.2258003. Retrieved 9 August 2026. Developments such as razor fences covering Eastern Europe's borders against North African and Middle Eastern migrants, Narendra Modi using religious nationalism to mobilize a large segment of the country's Hindu majority in India, right-wing populist mavericks like Duterte and Bongbong' Marcos in the Philippines, and Orbán's right-wing authoritarian populist regime in Hungary are among the many morbid symptoms of our times. So is Trump's still powerful isolationism ('America first'), which is supported by Christian evangelicals both at home and abroad.
  4. ↑ Guerrero Galam, Roderick (9 March 2022). "[OPINION] A genuine Ilokano's reflections on Marcos loyalism". Rappler. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  5. ↑ Talamayan, Fernan; Candelaria, John Lee (2024). "Populist desires, nostalgic narratives: the Marcos golden age myth and manipulation of collective memories on YouTube". Asian Journal of Political Science. 33 (1): 55–73. doi:10.1080/02185377.2024.2416116. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Cruz, Tonyo (25 April 2026). "Leni's choice". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Pangalangan, Raphael A. (21 September 2023). "DepEd: 'Diktadurang _____'?". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 6 August 2026.