Ferdinand Marcos

Leadership is the other side of the coin of loneliness, and he who is a leader must always act alone. And acting alone, accept everything alone.

I don't believe in courtship. It's a waste of time. If I love the person, I'll tell her right away. But for you, I'll make an exception. Just love me now, and I'll court you forever.

No matter how strong and dedicated a leader may be, he must find root and strength amongst the people. He alone cannot save a nation. He may guide, he may set the tone, he may dedicate himself and risk his life, but only the people may save themselves.

I have committed many sins in my life. But stealing money from the government, from the people, is not one of them.

History should not be left to the historians. Rather, be like Churchill. Make history, and then write it.

Some people say the president is incapable of enforcing the law. Let them say that once more and I will set the tanks on them.

We cannot and we will not negotiate with terrorists. We have nothing but contempt for them. To conciliate differences with these people without them changing their objectives is to condemn our Republic to ultimate strangulation and death.

Elect me as your congressman today, I promise you an Ilocano president in 20 years.

It is easier to run a revolution than a government.

History isn't through with me yet.

I claim the right not to incriminate myself.

The permissiveness of society must be balanced with authoritativeness.

I would be called stupid, naïve and obstinate. History and our people would hold me accountable not only perhaps for lack of wisdom, but for lack of courage if I followed such advice.

My countrymen, as of the twenty-third of this month, I signed Proclamation #1081 placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law.

When authoritarianism is no longer necessary to protect the welfare of the people, I will be the first to move for its dismantling.

I say, we have just begun.

You are repetitious and stupid.

My spirit will rise from the grave and the world shall know that I was right.

The Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity, and his courage. We have come upon a phase of our history when ideals are only a veneer for greed and power, (in public and private affairs) when devotion to duty and dedication to a public trust are to be weighted at all times against private advantages and personal gain, and when loyalties can be traded…Our government is in the iron grip of venality, its treasury is barren, its resources are wasted, its civil service is slothful and indifferent, its armed forces demoralized and its councils sterile. We are in crisis. You know that the government treasury is empty. Only by severe self-denial will there be hope for recovery within the next year…This nation can be great again.

The nation has a right to protect itself from the man who profits by his presence when he lacks the meaning of his responsibility.