ABSTRACT
A large part of the electoral campaign of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022 banked on authoritarian nostalgia: the notion that the Philippines experienced its economic and societal “golden age” during the dictatorship of his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., from 1972 to 1986. This chapter examines the early programs and policies of the Marcos Jr. presidency (2022–2024) and finds that many are copycats of the old programs and policies of Marcos Sr., or modified to suit modern times. Examples include the Kadiwa rolling stores, Masagana 99, agrarian emancipation, and the golden age of infrastructure. The chapter explores the necessity of adopting these policies and how they fit in the government's overall plan for economic development. Finally, the chapter looks at the implications regarding the “golden age” narratives surrounding the Marcoses.
