To borrow the line of columnist Antonio Montalvan II: " While the nation reels in bread-and-butter issues where even the lowly onion has shot up to an astronomical P720 a kilo, the Marcoses have no qualms to display how extremely keen they are to lavish themselves with money that comes from our own pockets.
Not content with numerous mansions and palatial abodes across the country, the Marcoses have torn down the comfortable Bahay Pangarap (home to two former presidents— Benigno Simeon Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte)—and instead constructed four villas (one each for Ferdinand Marcos’ children) and the main villa for him and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
Being constructed quietly (away from the prying eyes of media in the secured Presidential Security Compound across the palace), it is expected that all four villas would be the official residences of the First Family—as if they are meant to be in power for life. And such constructions are being funded by taxpayers’ money from the budget of 2023, thanks to the graciousness of the rubber stamp Congress who gave the Office of the President a hefty (un-auditable) confidential and intelligence funds.
The flamboyance of the Marcoses first showed its ugly face with the refurbishment of the Palace kitchen—which as it is needed no fixing and refurbishment—by the First Lady, who is fast catching up with the extravagant ways of the matriarch—Imelda Romualdez Marcos.
Columnist Antonio Montalvan II reported on the “Secret Construction Rush for the Marcos abode” in the credible blog site, pressone.ph (whose writers count the most veteran, multi-awarded and credible journalists).
Wrote Montalvan:
“The presidential residence across the Pasig from the Palace had been torn down. In fact, news of its renovation back in November had been picked up scarcely by media, meaning there was no official Palace announcement. In its place, four inter-connected villas were constructed – one for the Marcos couple, and one each for their three children. Are they planning to live there forever and ever?
Those involved in the construction were expressly told not to take photos. But the Marcoses probably could not contain their glee at the prospect of living in a new posh dwelling. Workers took stolen shots, and one even had a selfie with the president.
As December came to a close, only the first house was about to be finished. This one has two bedrooms, one for the husband and another for the wife. But there was one deadline to make – the Marcoses wanted a New Year’s Eve party at their new Bahay Pangarap. So, the cavernous party salon was rushed, complete with new modern chandeliers. Landscaping for the new pocket gardens surrounding the villas had to be completed.
How much did this project eat into our pockets? There is no disclosure.
Bahay Pangarap was in no run-down condition to be renovated. In fact, the previous Bahay Pangarap (designed by Juan Arellano) was last renovated by architect Conrad Onglao in 2008 under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who had it administered under the Internal House Affairs Office under the Office of the President. Her aim was to use it as a venue to welcome state guests.
It was her mother Eva Macapagal who named it Bahay Pangarap in the 1960s as a rest house and integral part of the 19-hectare Malacañang Park across the Pasig.
The 2008 Bahay Pangarap was not even old in chronological age. The architecture in fact was contemporary modern. The two immediate past presidents had resided there: Benigno Aquino III (who was given the choice of the house by the Presidential Security Group because he had wanted to continue going home to the Aquino residence on Times St. in Quezon City), and Rodrigo Duterte (who lives in Davao).
Marcos had again tapped architect Onglao to build him a new Bahay Pangarap. Now, he, Liza, sons Sandro, Simon and Vincent can rest their heads easy in a plush villa of their own dreams even if the rest of the country wallow in poverty and joblessness.
The Marcos brand of governance is truly back: the extravagance of a nouveau-riche family with no conscience to squander peoples’ money for their own privileged elitism.
In a country where everyone can no longer afford onions, the ruling family freely throws away taxpayer’s money to serve their lust for opulence and parties. Something is very wrong there, and it becomes more wrong if we do not register our critical citizenship at such misgoverning.
But for the Marcoses then and now, there is an inherent callousness at coming to terms with a nation mired in a cost- of- living crisis. After the new catering building, the next project was also rushed but hushed – their official residence.