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Reinventing Marcos: From Dictator to Hero
Marcos died a dictator. But today, on social media, Marcos is a hero.
President Ferdinand E. Marcos held power for 21-years and lost power in four days. What happened and why is recounted in this memoir by Keith Dalton, a former foreign correspondent in the Philippines for ten years. He writes of a ruthless and repressive dictatorship - responsible for 100,000 deaths, imprisonments, torture, and 'disappearances'. Through despotism,
nepotism, and corruption, Marcos built an empire of greed until he was overthrown in a People Power revolution in 1986.
Thirty-six years later, in 2022, his son, Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. was elected president buoyed by a social media disinformation campaign that claimed his father was the Philippines best-ever president who presided over a 'golden age'. Dalton remembers an autocrat and a 'bloody age'.
Before he reached the Philippines, Dalton travelled alone for two years through Southeast Asia, a typewriter in his backpack. In Manila, he found Marcos at the peak of his power. He stayed. Ten years later Marcos was overthrown, and Dalton watched it happen.
President Ferdinand E. Marcos held power for 21-years and lost power in four days. What happened and why is recounted in this memoir by Keith Dalton, a former foreign correspondent in the Philippines for ten years. He writes of a ruthless and repressive dictatorship - responsible for 100,000 deaths, imprisonments, torture, and 'disappearances'. Through despotism,
nepotism, and corruption, Marcos built an empire of greed until he was overthrown in a People Power revolution in 1986.
Thirty-six years later, in 2022, his son, Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. was elected president buoyed by a social media disinformation campaign that claimed his father was the Philippines best-ever president who presided over a 'golden age'. Dalton remembers an autocrat and a 'bloody age'.
Before he reached the Philippines, Dalton travelled alone for two years through Southeast Asia, a typewriter in his backpack. In Manila, he found Marcos at the peak of his power. He stayed. Ten years later Marcos was overthrown, and Dalton watched it happen.
352 pages, Paperback
Published May 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 20, 2024
Keith Dalton’s Reinventing Marcos: From Dictator to Hero is a compelling and timely critique of historical revisionism, examining how Ferdinand E. Marcos’s authoritarian regime has been sanitized in the digital era to manufacture a legacy of heroism. Dalton, a seasoned foreign correspondent, draws on his personal experiences in the Philippines during Marcos’s dictatorship to counter the growing narrative of a "golden age" under the former president.
The book meticulously traces the arc of Marcos’s rule, marked by human rights abuses, systemic corruption, and economic decay, juxtaposed against the People Power Revolution that toppled his regime. Dalton’s firsthand accounts, including moments of brutality and resilience, ground his critique in lived experience, offering a visceral counterpoint to the fabricated glorifications proliferating on social media. The narrative extends to the present day, where Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., buoyed by a disinformation campaign, has risen to the presidency, perpetuating his father's controversial legacy.
Dalton’s prose is both incisive and evocative, blending historical analysis with poignant personal anecdotes. He exposes the mechanics of social media manipulation, where lies are crafted, amplified, and accepted as truths, effectively rewriting history. The book is not only an exposé of the Marcos regime but also a broader commentary on the global trend of truth distortion in the digital age.
Reinventing Marcos is a passionate call to action for truth-telling and historical integrity. Dalton’s work is essential reading for those grappling with the challenges of combating disinformation and preserving the integrity of historical memory. It stands as both a memoir and a warning, urging vigilance against the seductive allure of revisionist narratives.
The book meticulously traces the arc of Marcos’s rule, marked by human rights abuses, systemic corruption, and economic decay, juxtaposed against the People Power Revolution that toppled his regime. Dalton’s firsthand accounts, including moments of brutality and resilience, ground his critique in lived experience, offering a visceral counterpoint to the fabricated glorifications proliferating on social media. The narrative extends to the present day, where Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., buoyed by a disinformation campaign, has risen to the presidency, perpetuating his father's controversial legacy.
Dalton’s prose is both incisive and evocative, blending historical analysis with poignant personal anecdotes. He exposes the mechanics of social media manipulation, where lies are crafted, amplified, and accepted as truths, effectively rewriting history. The book is not only an exposé of the Marcos regime but also a broader commentary on the global trend of truth distortion in the digital age.
Reinventing Marcos is a passionate call to action for truth-telling and historical integrity. Dalton’s work is essential reading for those grappling with the challenges of combating disinformation and preserving the integrity of historical memory. It stands as both a memoir and a warning, urging vigilance against the seductive allure of revisionist narratives.
September 13, 2025
A great read set during his time as a stringer for several news agencies as martial law was at its peak. Arriving in the mid-70’s with barely any preparation for what was to come, these were reminiscence of daily life during that time set against the backdrop of smokes and mirrors by the powers that be - all while delivering the news. As he nears the twilight of his years, he has also used the book to absolve himself of guilt from not reporting certain stories that might have had real impact. All in all, it a fast paced and absorbing read that’s well worth its price. Bought from Popular Bookstore in QC.
November 16, 2025
In urgent need of an editor who would have structured this story in a lot more compelling way.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews