Watch it this June 28, 2010 (Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Taipei at 0900) and (Bangkok and Jakarta at 0800)
She's the flamboyant former first lady of the Philippines and she's back in the political spotlight. This week, Talk Asia travels to the Marcos homeland in the country’s north. CNN’s Arwa Damon talks to new congress member, Imelda Marcos to find out her views on an Aquino again becoming Philippine President, on the family’s financial fortune.
The Marcos fled the country 24 years ago after President Ferdinand Marcos was brought down by the “People Power” revolution following the assassination of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. His son, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino will be inaugurated as President of the Philippines on June 30th. The former first lady congratulates the President-elect: “I pray that he succeeds. For the sake of the Filipino people, I really pray that he succeeds. Because you need somebody in the office of the President with a lot of public experience in service. I even more hope, and pray, that he succeeds in eradicating corruption. Because if that is so, then the truth and the Marcos’ truth will prevail.”
The widow of the former President continues the Marcos’ legacy and recently won a seat in the country’s congress at the age of 80. The new congresswoman talks about her plan of action when she takes office: “My dream and vision, even before I even ran for office, is if we can recycle all the waste and garbage man has produced, we can make a beautiful world...” She also talks about finding inspiration from her late husband: “Every time I make a decision, I would always ask myself ‘If Ferdinand were here, what would he say? And if Ferdinand were here, if I were going somewhere else, would he let me go or not? What would be his advice? Now he is more with me, than ever before.”
Often remembered for their outwardly extravagant lifestyle, the former first lady continues to deny accusations of corruption and attributes the family's fortune to her husband’s investment belief. “He always believed in gold…He said diamond is no good, because when you put in fire it is carbon. Gold is better. The more you put in fire, the purer it is, and the more beautiful and more expensive it is.”
Having gone from First Lady to the humiliation of exile and corruption charges, Imelda Marcos believes that she has a dual role as the country’s former first lady: “My role was to be a star and a slave. I had to be a star to light the dark of the night, to set the standard. And at the same time, be a slave. Enslave myself. You as a first lady, you are to light the dark of the night. You set the standard. So as First Lady, I had a double role. So I was misunderstood.”
Marcos’ interview with TALK ASIA will be available online at www.cnn.com/talkasia after the first airing.
For more information, please visit www.CNNPressroomAsia.com.
