Myths of Gold and Glory in Philippine Politics

The “Marcos gold myth” is a revisionist narrative that recasts the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his family from documented kleptocrats into guardians of hidden treasures destined for the people. This myth was at the core of the digital disinformation campaign which led to a landslide victory for his son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the 2022 presidential election. This article analyses the production, reception, and functions of this myth, as “ideology in narrative form” (Bruce Lincoln). It also explores its precursors, in the mythmaking of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, treasure hunting lore, precolonial legends, modern esotericism, conspiracy theories, and Christian concepts. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, the article examines the myth's paradoxical popularity among poor people persuaded that returning a “kleptocratic” elite with an “atrocious” past to power will restore a golden age and serve their own well-being.