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Solid North

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Areas under the Solid North are colored red.

The Solid North refers to the regional voting bloc of the northern provinces of the Philippines[1] for politicians of Ilocano descent, more particularly the Marcos family and their allies, and also economic issues affecting the Ilocanos in general such as the tobacco industry. Often included in Solid North are the provinces in the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Cagayan Valley.[2][3] The regions are considered to be a conservative/right-wing bastion for the country.[3][failed verification]

The Solid North was most prominent during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., but waned after his ouster as a result of the People Power Revolution; the north no longer delivered a reliable bloc vote from 1992[2] until 2016, when Marcos' son, Bongbong Marcos, ran for the vice presidency in 2016 and won in the Solid North, except for Batanes.[4]

Its southern counterpart, called Solid South (not to be confused with the American Solid South), refers to either part or all of Mindanao as a voting bloc, supporting politicians from Mindanao, especially the Duterte family and their allies. The term "Solid South" first emerged after then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency with a majority of provinces in Mindanao voting for him.[3][5]

History

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The provinces with at least a plurality of its population being Ilocano people are denoted by green on the map.

Prior to independence

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In the first national elections in 1907, the North became a stronghold of the Progresista Party, the primary opposition party to the Nacionalista Party at that time.[6]

Third Republic presidential elections

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Before the election of Ferdinand Marcos in 1965, it was President Elpidio Quirino who consistently carried the Ilocano heartland in the presidential elections during which he was a candidate. Despite Ramon Magsaysay's landslide victory in the 1953 presidential election, Quirino still won in his home province of Ilocos Sur, as well as Ilocos Norte, Abra and La Union.

In the 1965 presidential election, Senator Ferdinand Marcos of the Nacionalista Party, from Ilocos Norte, faced the incumbent president Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party, who hailed from Pampanga. Marcos successfully campaigned on the issues of graft, peace and order, and economic progress, although these had been staple campaign issues since independence.[7] Marcos carried not only the Solid North, but most of Luzon as well, with Macapagal only carrying the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac and Bataan.

While Marcos won an even larger mandate during his successful reelection bid in 1969, support from the Solid North was not as crucial in his victory. Pampanga and Antique in the Visayas were the only provinces that he did not win.

1986 snap presidential election

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Marcos eventually declared martial law and stayed in power until 1986, when he called for a "snap election". With his popularity declining after the assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr., Marcos relied heavily on support from the Solid North in the 1986 election, when he faced Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino. Marcos depended on the Ilocos Region, described as "impregnable to the opposition", and on Eastern Visayas, the home region of his wife, First Lady Imelda Marcos.[8] Marcos was eventually declared the winner but allegations of massive fraud erupted into the People Power Revolution which drove the Marcoses into exile and concluded with Aquino's ascension into the presidency.

Fifth Republic elections

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Beginning in 1992, the Solid North did not deliver a solid vote for a single candidate. Two figures associated with Ferdinand Marcos, his widow, Imelda Marcos, and one of his allies, Danding Cojuangco, won in several provinces of the Solid North. In the vice presidential election, Joseph Estrada won all provinces as running mate of Cojuangco. In 1998, Imelda, who initially planned to run again, endorsed eventual winner Joseph Estrada, who won in all northern provinces except Cagayan which was won by Juan Ponce Enrile.

In 2004, Fernando Poe Jr. was endorsed by Imelda for the presidency.[9] He would win in most provinces except Benguet, Ifugao, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, and Mountain Province. Poe narrowly lost to incumbent president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, but the election would later be tainted by fraud allegations.

In 2010, the Marcoses supported the candidacy of Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party, while Joseph Estrada ran again but without support from the Marcoses.[10] The bloc was divided between Villar, Estrada, and winner Aquino III in the presidential election; and divided between winner Jejomar Binay, Loren Legarda and KBL candidate Jay Sonza. Both Villar and Estrada lost the presidential election. Meanwhile, several Marcoses ran in the elections; Bongbong Marcos, who ran for senator under Villar's slate, won a seat, Imelda Marcos won a seat in the House of Representatives, and Imee Marcos won the gubernatorial election in Ilocos Norte. Bongbong's Senate victory is the highest elected position won by a Marcos since their ouster in 1986.[11] According to Bongbong, his candidacy made the Solid North "intact again."[12]

In 2016, Bongbong ran for vice president as the running mate of senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. Marcos won in all of the Solid North provinces except Batanes, but lost to Leni Robredo. Marcos later filed an electoral protest which was dismissed.[13] In the presidential race, the bloc was not as solid, with some voting for Jejomar Binay, running mate of Estrada in 2010, and Rodrigo Duterte, who has been endorsed by some alongside Marcos,[14] and Grace Poe, daughter of Fernando Poe Jr.[3]

In 2022, Bongbong ran for president alongside Sara Duterte as his running mate. Marcos won again in all provinces except Batanes, while Duterte won in all of the Solid North provinces.[15][16]

Solid North in the presidential elections

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Key:

  • Boldface: Winner
  • Italicized: Marcos, or candidate supported by the Marcoses.
Year Ilocos Region Cagayan Valley Cordillera Administrative Region
Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur La Union Pangasinan Batanes Cagayan Isabela Nueva Vizcaya Quirino Abra Kalinga Apayao Baguio Benguet Ifugao Mountain Province
1965 Marcos
1969 Marcos
1981 Marcos
1986 Marcos
1992 Marcos Cojuangco Ramos Marcos Cojuangco Mitra Cojuangco Marcos Santiago Mitra Ramos
1998 Estrada de Venecia Lim Enrile Estrada de Venecia Estrada
2004 Poe Arroyo Poe Arroyo Poe Arroyo
2010 Villar Estrada Aquino Estrada Aquino
2016 Duterte Poe Roxas Binay Duterte Poe
2022 Marcos Robredo Marcos

Election maps

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In these maps, the provinces of the candidates where one won at least a plurality of votes is shaded.

Solid North in the vice presidential elections

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Key:

  • Boldface: Winner
  • Italicized: Marcos, or candidate supported by the Marcoses.
Year Ilocos Region Cagayan Valley Cordillera Administrative Region
Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur La Union Pangasinan Batanes Cagayan Isabela Nueva Vizcaya Quirino Abra Kalinga Apayao Baguio Benguet Ifugao Mountain Province
1965 Lopez Roxas Lopez
1969 Lopez
1986 Tolentino
1992 Estrada Magsaysay, Jr. Estrada
1998 Arroyo
2004 Legarda de Castro Legarda de Castro Legarda de Castro Legarda de Castro Legarda
2010 Binay Roxas Binay Roxas Binay Roxas
2016 Marcos Robredo Marcos
2022 Duterte

Election maps

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In these maps, the provinces of the candidates where one won at least a plurality of votes is shaded.

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Pawilen, Reidan M. (May 2021). "The Solid North myth: an Investigation on the status of dissent and human rights during the Marcos Regime in Regions 1 and 2, 1969-1986". University of the Philippines Los Baños University Knowledge Digital Repository. Archived from the original on 2021-11-13. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
  2. ^ a b Nicolas, Fiona (October 9, 2015). "How many votes can the 'Solid North' deliver?". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on October 10, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Pacia, Sara Isabelle (May 12, 2016). "Duterte can credit new 'Solid South,' NCR and Cebu for win". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "How regions voted for Robredo, Marcos in 2016 VP race". RAPPLER. 2016-05-15. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  5. ^ "Move over 'Solid North,' 'Solid South' is new PH power base". ABS-CBN News. 2019-05-21.
  6. ^ Philippine Commission. Report of the Philippine Commission to the Secretary of War 1907.
  7. ^ Tan (1987), p. 89
  8. ^ Quinn-Judge (1986)
  9. ^ Romero, Paolo. "FPJ can continue what FM did for the poor — Imelda". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  10. ^ "Marcos-Aquino rivalry fires again". South China Morning Post. February 25, 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  11. ^ "3 wins in Philippine elections mark Marcos family's highest rise since dictator ousted in 1986". Fox News. Associated Press. 2010-05-10.
  12. ^ Guillang, Michelle R. "North solid as a rock, BBM claims". Daily Tribune. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  13. ^ Torres-Tupas, Tetch (16 February 2021). "PET dismisses Marcos poll protest vs Robredo, stresses 'entire' case junked". INQUIRER.net. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  14. ^ Ramirez, Robertzon. "INC endorses Duterte-Marcos". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  15. ^ Manahan, Job (May 10, 2022). "Duterte's popularity, regionalism crystalized votes for Marcos Jr., Sara Duterte: analysts". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  16. ^ "Solid North delivers for Marcos, Duterte". RAPPLER. 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2022-05-15.

Sources

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