1973 Philippine martial law referendum

July 1973 Philippine constitutional plebiscite

July 27–28, 1973

Do you want President Marcos to continue beyond 1973 and finish the reforms he has initiated under the martial law?
OutcomeProposal carried
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 18,052,016 90.67%
No 1,856,744 9.33%
Total votes 19,908,760 100.00%

The 1973 Philippine martial law referendum was a national referendum in which the citizens' assemblies voted for:

  • The ratification of the 1973 Constitution
  • The suspension of the convening of the Interim National Assembly provided in the transitory provisions of the 1973 Constitution
  • The continuation of martial law

The referendum was set from July 27 to July 28, 1973.

This referendum was marred with controversy. It is contested that there could not have been any valid referendum held from January 10 to January 15, 1973. Observers noted that many of the claimed 35,000 citizens' assemblies never met and voting was by show of hands.[1][2]

  1. ^ Schirmer, Daniel B.; Shalom, Stephen Roskamm (1987). The Philippines Reader: A history of Colonialism, Neocolonialism, Dictatorship and Resistance. South End Press. p. 191. Philippine Martial Law referendum, 1973.
  2. ^ Celoza, Albert F. (1997). Ferdinand Marcos and the Philippines: The Political Economy of Authoritarianism. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 9780275941376.