Former Philippines first lady's belongings ruined by storms, termites

September 24, 2012

Officials from the Philippines recently announced that the shoes and other possessions left by the former first lady Imelda Marcos and her husband, dictator Ferdinand Marcos, have no historical significance since they have been ruined by terminates and recent bad weather, according to The Associated Press.

The only thing that was saved was a few gowns made in the Philippines. The Marcos were ousted after the 1986 "people power" revolt, and their possessions, including 1,220 pairs of shoes were kept at the Malacanang presidential palace until 2010. They were later moved to the National Museum in Manila, where they were kept in a padlocked room. Heavy rains last month causes a leak in the ceiling, which caused permanent damage to many of the possessions, according to the news source.

The thousand pairs of shoes were a symbol of her extreme extravagance at a time when the country was in crushing poverty. The gowns may be put on display for the public to see, but many are unsure due to the sensitivity of the time.

Those who want to talk about the cultural significance of the possessions can make calls to the Philippines using international calling cards. 

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