Quotes from Imelda Marcos

Doesn't the fight for survival also justify swindle and theft? In self defence, anything goes.

You know, not even your British Queen is called just Elizabeth - she's Elizabeth the Second. There's only one Imelda.

I will come up with a project that will wipe out poverty in the Philippines in two years. I want to remove the people from economic crisis by using the Marcos wealth. Long after I'm gone, people will remember me for building them homes and roads and hospitals and giving them food.

I beg Osama to stop warring. He is a Muslim, and Islam means peace. Nobody wins in a war... I wish I were tapped in the problem about Iraq. I knew Saddam enough that I could have talked him into surrendering. But it's too late.

The Marcos era was the golden time for the Philippines. We had the lowest crime rate in the world in Manila and real development then. At last, people are starting to understand this.

I get so tired listening to one million dollars here, one million dollars there, it's so petty.

I really had no great love for shoes. I was a working First Lady; I was always in canvas shoes. I did nurture the shoes industry of the Philippines, and so every time there was a shoe fair, I would receive a pair of shoes as a token of gratitude.

In the material world, where everything is valued, when you commit yourself to God, beauty and love, it can be mistaken for extravagance.

If you know how much you've got, you probably haven't got much.

The problem of the world today is the people talk on and on about democracy, freedom, justice. But I don't give a damn about democracy if I am worried about survival.

Ferdinand was a gold trader. He was a lawyer for mining companies. When he entered politics in l949, he had tons and tons of gold. When Bill Gates was a college dropout, Ferdinand already possessed billions of dollars and tons of gold. It wasn't stolen.

What's wrong with shoes? I collected them because it was like a symbol of thanksgiving and love?

They've listed my name in the dictionary - 'Imeldific' is used to mean ostentatious extravagance... But the truth will prevail.

More than life, I value vindication. When you are at peace with the truth and you know that you are on the side of the right and God is on your side, you are not afraid of anything, including jail.

My husband does not like me to give interviews because I say too much. No talk, no trouble.

I am First Lady by accident. I was not elected by the people but here I am.

I hate ugliness. You know I'm allergic to ugliness.

They call me corrupt, frivolous. I am not at all privileged. Maybe the only privileged thing is my face. And corrupt? God! I would not look like this if I am corrupt. Some ugliness would settle down on my system.

The Reagans were dear friends for many years, even when he was governor of California. Nancy appreciated a lot of Philippine-made things.

The problems with First Ladies is that you have to set the standard. My role is to be both star and slave.

I was no Marie Antoinette. I was not born to nobility, but I had a human right to nobility.

Never dress down for the poor. They won't respect you for it. They want their First Lady to look like a million dollars.

Filipinos don't wallow in what is miserable and ugly. They recycle the bad into things of beauty.

The problem of the world today is the people talk on and on about democracy, freedom, justice. But I don't give a damn about democracy if I am worried about survival.