Increasingly one of our most sought after tours, the Extreme Philippines Tour takes is to some truly bizarre places, chief among them being the Marcos Museum.

Located in the self-styled “Home of Great Leaders” in Batac, this museum is there to showcase the greatness of former President and some might say dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

An interesting place, it also once held the Mausoleum of Marcos, although that has now gone.

What is Batac?

Batac is a small town in Ilocos Norte that has Ferdinand Marcos its most famous son. Nowadays it also has many of his relatives, his old northern palace, as well as tobacco.

It is also famous for its Empanada. Aside from this it is also near other cool places, such as Laoag, Currimao and La Union, all of which are also featured in the tour.

There really is not all that much going on in Batac itself though.

Who was Ferdinand Marcos

The first and as of now at least the last one party system ruler of the Philippines, he is both loved and hated it would seem in equal measure. Some reminisce about his time in power feeling it was an easier safer and stable age, while others still are glad there is now democracy.

And there is that other matter of corruption too! I think we all remember the show collection of Mrs Emelda Marcos. Yet despite this controversy, we can also note that is son Bongbong is now the president. Equal perhaps in lunacy to someone naming a hotel the TaMok Guesthouse.

The Ferdinand Marcos Museum

Technically The Ferdinand E. Marcos Presidential Center, it appears that the Filipinos tried to take a leaf out of the Americans “presidential centers” – make no mistake though this is a very lopsided museum.

The museum details many parts of his life, with some similarities in how museums are done in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) for example. There is though a huge part missing from this museum, but I will not ruin the surprise.

It is though very much worth visiting, and if nothing else it is opposite where they sell the empanadas.

The Ferdinand Marcos Museum Mausoleum

As you know at YPT we love a mausoleum, which made this privately held one at the Marcos Museum very special. Officially it was his embalmed body, but many felt it was just a waxwork. Of course they could have gone down the Mao route and had a real and a dummy, but alas we will never know.

Last president of the Philippines Duterte had his body removed and buried in the Martyrs Cemetery. This was seen as a largely positive move, while letting the family keep the billions they looted was largely ignored.

You can see his museum, as well as The Malacañang of the North on our Extreme Philippines Tour.