Interim national assembly is elected.

In 1978, Marcos created the unicameral interim Batasang Pambansa, a legislative assembly that assisted in the making of laws. The members were selected on the basis of regional representation during a national election.

Marcos resurrected many of the old politicians who chose to join him in the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan – the New Society movement that displaced the traditional political parties. The interim Batasang Pambansa, although nationally elected through the various regional groupings of the country, included a few appointed members who were mainly the technocrats he decided would continue to hold their positions in the Cabinet.

He had hoped that through the regional choices of the members, the parliament would be able to rise above the usual local concerns and take on wider socio-economic and political viewpoints in creating policies.

The perception the law-making body projected, however, was of a rubber stamp assembly under a one-man rule. The Cabinet continued to be mainly composed of technocrats. But the head of the government was still Marcos as president and prime minister.

Although the interim Batasang Pambansa had a senior officer, the Speaker, it was clear Marcos remained in control of the nebulous succession issue. In short, this process simply delayed the process of creating a clear line of political succession.

He was biding for time to build up a true successor, but he was not looking at any of his political lieutenants. It was clear from the steps he took by the middle of the 1970s that he was waiting for Mrs. Marcos to grow in political stature and influence. This situation favored the promotion of a political future for Mrs. Marcos, who would at this time rise to political prominence when she was appointed governor of Metropolitan Manila.

The Marcos children were too young during that time to take on administrative responsibilities and there was no question it would take years before they themselves could assume a political mantle.