In a way, Marcos was right. They have long maintained their innocence. Digital Oh, Marcos and Imelda look so happy and proud in photographs with Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Ferdinand Sr. is known as one of the worlds biggest pillagers. More than three decades later, in October 2021, the late dictator's son and namesake, 64-year-old Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., announced his intention to become the next president of the. Marcos Jrs commanding leads in most polls todaydoes not surprise political scientists here. But for those who did not experience his fathers regime, the younger Marcos appears to offer a refreshing choiceespecially after preceding presidents failed to solve the grinding poverty, weak infrastructure, and deep-seated corruption that dominate the daily lives of so many Filipinos. Hundreds of pro-Marcos Youtube videos had been fact-checked, and taken down from the popular video sharing platform controlled by US-based Google/Alphabet. The protest poster read: Mamaga sana ang mukha ng nagpapatay kay Ninoy. I hope whoever had Ninoy killed gets a swollen face (Well, its funnier in Tagalog.). Yes, people like a leader who is mabait (nice) and compassionate. Envoy: Japan, Australia may join patrols with US, PH. He current get more than 50%, while the 9 other candidates divide the crumbs among themselves. But the power plant was never used, and the countrys external debt soared from $800 million at the start of Marcos first term in 1965 to $28.3 billion when he was oustedmore than 80% of the countrys GDP. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who is set to become the president of the Philippines after winning the elections, comes to the job with a controversial family history. He has so far failed to assure us that his election will not be a prelude to finally burying the efforts to recover all ill-gotten wealth that have lain hidden in the labyrinth of injustice these past 35 years. 'Bongbong' is the son of former president Ferdinand Marcos who was ousted by a people's uprising in 1986 The latest polls show Bongbong as the favorite pick for VP CNN It's been 30 years. Read More: How the Son of a Dictator Became So Popular in the Philippines. The Marcos myths of a strong and stable nationand of being misunderstood victims who could thus relate with anyones social and economic victimhoodwould resonate in many countries. More than 30 million Filipinos. In September 2020, Facebook took down a network of fake accounts which the social media giant said had ties to the military and the police, President Rodrigo Duterte and his family allies. Read this in The Manila Times digital edition. Fatima Gaw, assistant professor of communication research at the University of the Philippines, says its almost impossible to distinguish between propaganda and genuine support on such platforms. Why? His loyalists say the period was a golden age of development. But the Marcoses certainly took the brazen display of extreme affluence, in the face of extreme poverty, to a new low. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rally the crowd on his presidential bid in the May Philippine elections, in Mandaluyong CIty on February 13, 2022. Your subscription could not be saved. Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. Hopefully, we don't get caught in the middle of a shooting war between the US and China over Taiwan. Theres been too much talk about an apology from the Marcoses. The ultimate goal: catapult Marcos' namesake and only son Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr, also known as BBM, to crush his rivals in the May ballot, and succeed President Rodrigo Duterte. With more than half of voters aged between 18 and 41, the effect is significant. It is for this reason that I would like to present 10 reasons why I believe Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. is unfit for the presidency. Manila After winning an overwhelming mandate of more than 30 million votes in Monday's election, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is the de-facto president-elect of the Philippines. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. I must confess that I was thrilled when Marcos imposed Martial Law. The two decades that Ferdinand Marcos Sr . He was special assistant to his father in 1979 and later, vice governor then governor of their bailiwick, Ilocos Norte. So its very hard for them to counter-check claims circulating on the internet, given their limited access to actual content, or fact-check sites, for example. Asked if non-Marcos candidates, by consolidating forces, could make it easier to beat the survey frontrunner, Manhit said its too late. Instead, candidates should find a way to create momentum as the campaign picks up. Overseas Filipino worker Sherina Erno doesnt plan on voting for Bongbong Marcos in the polls. So why is the Philippines still in shambles?. His return to power will raise more questions than answers and provoke rage so that instead of moving forward, people will be litigating unanswered questions to a past that continues to be present. Their restoration presents a democraticindeed existentialcrisis for the Philippines. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon. He is the second child and only son of 10th . More than half of the countrys population was born after 1986, and thus have no personal memory of martial law or the catalysts for the Marcoses downfall. When the opposition finally went to the grassroots and had a dialogue with Marcos supporters, it was inspiring, monumental, and important. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. A recent investigation found that newly-made Twitter accounts were used to promote the dictators son and attack critics in the lead-up to elections. But there was also little for people to pick apart during the campaign, said Vicente Rafael, author of The Sovereign Trickster: Death and Laughter in the Age of Duterte and aprofessor of Southeast Asian history at the University of Washington in Seattle. At the same time, I hope such dialogues will turn from a campaign exigency into a sincere, long-term willingness to listen and understand the issues faced by excluded communities, while respecting their own agency and cunning in political participation. There's more to it. Tech platforms must now tread very carefully under a leader determined to rewrite his familysand the nationshistory. But he quickly bounced back, doing other politicos, including former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada. Magazines, Digital Thats what Marcos once declared: I do not intend to die. His family and supporters apparently understood that to mean he does not want to be buried, too. Or at the very least, that its not important, says Antonio La Via, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government. Marcos Sr. was brought down with US support. Graphika, an independent social analytics firm, has found that a Philippines cluster was the most-engaged with cluster of assets by a considerable margin., The content, both from pages and from individual accounts, praised President Duterte and his family allies, notably his daughter, and the daughter of former president Ferdinand Marcos, Senator Imee Marcos.. The well-respected Pulse Asia shows Marcos Jr. ahead by a wide margin 53% of the 2,400 respondents picked BBM in January. Bloomberg Surveillance, covering the latest news in finance, economics and investments. Both on your website and other media. This section is about Living in UAE and essential information you cannot live without. If, however, by a stroke of miracle, both Vice President Robredo and Mayor Sara Duterte win the presidency and vice presidency, respectively, it would be historic: and it would be first time ever that a country would have the top two posts taken by women. If the Marcos name was once reviled among many Filipinos who associated it with cronyism, rights abuses, excess wealth and shoes Marcos wife, Imelda, owned an infamous footwear collection the political dynasty appears to have reclaimed the highest office in the Southeast Asian nation, a longtime U.S. ally. READ:Do the Marcoses have ill-gotten wealth? The underlying message: he will unite the country against the forces that kept the country weak and the people poor. The Philippines may be one of Asias oldest and largest democracies, but its continued embrace of strongman leaders is a wake-up call that liberal democracys messages of equality and rule of law will eventually run hollow once voters get tired of the same old heroes and political dynasties. Disinformation does play a role (in shaping voter preference), especially in the low-income communities, said De La Salle University Political Scientist Cleve Arguelles. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The Marcoses are back from being pariahs, knocking on the gates of Malacanang Palace. The Constitution bars him from seeking a second term. Rappler investigations have found that across several platforms, disinformation networks were used to further the Marcos narrative. It's a smart choice. Theres former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Senator Bong Revilla of Lakas-CMD, and former president Erap Estradas son Jinggoy Estrada of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, to name a few. Click to reveal To be fair, Marcos and Imelda did not invent wealth-flaunting. and Hes back. His familys popularity saw a recent resurgence largely driven by social media. subscription, Philippine court orders arrest of ex-first lady Imelda Marcos for graft, Marcos wealth spread all over Europe - lawyer, Philippines: 523% increase in internet speed, Philippines: 5,000% surge in digital payments in the time of COVID-19, Clark Airport: Rising travel hub 85km north of Manila, Sinking Philippine tanker sparks diesel spill, Marcos urges military to focus on South China Sea, Unpaid taxes? And without Marcos, what would have happened to Willie Nepomuceno, undoubtedly one of the most talented Filipino humorists ever? The total national loss from November 1965 was believed to be $5$10 billion. Fortunately, like the late tyrant, Willie Nepomuceno did not intend to die. 62.75.204.46 The action you just performed triggered the security solution. But still, given our experience with Marcos, theres a line, especially in national races, that I suspect candidates will not cross for fear of sparking a severe backlash. Inside Bongbong's childhood room, hanging next to an ornate four-poster bed, is an extraordinary portrait of the would-be-leader. The message of Marcos Jr, 64, is simple: Unity. Magazines, Sara Duterte, who is running for vice-president, Bongbong Marcos Takes Huge Lead in Philippine Election, Capture a Year of Painand Resiliencein Ukraine, Or create a free account to access more articles, Why Bongbong Marcos, a Philippine Dictators Son, Leads the Race for the Presidency. He previously served as a senator from 2010 to 2016. He has imitated the exaggerated exploits and fake medals claim of his father and applied them to his own fake degree from Oxford University. No one likes that.. When the Marcoses and their entourage absconded from the Philippines, it was with a stunning supply of wealth, The Los Angeles Times reported in 1986: $7.7 million in cash and $4 million in gems and jewelry, including a gold crown and three diamond-studded tiaras. Marcos Jr.s opponents repeatedly bring up his fathers legacy, but experts say that is backfiring. Dr. Julio Teehankee, professor of Political Science and International Studies at the De La Salle University, said: If youre enjoying 50% almost 60% in the surveys, then you can afford to do this.. But thanks in part to a patient long-term project of brand rehabilitation on social media, and expedient power-brokering with the powerful Dutertes to unify forces against their liberal elite rivals, the family has made a successful comeback. These polling agencies are legit, said Prof. Heydarian, policy adviser and chair of geopolitics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). Marcos protested, but lost in the initial recount of ballots in three provinces which is camp picked for recount. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. Ferdinand Marcos Jr, 64, known as "Bongbong", and more recently, "BBM", is the only son of the late dictator who ruled the Philippines for almost two decades until he was forced out of power by a . Senator Santiago chose Senator Marcos for the simple reason that he has proven to possess the qualities that she values the most. Your subscription could not be saved. Manhit said candidates apart from Marcos Jr. should focus on building on their own strengths instead of hoping for a Duterte endorsement. To the world: Judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions, Marcos Jr. said upon declaring victory, according to a statement from his spokesman. The reverse is happening. Ironically, Marcos Jr and his family are, in fact, hounded by corruption issues. Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr., the presumptive president of the Philippines, at a campaign rally in Quezon City in April. The political is personal in the Philippines and vice versa; no felt connection to that time period, coupled with the lack of learning about martial law in school curriculum, created a chasm waiting to be filled with the loudest perspectives.. Military officers defected in support of Aquino, who was sworn in on Feb. 25, 1986.