President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. was voted as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines on 09 May 2022 and vows to be a leader for every Filipino and stands steadfast behind his vision of uniting the nation and delivering a brighter future for the people.
After graduating from elementary school in the Philippines, Marcos completed (1974) his secondary education at Worth School, a private boarding school in West Sussex, England. He then attended the University of Oxford to study social sciences but reportedly did not complete an undergraduate degree; he was instead awarded a special diploma in 1978. Shortly thereafter Marcos enrolled (1979–81) in the business administration graduate program at the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania; however, he did not graduate.
Marcos started his political career in 1981 when he became vice governor in his home province of Ilocos Norte. After serving in that role, “Bongbong,” as Marcos was widely known, continued to steadily build his reputation in government. He became governor of the province twice (1983–86 and 1998–2007), a member of the House of Representatives for Ilocos Norte’s second district twice (1992–95 and 2007–10), and a member of the Senate (2010–16). While serving as senator, Marcos worked on resolutions to support Filipinos working overseas and on environment-related projects.
Ascent to the presidency
In 2016 Marcos ran for vice president of the country; however, Filipino lawyer Leni Robredo defeated him by a small margin. In 2021 Marcos announced his bid to become the country’s president through a video he posted on YouTube and Facebook. During the 2022 presidential campaign, Marcos emphasized the unity of the country, which some analysts viewed as an attempt to move past his family’s controversies. Marcos also advocated for tackling inflation and poverty.
During the campaign Marcos heavily leveraged social media platforms—including TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook—to get his messages out and to garner support. His support was further propped up when he formed an alliance with vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte, the former mayor of Davao City and the daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, who was president of the Philippines at the time. The alliance between Marcos and Duterte showed two powerful political families in apparent unity. However, President Duterte was heavily criticized for alleged extrajudicial killings, which resulted in more than 12,000 deaths, and human rights violations during his “war on drugs” campaign, and some were concerned that Marcos would adopt harsh policies similar to those of President Duterte or of his father. In response to such concerns and to further differentiate himself from his father, Marcos said in a speech in 2022, “To the world: Judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions.” Some, however, criticized Marcos for intentionally ignoring the abuses by his father and spreading disinformation by recasting his father’s rule as a “golden age.”
The presidential election was held on May 9, 2022, and Marcos was officially declared the next president on the 25th. He reportedly won by a landslide with more than 31 million votes, about 58.8 percent of the total vote, the highest margin of victory in the country since 1981. Robredo—who had defeated Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential election—placed second, with about 28 percent of the total vote.
Presidency
On June 30, 2022, Marcos was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines, signifying the Marcos family’s successful political rehabilitation since exile. Early in his presidency, Marcos focused on economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, while president-elect, he had appointed himself agricultural secretary, which gave him direct responsibility to tackle challenges in the agricultural sector as well as inflation of food products. In January 2023 Marcos signed an executive order to adopt a six-year development plan (officially the Philippine Development Plan) to help with the economic recovery.
In foreign policy, Marcos showed interest in developing closer ties with the United States, in contrast to his predecessor, who appeared to have steered away from such relations. Marcos’s efforts to strengthen the alliance have been apparent: in April 2023 he hosted the largest military exercise between the two countries, and in May he visited Washington, D.C., to meet with several U.S. political leaders, including Pres. Joe Biden. While visiting the United States, Marcos agreed to further strengthen ties between the two countries as well as to clarify the conditions under which the United States would come to the Philippines’ defense (per the 1951 mutual defense treaty signed by the two countries) in light of territorial disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
In March 2023 Marcos stated that the Philippines would not rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC); former president Duterte had withdrawn from it in March 2019 in response to the ICC’s preliminary investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings during his drug war campaign. Furthermore, Marcos indicated that he would suspend any contact with the ICC after it rejected the Philippines’ appeal to end the investigation, as the country was conducting its own inquiries into the extrajudicial killings.
He has dedicated his life to serving the Filipino people for over two decades. His long and faithful service has been one characterized by his genuine care for the welfare of his constituents, and a firm determination to elevate the quality of life of every Filipino.
Early Life
President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., commonly referred to as Bongbong and by the initials BBM, was born on the 13th of September 1957 in the town of Batac, Ilocos Norte. He attended La Salle Greenhills elementary school (1964), and completed his secondary education at Worth School in West Sussex, England (1974). He earned a Special Diploma in Social Studies from Oxford University (1978). Bongbong subsequently enrolled at the Wharton School of Business for a Master of Business Administration, which was eventually cut short due to him being elected in 1980 as Vice Governor of his home province, Ilocos Norte.
Family
Bongbong is the only son and namesake of the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. He has three sisters: Imee, Irene and Aimee.
In 1993, Bongbong married Louise “Liza” Cacho Araneta. They are blessed with three children: Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro”, Joseph Simon and William Vincent “Vinny”.
Government Service Record
• served as Vice Governor of Ilocos Norte from 1980 to 1983;
• served as Governor of Ilocos Norte from 1983 to 1986 and 1998 to 2007;
• served as Representative of the 2nd District of the Province of Ilocos Norte from 1992 to 1995 and 2007 to 2010; and
• served as Senator from 2010 to 2016.
Contributions and Achievements of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.
His administration oversaw the post-pandemic return to normalcy with the gradual reopening of the economy, rethan of face-to-face/physical classes, removal of stringent travel restrictions, and the lifting of the mask wearing mandate for outdoor and indoor settings. The crime rate went down by 11.67% in the first 2 months of the Marcos administration, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Transferred the Technical Education and Skulls Development Authority (TESDA) from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Marcos and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed both countnes commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty in August 2022 Rejected the controvermal sugar importation in August 2022, prompting the reorganization of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Allocated P1.196 trillion for 2023 infrastructure programs Sought to provide free train rides to students Abolished the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the current president of the Philippines, has made several notable contributions and achievements since taking office in June 2022. Here are some key areas where he has focused his efforts:
Economic Policy
Economic Recovery: Marcos Jr. has prioritized economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. He has implemented policies aimed at revitalizing the economy, addressing inflation, and ensuring food security.
Agriculture: As the self-appointed Secretary of Agriculture, he has focused on improving the agricultural sector to combat food inflation and increase productivity.
Foreign Relations
Strengthening U.S. Ties: Marcos Jr. has worked to reinforce the Philippines' relationship with the United States. This includes hosting joint military exercises and engaging in diplomatic visits to discuss mutual defense and economic cooperation.
South China Sea: He has maintained a firm stance on the Philippines' territorial rights in the South China Sea, engaging in diplomacy to navigate the complex geopolitical situation.
Domestic Policy
Infrastructure Development: Continuing the previous administration's "Build, Build, Build" program, Marcos Jr. has emphasized infrastructure projects to boost economic growth and improve public services.
Judicial and Governance
ICC Stance: Marcos Jr. has decided not to rejoin the International Criminal Court, emphasizing national sovereignty and the Philippines' capacity to conduct its own investigations into human rights issues.
These efforts reflect his administration's focus on economic stability, international diplomacy, and national sovereignty. However, his presidency is still relatively early, and the long-term impacts of his policies will become clearer over time.
