Marcos Jr., who began his term as president of the Philippines on Thursday, invoked his father’s legacy as he promised to work for the country. “I once knew a man who saw the little that had been achieved since independence in a country of people with the greatest potential for achievement. And yet they were poor. But he did it – sometimes with the necessary support, sometimes without. So it will be with his son. “You will not get excuses from me,” he said. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., 64, won last month’s election by an overwhelming majority, 36 years after his father, who ruled for two decades, was ousted from power by a popular uprising. His election victory was fueled by misinformation and nostalgia for his father’s rule that spread widely on social media. Marcos told the crowds that he was not there to talk about the past, but called for unity. “The changes we are seeking will benefit everyone and will not diminish anyone,” he said. On Thursday morning, as the inauguration was under way, survivors of his father’s regime gathered to swear “to protect against tyranny, lies and the violation of human rights and freedoms.” They gathered at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, a monument, museum and historical research center dedicated to those who died during the two decades of dictatorial rule. Thousands were imprisoned, tortured or killed under Marcos Sr. Marcos Jr. downgraded or denied such abuse. He succeeds the extremely popular Rodrigo Duterte, who has gained international fame for his deadly drug war and has threatened to kill suspected traffickers after leaving office. More than 15,000 police, soldiers and Coast Guard personnel were deployed across the capital for the inauguration. It comes days after the Supreme Court rejected final attempts to oust Marcos Jr. from the election and prevent him from taking office. As rising prices push an economy that has already collapsed since Covid-19, Marcos Jr. has made tackling inflation, boosting growth and boosting food production a priority. He has taken the rare step of appointing himself secretary of agriculture to lead the reform of the troubled sector. Marcos Jr. has also pledged to defend the rights of the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea, which is claimed almost entirely by Beijing. But he has offered few details about how he will achieve his goals or a few hints about his leadership style, as he has largely avoided media interviews. Duterte commentator Rigoberto Tiglao recently wrote that he was “optimistic” about an “economic boom” under Marcos Jr. Tiglao pointed out the “renowned academics” in Marcos Jr.’s financial team and the support of “powerful tycoons” who will be able to provide him with advice and financial support. Crucial to Marcos Jr.’s success was an alliance with Duterte’s daughter, Sarah, who secured the vice presidency with more votes than he did, and the support of rival dynasties. Unlike Duterte, who fled the US to China, Marcos Jr. has said he will seek a more balanced relationship with the two superpowers. Marcos Jr. said last month that he would adopt a foreign policy “friends for all, enemies for no one”. But unlike Duterte, he insisted he would support an international decision against Beijing over the resource-rich South China Sea. While he has backed Duterte’s drug war, which has killed thousands of mostly poor men, it is unlikely to impose it so aggressively. “I believe the Philippine political elite is ready to move on from a violent drug war,” said Greg Wyatt, director of business intelligence at PSA Philippines Consultancy. “The drug war has attracted a lot of negative attention.”
