MANILA, Philippines — Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines on Thursday, June 30, at the National Museum of the Philippines. This marks the return of the Marcos political dynasty, which the Filipinos ousted through the 1986 EDSA People Power.
Marcos Jr. won against his closest rival, former Vice President Leni Robredo, with more than 31 million votes while his running-mate Sara Duterte garnered over 32 million out of more than 55 million votes in the May 9 elections — the record-breaking first majority presidential victory in the Philippines in decades.
During his first speech as President, Marcos Jr. thanked voters for giving him “the biggest electoral mandate in the history of Philippine democracy.”
“When my call for unity started to resonate with you, it did so because it echoed your yearnings, mirrored your sentiments, and expressed your hopes for family, for country, and for a better future. That is why it reverberated and amplified as it did to deliver the biggest electoral mandate in the history of Philippine democracy.”
PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS JR.
Alongside the first family, sister, Senator Imee, and mother, former congresswoman Imelda Marcos, the new chief executive also paid tribute to his late dictator father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The latter ruled the Philippines for two decades and declared Martial Law in which thousands of activists were jailed, killed, or disappeared. Billions of dollars also went missing from state coffers under his government. The Marcos family continuously denies these atrocities.
Marcos Jr. also refused to talk about the past further.
“I am here not to talk about the past. I am here to tell you about our future,” Marcos Jr. said.
“No looking back in anger or nostalgia,” he added before thousands of his cheering supporters wearing red, the political color of their family.
Moreover, Marcos Jr. has defended his father’s legacy and said he would emulate his achievements.
Marcos also claimed that he did not offend any of his rivals during the 2022 Elections campaign, even though he refused to attend any important presidential debates. He explained that he did not consider rebutting his rivals to “search for promising approaches better than the usual solutions.”
“By your vote, you rejected the politics of division. I offended none of my rivals in this campaign. I listened instead to what they were saying, and I saw little incompatibility with my own ideas: about jobs, fair wages, personal safety, and national strength; and ending want in a land of plenty,” he said.
He then reiterated the message of ‘Unity’ as he plans to unite Filipinos during his term.
“I believe that if we but focus on the work at hand and the work that will come to hand, we will go very far under my watch. You believed that, too. At pinakinggan ko ang tinig ninyo na ang sinisigaw ay “Pagkakaisa… Pagkakaisa… Pagkakaisa!”
PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS JR.
(And I listened to your voices that scream for Unity… Unity… Unity…)
“We will go farther together than against each other, pushing forward, not pulling each other back — out of fear, out of a misplaced sense of weakness. But we are the farthest from weak. The Filipino diaspora flourishes even in the most inhospitable climes, where they’re valued for their quality. The changes we seek will benefit all and will shortchange no one,” he added.
Marcos Jr. cited his plans for the next few months, including economic recovery despite the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.
As he also named himself the agriculture secretary, the new president pointed out that agriculture has to be given urgent attention, citing that there were inherent defects in the old ways and in recent ways of working on food self-sufficiency.
BBM also stated that the his government will ‘find a way’ in response to sufficient energy supply. They will also consider the response of the wealthiest countries to the war in Ukraine to solve such issues.
For education, the chief executive noted that the country’s education system should be revised to produce higher-quality graduates.
“What we teach in our schools the materials used must be rethought.”
PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS JR.
“I am not talking about history. I’m talking about the basics, the sciences, sharpening theoretical aptitude and imparting vocational skills such as in the German example, alongside the national language with equal emphasis and facility in a global language, which we had and lost,” he added.
Marcos Jr. appointed Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, as education secretary, aiming for mandatory military training.
Furthermore, Marcos Jr. promised healthcare workers that there will be changes the day after his inauguration after he admitted lapses in the COVID response of the previous government. According to the president-elect, his government will fix these shortcomings.
He also vowed to continue building projects by praising his father and former President Rodrigo Duterte’s infrastructure projects.
“No part of our country will be neglected. Progress will be made wherever there are Filipinos, so no investment is wasted. The recovery of Philippine tourism, with its emphasis on accessing nature’s beauty, I am sure, will exceed expectations,” he said.
“And if you ask me why I am so confident of the future, I will answer you, simply that I have 110 million reasons to start with. Such is my faith in the Filipino. Believe, have hope: the sun also rises like it did today; and as it will tomorrow. And as surely as that, we will achieve the country all Filipinos deserve. God bless the Philippines, God bless our work.”
PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS Jr.