Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and political heir of the deposed dictator philippines, is about to become the next president of the country. With more than 90% of the votes counted on Monday (09/05), he has passed the nearly 27.5 million votes needed to secure a majority, more than double the votes obtained by his liberal opponent, Leni Robredo.
It was the first electoral victory for the majority since the 1986 revolution that resulted in the overthrow of his father, Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country with an iron fist for two decades. The result marks the return of the Marcos family to power, after 36 years of a humiliating journey into exile.
With 93.8% of the correct votes filtered out, Marcus Jr. managed. – nicknamed Bongbong – received 29.9 million votes, according to the election commission’s unofficial count. The participation rate was 80%. However, the official result could take weeks, and it is due to be published at the end of this month.
Supporters of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Election results celebrate in Mandaluyong, Philippines on May 9, 2022 – Photo: Eloisa Lopez / Reuters
The other eight candidates — including former boxer Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isco Moreno, and former national police chief and now Senator Panfilo Lacson — fell short of the electorate.
Despite the embarrassment after depositing, the Marcus family returned to it philippines In the 1990s, it remained a powerful political force in the country, maintaining its influence through its vast wealth and extensive network of relationships.
Social media campaign
Marcus Jr., 64, has served as a senator, congressman, and senator. His sister, Amy, is currently a senator, and his mother, Imelda Marcos – a highly controversial and influential figure in her husband’s government – served four terms of Parliament. The new president’s son and grandson of former dictator Ferdinand Alexander is expected to be elected to a seat in Congress.
During the campaign, Bongbong did not present a clear political platform, espousing a simple and vague unity message. Analysts say his six-year tenure at the head of the Philippine government is expected to be marked by the continuity of his predecessor, autocrat Rodrigo Duterte, whose image as a strongman proved popular and helped cement him quickly in power.
Mark Jr. It should complement the multi-billion dollar infrastructure program Duterte has begun and seek closer ties with China. His critics fear that the problems of corruption and nepotism that plagued the country during his rule will worsen.
A big advantage in his campaign was the appointment of the current president’s daughter, Sarah Duterte-Carpio, as vice president, ensuring her father’s support and, at the same time, opening the way for access to other electoral districts.
Partial poll results suggest Duterte Carpio would have received three times the votes of his closest opponent, in an electoral system in which the vice president is elected separately.
Mark Jr. He was criticized for not attending the debates, as well as his lack of media exposure during the campaign, which allowed him to avoid public appearances and control his message through a network of digital influencers and bloggers.
Election results in philippines It reveals the enormous impact of a complex operation on social media targeting young people born after the revolution that ousted Marcos from power, as well as the spread of misinformation about the historical record of the dictatorship, including the dictatorship’s controversial martial law.
However, those responsible for the winning campaign deny the existence of any disinformation.
Luxury and ostentation in the midst of poverty
The Marcos family has been noted for maintaining a luxurious and ostentatious standard of living, while denying numerous allegations that they embezzled billions of dollars in public funds, during what many historians consider one of the largest corrupt regimes ever to exist in Asia.
Imelda Marcos is world-famous for collecting 3,000 pairs of shoes, as well as expensive dresses and 175 priceless works of art. That is, in a country whose population lives largely in poverty, where the government uses the truce to stay in power, until a popular uprising forced the family to flee the country.
Most supporters of Marcus Jr. He considers these historical records mere lies spread by his opponents.