Ferdinand Marcos, the son of the Philippine ruler deposed in a popular uprising 36 years ago, was sworn in as the country’s president on Thursday, promising to work for unity and a brighter future while honouring his late father’s legacy.
Marcos, 64, won the presidency by a landslide last month, capping off his wealthy family’s decades-long quest to reclaim the presidency and transform its image after being driven out in 1986.
‘We are here to repair a house divided, to make it whole, and to stand strong once more,’ he said during his inauguration speech, echoing his campaign slogans of unity.
Marcos Jr thanked voters for giving him ‘the biggest electoral mandate in the history of Philippine democracy’ in a rousing 30-minute speech with sister Imee, a senator, and mother Imelda, a former congresswoman, seated nearby, and said the country would go far under his watch.
The elder Ferdinand Marcos ruled for nearly two decades beginning in 1965, almost half of which was spent under martial law, allowing him to extend his power until his overthrow and family’s exile during a ‘people power’ revolution.
During his reign, thousands of his opponents were imprisoned, killed, or disappeared, and the family name became synonymous with cronyism, extravagance, and billions of dollars in missing state wealth. The Marcos family denies any wrongdoing.
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