And it's textbook case for running a well-oiled campaign. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. The ultimate goal: catapult Marcos' namesake and only son Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, also known as "BBM", to crush his rivals in the May ballot, and succeed President Rodrigo Duterte. Stop attacking the messenger. This is the biggest straw, and has proven to be the most effective weapon in the resurgence of the Marcos dynasty. Thats why theyre keeping him in a refrigerated vault. You cant really blame him the focus in media and social media has been on the abuses during Marcos 21 years in power. Content takedowns and de-platforming alone will not solve the disinformation crisis in the Philippines or elsewhere. Its a counter-revolution, said Prof. Heydarian. Add to. In recent years, many analysts have unfairly caricatured the so-called surprise electoral victories of populist leaders as the result of uneducated voters brainwashed by disinformation. Rappler.com. Independent media outlets were also shut down. A recent study also found as few as 6% of pages in select 5th and 6th grade Philippine public school textbooks were allotted to the Marcos dictatorship. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Initial polls showed she was even ahead of Marcos Jr in the presidential race. They wrapped themselves up in this very strange bubble where only their supporters would hear what they had to say, which was nothing, Rafael said. Family who pillaged billions of dollars from national coffers back in style. They were friends after all. He previously served as a senator from 2010 to 2016. READ:Do the Marcoses have ill-gotten wealth? Jonathan Ferro drives you through the market moving events from around the world on Bloomberg's The Open. In unofficial election results announced on Tuesday, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is leading Leni Robredo, his main. He entered politics for the first time in his home province of Ilocos Norte in 1981, as a 23-year-old vice-governor. Former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno declared that he has completely moved on after his defeat in the 2022 presidential elections, reason why he agreed to play the role of the late opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. in the upcoming film "Martyr or Murderer" (MoM) where Sen. Imee Marcos is the executive and creative producer. More than half of the countrys population was born after 1986, and thus have no personal memory of martial law or the catalysts for the Marcoses downfall. One to sawa dynasty, anyone? I must confess that I was thrilled when Marcos imposed Martial Law. Marcos Jr. asks transport groups to rethink planned week-long strike, Bring on the sunshine: vivo makes summer vacays brighter for its fans, 9 persons of interest tagged in Adamson frat death still at large, 3 with police | INQToday, Kickstart summer with vivos hot smartphone deals this 3.3, House energy committee chair Arroyo bats for cheap electricity, Boybits Victoria, former PBA top rookie, passes away at 50, Kylie Padilla urges bashers to stop calling AJ Raval a mistress: Its not fair to her, Extremely disappointed Boy Abunda tells Liza Soberano: Do not disregard your past, BPI unit wins bid to manage P1-B Pag-IBIG Fund portfolio, Binondo warehouse raid yields P10-B worth of fake bags, shoes BOC, Marcos condoles with kin of Adamson U student: There should be no room for violence in student organizations. It shows the primacy of trolls in fanning false hopes, and the dire need for maturity among voters. Presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno had earlier expressed openness to getting President Dutertes support and even considered including him in his senate lineup before the president eventually withdrew his candidacy. In turning down a one-on-one interview with Jessica Soho, Marcos Jr.s camp pointed to the veteran journalists supposed bias against him. But thanks in part to a patient long-term project of brand rehabilitation on social media, and expedient power-brokering with the powerful Dutertes to unify forces against their liberal elite rivals, the family has made a successful comeback. Despite leading preference polls, Marcos Jr has yet to lay out a comprehensive platform. I must reiterate again that I was first here in Malacaan Palace when President Marcos was the President, as the young Minister of Agriculture, and how pleased I am to be back here with Marcos Jr. Bongbong to be there. Of these, only one . This is the first time anyone had garnered a majority (in 1992, Fidel Ramos only got some 23.5% of the votes). Itmanifests the resentment many Filipinos have towards oligarchic stranglehold over the country's economy in the last 36 years since the EDSA revolt that ousted Marcos Sr. Hopefully, we don't get caught in the middle of a shooting war between the US and China over Taiwan. He has withheld the truth about the Marcos plunder before and during martial rule, which he has misrepresented as a golden era. He knows from multiple accounts that these illicit funds are diversions made from foreign economic aid, US military assistance, and from public and private sources. Whatever the future holds, this much is evident, Rafael said: Marcos Jr. was able to apply his fathers propaganda toolkit to scale the political heights and orchestrate a comeback for his family that 36 years ago would have seemed inconceivable. When the opposition finally went to the grassroots and had a dialogue with Marcos supporters, it was inspiring, monumental, and important. Situate the analysis of his accomplishments in a vacuum and. The strongest backers of BBM are not just the well-heeled like Dr Peralta but also the poorest of the poor. He and first lady Nancy Reagan counted Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos as friends, upholding the Philippines as a rare democracy in Southeast Asia. This could be a problem later one when the country does need to make changes in the basic law of the land. To find out more, please click this link. Bea is a senior multimedia reporter who covers national politics. That a great number of Filipinos count on the mythical mountain of gold supposedly handed down to Marcos Sr by a fictional Tallano Family (whose gold stash supposedly came all the way from King Solomon), is no mystery. But from 1972 to 1981, Marcos also controlled the Philippines through martial law, which he declared was necessary in order to combat perceived threats to the country from communists and Muslim separatists. All rights reserved. subscription, Philippine court orders arrest of ex-first lady Imelda Marcos for graft, Marcos wealth spread all over Europe - lawyer, Philippines: 523% increase in internet speed, Philippines: 5,000% surge in digital payments in the time of COVID-19, Clark Airport: Rising travel hub 85km north of Manila, Sinking Philippine tanker sparks diesel spill, Marcos urges military to focus on South China Sea, Unpaid taxes? And thank you very much for this hospitality. He defeated nine other opponents by a wide margin in an election that experts say was tainted by rampant social media misinformation. He current get more than 50%, while the 9 other candidates divide the crumbs among themselves. The late President Ferdinand Marcos waves goodbye to supporters from the balcony of Malacaang Palace in Manila following his oath-taking ceremony as victor in the Philippine Presidential snap elections, Feb. 25 1986. To be honest, I dont think attacking Marcos (Jr) will be very useful, for the (opposition) campaign anymore. Bongbong, wearing a golden crown, rides on a white stallion . Marcos was perhaps the most charismatic of all Philippine presidents when democrats were still fashionable in elections and statecraft. Now, the loot of the Marcoses has been legitimised through repetition of the so-called Tallano Gold myth. Add your comment to start the conversation. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Magazines, Digital This is like just cementing the ruling class, La Via, the former dean of the Ateneo School of Government, says. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. By recasting himself as the victim of elite historians and academicsas the victim, even, of the activists who survived torture and abuse during his fathers dictatorshipMarcos shows that false victimhood claims can effectively appeal to an anxious public when packaged in compelling myth and melodrama. Xi and Biden were among the first world leaders to congratulate Marcos Jr. on his apparent election win, suggesting the two rivals view the Philippines as a pivotal linchpin in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region. Dr Peralta (name changed) believesBBMs victory is a matter of destiny. This, together with sustained geo-targetting of Filipino social media users with content favouring Marcos and his family, goes all the way back to at least 2014, according to one study. He got the highest percentage in the characteristics that. The two decades that Ferdinand Marcos Sr . He was so good with his Marcos impersonation, that during the critical hours of the People Power Revolt, when the dictator appeared on TV to prove he was still in charge, there were those who believed it was a ploy with the popular comedian in the starring role. They are artfully compelling stories for the young and the excluded. He's the son of a. You can manage them any time by clicking on the notification icon. The Marcos myths of a strong and stable nationand of being misunderstood victims who could thus relate with anyones social and economic victimhoodwould resonate in many countries. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. One thing became clear during the Marcos years: Even during dark times, Filipinos can still maintain a healthy sense of humor. PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as "spoiled" and a "weak leader" as he spurned a coalition with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) headed by his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara . He is the second child and only son of 10th . In 1984, the Philippine GDP shrank by a record 7%the worst contraction since World War II. The amplified social campaign bolstering the accomplishments of Marcos Sr has also changed the narrative. Marcos Jr is the most controversial, and is himself facing numerous cases, including a conviction over a tax-evasion case. Tech platforms must now tread very carefully under a leader determined to rewrite his familysand the nationshistory. His supporters will say that Marcos Jr.s presidency will signal the countrys democracy [is] moving forward and looking to the future., Whether or not Bongbong Marcos will be like his father once he takes office, meanwhile, remains to be seenbut experts agree that hes likely not to follow his fathers strongman footsteps.He doesnt have the kind of drive and ambition and scale of vision that his father had, says Heydarian. Read More: The Philippines Problem With Dynastic Politics. Inside Bongbong's childhood room, hanging next to an ornate four-poster bed, is an extraordinary portrait of the would-be-leader. The economy and markets are "under surveillance". Thats why Duterte won, not because hes really good, but he convinced people that hes really the guy who gets things done. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. (UK: / m r k s / MAR-koss, US: /-k o s,-k s /-kohss, -kawss, Tagalog: ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. Performance & security by Cloudflare. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Marcos Sr. was brought down with US support. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. looks set to win the Philippines presidential election, marking the return of the Marcos family to power more than three decades after being forced to flee the . But theres another political figure whom candidates could look to for an endorsement: Senator Grace Poe, who ran for president in the 2016 elections. But even before the People Power Revolt, during the darkest days of dictatorship, Filipinos were already coming up with creative ways to defy the regime. It's a rather vague promise, amplified on social media. This non-confrontational strategy has paid off, and handsomely. Envoy: Japan, Australia may join patrols with US, PH. On this note, and based on a survey ahead of the office election period, presidential race frontrunner Bongbong Marcos Jr. was seen as the candidate who possesses the characteristics voters are looking for in the next countrys leader. Social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, where many Filipinos consume their information, were flooded with content casting martial law and life under the elder Marcos as a golden age., This directly informed many peoples understanding of martial law under his father presenting that history in a positive light, Villaraza said. Answer (1 of 9): A lot of my Filipino friends tell me they will vote for for Bongbong Marcos, the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in the 2022 elections. The well-respected Pulse Asia shows Marcos Jr. ahead by a wide margin 53% of the 2,400 respondents picked BBM in January. Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2023. Trailing Poe as notable endorsers from within politics, based on surveys, is President Duterte himself and his daughter, Sara. Only in the Philippines could yellow confetti become a symbol of protest. According to the October 2021 survey, Marcos leads all presidential bets in 12 characteristics respondents were made to choose from. Political scientists cite 8reasons why BBM enjoys an unprecedented +50% of voter preference, and why the struggling opposition should care to listen and tweak their campaign: The Tallano gold is part of a bigger narrative to distort history, and burnish the image of Marcoses, through trolls-for-hire armies sustaining a venomous anti-oligarch, and historical distortion campaign.