Bongbong Marcos

Bongbong Marcos. Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., known as Bongbong Marcos, is the 17th and current President of the Philippines. The son of former President Ferdinand Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, his political career includes serving as a Senator, a member of the House of Representatives, and Governor of Ilocos Norte. His 2022 presidential victory marked a dramatic political comeback for the Marcos family, whose two-decade rule ended with the People Power Revolution in 1986.

Early life and education

Born in Manila, he is the second of three children of Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos. He spent his early years in Malacañang Palace after his father was elected president in 1965. For his secondary education, he attended the Worth School in England before enrolling at St Edmund Hall, Oxford. His time at Oxford University was controversial, as he did not complete his degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He later pursued a graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School but also left without a degree. During the declaration of martial law in 1972, he was appointed as a special assistant in the Presidential Management Staff.

Political career

His political career began in 1980 when he was elected as the Vice Governor of Ilocos Norte, with his sister Imee Marcos as governor. He became Governor of Ilocos Norte in 1983, a position he held until the family's exile following the People Power Revolution. After returning to the Philippines in 1991, he was elected again as governor in 1998, serving until 2007. He then served as the Congressman for the Ilocos Norte's 2nd district from 2007 to 2010. Elected to the Senate of the Philippines in 2010, he served as chairman of the committees on Local Government and Public Works. He ran for Vice President of the Philippines in 2016, narrowly losing to Leni Robredo in a contest he disputed.

2022 presidential campaign and presidency

He launched his presidential campaign in October 2021 under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, forming a powerful alliance with vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte, daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. His campaign, managed by a team including his sister Imee Marcos, focused on a platform of "unity" and largely avoided direct discussion of the martial law era. He won the 2022 Philippine presidential election by a historic landslide. His presidency has prioritized economic policy, infrastructure development through the Build! Build! Build! program's continuation, and strengthening ties with traditional allies like the United States and China. Key appointments have included Benjamin Diokno at the Department of Finance and Felipe Medalla at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Personal life

He is married to attorney Louise Araneta, whom he wed in 1993 in a ceremony at the Sicilian Palazzo Branciforte. The couple has three sons: Ferdinand Alexander, Joseph Simon, and William Vincent. An avid musician, he plays the Stratocaster guitar and has performed with his band. He maintains close relationships with his siblings, particularly Senator Imee Marcos. His family resides in Mandaluyong when not at Malacañang Palace.

Controversies and legal issues

His life and career have been surrounded by significant controversy, primarily stemming from his family's legacy. He has faced persistent questions about his academic credentials from Oxford University and the University of Pennsylvania. The Presidential Commission on Good Government has pursued the family for billions of dollars in alleged ill-gotten wealth, with cases pending in the Sandiganbayan. His refusal to pay a 1995 Hong Kong court judgment, stemming from a human rights case filed by victims of the martial law period, led to a contempt ruling. His electoral protest following the 2016 Philippine vice presidential election was unanimously dismissed by the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, in 2021.

Category:Presidents of the Philippines Category:Marcos family Category:Living people