MANILA – Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the former dictator’s son and namesake, was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines on Thursday, praising his father’s legacy and promising to face a series of challenges when outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte term of six years.
In a ceremony that marked a remarkable comeback for a family once forced into exile, Mr. Marcos, 64, presented himself as a leader who would help the Philippines improve its economy and secure a more prosperous future.
“You won’t be disappointed, so don’t fret,” Mr Marcos said, speaking to thousands of supporters – including his 92-year-old mother, Imelda Marcos – at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila.
His victory has raised concerns that a new Marcos government may return the country to its autocratic past. Not only did Mr. Marcos secure the largest majority in more than 30 years, but his allies now control most of the House and Senate.
His running mate, Sara Duterte, Mr. Duterte’s daughter, won the vice presidency with an even bigger share of the vote. The President and Vice President are elected separately in the Philippines. Ms Duterte was inaugurated earlier this month.
In his inaugural address, Mr. Marcos that his father’s government built roads, produced rice and “never failed to defeat foreign attempts to break up our country.”
The scene surrounding the inauguration of Mr. Marcos on Thursday offered a vivid reminder of the challenges he faces in healing a country still marked by the memories of martial law under his father.
Thousands of security forces stood guard as protesters gathered at a place called “Freedom Park”, about half a mile from the national museum. For many of the protesters, the name Marcos was synonymous with excess, corruption and greed.
“The Marcos family should pay for their sins and be put in jail, not celebrated,” said Marites Karganila, 53, a street vendor from a township south of Manila. Two of her cousins were jailed during martial law.
Opponents say Mr Marcos has already displayed anti-democratic leanings, pointing out how he has largely shunned the news media and broken standards by refusing to participate in most presidential debates.
“I didn’t talk much in this campaign; I have not thought of disproving my rivals,” said Mr. Marcos during his inauguration speech. Instead, he said he spent time looking for “promising approaches that are better than the usual solutions.”
Mr. Marcos, who bears his childhood nickname, Bongbong, assumed the presidency as the country tries to recover from the pandemic while managing rising inflation and mounting debt. He also inherited from Mr. Duterte a legacy of a drug war that killed tens of thousands of people and sparked an International Criminal Court investigation.
The new president, who has previously indicated that he does not want to help the ICC with its investigation into Mr. Duterte, said in his speech that he would reject any foreign interference in domestic politics. “We can’t trust anyone else when it comes to what’s best for us,” he said.
He promised to improve the economy and come up with a comprehensive infrastructure plan. However, investors have shown little confidence in its economic prowess. Mr. Marcos placed at the bottom of a Bloomberg poll asking investors and analysts who they believe would be the best candidate to lead the economy.
While several of his cabinet positions are yet to be filled, Marcos announced this month that he would take on the role of agriculture minister, an unusual move that would give him direct control over food prices, which have risen. The positions in the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Health remain vacant.
In his speech, Mr. Marcos also appealed to the more than a million Filipinos who left the country to seek work abroad – as nannies, home care workers and sailors. These workers represent only about 2 percent of the population, but they have become a major voting bloc.
“We condemn the future of our race to subordinate professions abroad,” said Mr. Marcos. He paid special tribute to nurses who work abroad, acknowledging that “they’re there because we can’t afford them for the same risk and workload that we have here.”
Thursday’s inauguration came after polarizing elections. Leni Robredo, the outgoing vice president of the country, was Mr Marcos’ main rival. Tens of thousands of her supporters campaigned door-to-door in a massive grassroots movement determined to prevent a second Marcos presidency. But she placed a distant second to Mr. Marcos.
Emerson Briones, an Orthodox archbishop, said he didn’t understand why people were protesting the new president. He and dozens of Mr. Marcos’ followers celebrated the inauguration in front of the old Senate building. “I believe, like all of us, that he will be the best president ever,” said Archbishop Briones. “We are in for an exciting ride.”
“It was a fair election,” he added. “His father’s sins, whatever they are, are not his.”
Jason Gutierrez reported from Manila and Sui-Lee Wee from Singapore. Camille Elemia contributed reporting from Manila.
