[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The son of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos was inaugurated as the 17th president on the 30th (local time), marking the return to power of the globally notorious dictator family after 36 years.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (64), who inherited his father's name, held his inauguration ceremony at noon in front of the National Museum in the capital, Manila.
According to foreign media including AFP, President Marcos praised his father during the inauguration, saying he was "a figure who achieved great accomplishments in a country that had achieved nothing after independence," and that he "built more roads and increased food production compared to his predecessors."
He added, "I, as his son, will definitely do the same," and stated, "I am aware of the weight of the responsibility entrusted to me by the citizens and will faithfully perform my duties."
Also present at the inauguration was his 92-year-old mother Imelda, who was dubbed the "Queen of Extravagance" for her lavish purchases of jewelry and luxury shoes during her husband's presidency.
On this day, Doug Emhoff, husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and Wang Qishan, Vice President of China, attended as congratulatory envoys. South Korea also dispatched a congratulatory special envoy led by Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party.
Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte (77) congratulated Marcos at the presidential palace before the inauguration ceremony.
His father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, was notorious as a dictator who ruled for a long time from 1965 to 1986. In particular, seven years after taking power, from 1972 to 1981, he declared martial law, arresting, torturing, and killing thousands of opposition members.
Angered citizens rose up in the 1986 People Power Revolution, a civil uprising, forcing Marcos to step down. He died in exile three years after his ousting.
Civil society groups remembering the dark past and power-related corruption under Marcos strongly oppose his son's presidential election, arguing that "the son of a dictator is not qualified to run." Some members of these groups also gathered around the inauguration venue to protest against Marcos.
Foreign media also voiced criticism upon reporting Marcos's inauguration. The British weekly The Economist published an article titled "By choosing another Marcos, the Filipino people show they have forgotten history," describing it as a result of the Filipino people's amnesia and stating that the era ushered in by the 1986 People Power Revolution has ended.
Attention is also focused on whether Marcos Jr. will properly carry out the recovery of the astronomical amount of government assets embezzled by his father during his regime. After taking office in 1986, the late President Corazon Aquino, whose husband was assassinated under Marcos's rule, established the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to recover the Marcos family's assets. The PCGG has so far recovered 171 billion pesos (4 trillion won) from the Marcos family, with an additional 125 billion pesos (3 trillion won) remaining to be recovered.
There is also a possibility of changes in the Philippines' foreign policy. While his predecessor Duterte showed a pro-China stance between the allied United States and China, Marcos is expected to pursue pragmatic diplomacy that maintains traditional alliance relations with the U.S. while preserving friendly ties with China.
Along with this, Marcos faces immediate challenges such as resolving inflation, economic growth, and increasing food production. He has particularly emphasized food security among these tasks and decided to personally take charge as the minister responsible for increasing agricultural production.
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