Marcos Jr.’s Rise Is Grounds for Outrage. But Hold the Shock
It’s troubling enough that a Marcos will again lead the Philippines. Bongbong will need deftness in a world as complicated as any his father faced.
Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr.
Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/BloombergAs the temperature soared, Filipinos lined up for almost a mile to enter an elementary school in central Manila to cast their votes. Pop-up stalls sold water, mango shakes and even yakitori as music blared from cars and bikes. Despite the festive air, the task they — and tens of millions across the sprawling island republic — were engaged in was deadly serious: Determining whether a brutal dictator’s family returns to helm the country.
The last time a man named Marcos lived at the presidential palace, he packed his bags in a hurry. That was 1986 and an American helicopter was waiting to whisk him toward exile in Hawaii after the U.S. withdrew support for his bankrupt and discredited rule amid a popular uprising and defections from the army. Now, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has triumphed in the Philippines presidential election held Monday, based on unofficial tallies from media organizations and Bloomberg News calculations. His nearest opponent, Vice President Leni Robredo, trails by a big margin.