Manila, 30 June 2022
64 years old Ferdinand Romualdez "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. took oath today afternoon as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines, with a promise of promoting unity and bringing progress to the country.
Marcos, the son of the late former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr.(1965-1986), was sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at the National Museum of the Philippines in the City of Manila.
The 1987 Constitution mandates the President-elect to take oath at noon on June 30, a ceremonial event marking the commencement of his six-year term as the country's new chief executive.
Present on the occasion were Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff; Philippine's Vice President Sara Duterte; 93 year old former first lady and mother of Marcos Jr. Imelda Marcos; former Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Joseph Estrada; Marcos' wife First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, their sons Sandro, Simon, and Vincent; sister Senator Imee Marcos and adopted sister Aimee Marcos. However, incoming second sister Irene Marcos-Araneta not seen on the occasion.
The ceremony featured a 21-gun salute, a military parade, air force jet fly-bys, police, health workers, farmers, and transport workers was featured in the event.
Celebrity Toni Gonzaga, a supporter of Marcos, sang the national anthem.
During the campaign, he and Sara Duterte avoided controversial issues and focused on a vague call for national unity. Marcos won the presidential race after garnering 31,629,783 votes or 58.77 percent of the votes cast in the May 9 national and local elections.
In a stirring 30-minute speech, Marcos Jr. pledged education reforms, to improve food sufficiency, infrastructure, waste management and energy supply, and to give full support for millions of overseas Filipino workers.
"I fully understand the gravity of the responsibility you put on my shoulders. I do not take it lightly but I am ready for the task," he said.
"' will get it done.'
He defended the legacy of his late father, who he said accomplished many things that had not been done since the country’s independence.
“He got it done, sometimes with the needed support, sometimes without. So will it be with his son,” he said to applause from his supporters in the crowd. “You will get no excuses from me.”
“My father built more and better roads, produced more rice than all administrations before his,” Marcos Jr. said. He praised the infrastructure projects by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who ended his six-year term also with a legacy of violence, strong-man rule and contempt for those who stood in his path.
Marcos, donning a rayadillo-inspired barong made by multi-awarded designer Pepito Albert, opted for a "very solemn and simple" inauguration.
Prior to the inauguration, Marcos met with his predecessor, outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte, at Malacañan Palace for the latter's departure honor.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Gen. De Leon thanked its personnel for their hard work which resulted in the peaceful and orderly inauguration rites.
More than 15,000 policemen, soldiers, and other members of law enforcement and national and local government were deployed to secure the inauguration, which was attended by VIPs and foreign dignitaries.
De Leon also recognized the role of leaders, organizers, and members of various groups that held protests for policing their own ranks, which led to the peaceful programs.
Close to 1,000 protesters held a peaceful program at the Plaza Miranda in Manila, which was designated as a freedom park for the event.
Meanwhile, more than 5,000 Marcos supporters trooped to the public viewing area at the golf course in front of the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila before a lockdown was enforced in the area.
Prior to the inauguration, Marcos met with his predecessor, outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte, at Malacañan Palace for the latter's departure honors
American Chamber of Commerce Qatar
Bangladeshi Community
Filipino Community
Indian Community
Nepali Community
Pakistani Community
Sri Lankan Community
Absolutely excellent article! Well written Mr. Ashraf 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻