Ted Anthony
Associated Press
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Photo via Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs)
NEW YORK (AP) — New President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to “reintroduce the Philippines” to the world, both on the international stage and at home, setting ambitious goals for his country. Planning – if the two specters of the pandemic and climate change can be overcome or at least managed.
If only he could surpass the legacy of two people: his ex and his father.
He also wants to strengthen ties with the U.S. and China — a delicate balancing act for the Southeast Asian nation — and, like many other leaders at the United Nations this week, called on countries that cause global warming to provide Helping less wealthy countries offsets its impact.
Marcos, who took office this spring, has drawn both subtle and stark distinctions between himself and his articulate predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.
When asked if Duterte had gone too far in fighting the deadly drug, Marcos turned his criticism to those who carried out the plan.
“His people sometimes go too far,” Marcos told The Associated Press on Sept. 23. “We’ve seen a lot of cases, police officers, other agents, some just shadowy figures, we don’t really know where they came from and who they were for. But now we’ve caught up with them.”
Marcos, 65, gave extensive interviews in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s annual leaders meeting. Three months into his tenure, he appears energetic, enthusiastic — and eager to project his vision of the country beyond its borders.
On Sept. 22, he met with U.S. President Joe Biden to strengthen a complex relationship that has had its ups and downs since the Philippines was a U.S. colony for 40 years in the early 20th century.
“Some places may not be ideal,” Marcos said. “But in the end, the overall trajectory is to strengthen and strengthen our relationship.”
Besides Duterte, Marcos must distinguish himself from the most iconic figure in the Philippine public sphere: his late father, who bears his namesake. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., a hero to some and a predatory dictator to others, ruled from the 1960s to the 1980s, including turbulent times of martial law and repression. He made the family reputation an indelible part of Philippine history.
Dealing directly with the family legacy is something the son has been reluctant to do, at least make it clear, despite his vehement opposition to the use of the term “dictator” to describe his father’s rule. For him, the political baggage of his parents is a remnant of the past.
“I’m not obsessed with any political back and forth about the Marcos family,” he said. “All I said was, ‘What do we have to do to get into a better place?’ and people responded.” Participation, he said, was just a renovation — and unnecessary. “It doesn’t help. It doesn’t change anything,” he said. “What’s the point of that?”
Marcos Sr. placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term expired. He blocked Congress and newspapers, ordered the arrest of political opponents and activists, and ruled by decree. Thousands of Filipinos disappeared under his rule; some were never taken into account.
When it comes to his predecessor, Marcos has also taken a subtle political line. Separating himself from Duterte’s in-person rule could benefit him both domestically and internationally, but Duterte’s popularity helped him rise to power, and the former president’s daughter Sarah is Marcos’ vice president.
The extrajudicial killings linked to Duterte’s years-long crackdown have sparked calls for his government to be investigated from the outside, and he has vowed not to rejoin the ICC – a precept that Marcos agrees to. After all, Marcos asks, why should a country with a well-functioning legal system be judged elsewhere?
“We have a judiciary. It’s not perfect,” he said. “I don’t understand why we need an outside referee to tell us how to investigate, who to investigate, how to investigate.”
Marcos sees the coronavirus pandemic as what many other leaders say — a balance between keeping people safe and making sure life can move forward.
“We took a very extreme stance in the Philippines, and we ended up with the longest lockdown of any country in the world,” he said. “That was the choice of the previous administration. And now, we’re coming out of it.”
In recent days, he has both revoked a state mandate for wearing masks outdoors and extended a “state of disaster” — something he said he didn’t necessarily want to do, but that keeping the declaration would allow more people to continue to get help.
“It’s not very encouraging when people look at your country and see, ‘Well, it’s in a state of disaster.’ It’s bad for tourists. It’s bad for tourists. It’s bad for businesses,” Marcos said.
Encouraging links with China, especially given Beijing’s aggressive maritime policies, can be a daunting prospect for a country historically allied with the United States. But, Marcos says, it’s possible — and necessary.
“This is a very fine line that we have to walk in the Philippines,” the president said. “We don’t subscribe to the old Cold War ‘sphere of influence’. … So it’s really driven by national interests, number one. Number two, maintaining peace.”
Peace comes in many forms. Last week, Marcos traveled to the south of the country — a predominantly Muslim region of the predominantly Catholic country — to express support for years of helping a one-time rebel group, the MILF, to give up guns and manage their autonomous region effectively. .
While the Moro people have joined the government, smaller militant groups, including the violent Abu Sayyaf, continue to fight the government and launch sporadic attacks, especially in poor rural areas where law enforcement is weak. Marcos sees Abu Sayyaf as a group that no longer has a cause other than “bandits”.
“I don’t believe they are a movement anymore. They’re not fighting for anything,” Marcos said. “They’re just criminals.”
Marcos did not specify why the reintroduction was needed to the Philippines, even though the country’s image took a hit from 2016 to 2022 under the Duterte administration.
“The purpose of my visit to New York this time is really … to try to reintroduce the Philippines to our American friends in the private and public sectors,” he said.
After the pandemic is truly over, the country needs to find a productive path and follow it, he said.
“We have to position ourselves. We have to be smart in forecasting, with a bit of foresight,” he said.
“We don’t want to go back to everything we did before the pandemic,” Marcos said. “We want to be able to participate and be an important part of the new global economy, the new global political situation.”
