Philippines start new era of Marcos rule.

MANILA, June 30 (Reuters) - Ferdinand Marcos sworn in as the country's president on Thursday. The newly elected president promised to strive for unity and a better future while praising his late father's legacy. Marcos won last month's election by capping off his family's regain of the presidency and transforming its image after the 1986 incident. 

"We are here to repair a house divided, to make it whole, and to stand strong again," he said in an inauguration speech while representing unity. In a 30-minute address rousing, Marcos Jr. thanked voters for giving him the best electoral mandates in the history of Philippine democracy. 

The elder Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines for two decades from 1965. He urged almost half of his term under martial law to extend his power until the overthrow. 

Marcos Jr. said in defence of his family's legacy, "I am here not to talk about the past. I am here to tell you about our future,". "I once knew a man who saw what little had achieved since independence ... but he got it done. Sometimes with the needed support, sometimes without, will it be with his son. You will get no excuses from me," he added. 

Marcos took his oath at the heavily guarded National Museum, which witnessed frequent demonstrations against his father's presidency. Later, Closely hundreds protested against Marcos, angered by a campaign. Later the critics said that he relied heavily on social media to win votes by debunking narratives of Marcos-era abuses and decadence and offering alternative versions of history.

Later, Marcos campaigned on the slogan "together we shall rise again", invoking nostalgia for his father's rule, which his family and supporters have portrayed as a golden age for the Philippines. At a heroes' monument, victims of persecution under martial law had gathered for their own oath-taking, promising to guard against what they called tyranny and lies. 

"The survivors are a vanishing breed, if not an endangered species, and the time to correct falsehoods and lay bare the truth is now," said Cristina Bawagan, who said she suffered abuse under the elder Marcos' rule. She said his son has pledged to deliver jobs and bring down consumer prices in a country of 110 million people, nearly a quarter of who live on less than $2 per day.

He said he would not disappoint the public and shall improve food sufficiency, education, infrastructure, and energy supply, tackle plastics pollution, and better support millions of overseas Filipino workers. "I am ready for the task," he said. "I will get it done." he said.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-begins-new-era-marcos-rule-decades-after-overthrow-2022-06-29/