PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Influential People for 2024,” recognizing his efforts that it said “elevated the Philippines on the world stage.”
The Top 100 listed personalities categorized in six groups — artists, icons, titans, leaders, innovators, and pioneers.
Marcos is among 25 personalities in the leaders’ category which also includes Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and former Chinese Communist Party secretary Li Qiang.
Time recognized Marcos’ work and achievements in his first two years in office, from the Philippine economic performance to the stand taken by the country in the South China Sea, which it attributed to his “desire to rehabilitate the Marcos name.”
“He brought technocrats back into government, steadied the post-pandemic economy, and elevated the Philippines on the world stage. Bongbong has stood steadfast against Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea and bolstered his nation’s alliance with the US (United States) in the face of ‘rising tensions in our region and the world,’ as he said last May,” the magazine said.
It added that the Marcos administration is facing some persistent problems such as extrajudicial killings and journalists who are routinely attacked.
“But by trying to repair his family name, Bongbong may reshape his country too,” Time said.
The magazine described Marcos as the son of the late Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos who was referred to as a “dictator” and someone who “plundered billions of dollars from state coffers and stood accused of grievous human rights violations until his ouster in 1986.”
It also said Marcos rose to the presidency in 2022 after “whitewashing this family legacy through clever manipulation of social media.”
The Presidential Communications Office said the President’s inclusion in Time’s Top 100 is a reflection of Marcos’ brand of leadership that puts national interest and the welfare of every Filipino above all.
It said the Philippines, under Marcos, experienced “robust economic growth and recovery, exceeding expectations and instilling confidence in the country’s economic outlook.”
Meanwhile, First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos, in an interview by broadcaster Anthony Taberna on his YouTube channel “Tune in Kay Tunying,” talked about the relationship of her family with that of Vice President Sara Duterte.
A video teaser of the interview, showed her saying she had always been kind to the Vice President but was hurt when Duterte had merely laughed off criticisms hurled against Marcos by Duterte’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, including calling him an addict, during a prayer rally in Davao City. The Vice President was at the event.
“Bad shot na iyan (VP) sa akin. I mean for me, for me nasaktan ako because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together di ba? Sama-sama tayong babangon muli. Pupunta ka sa rally, tatawagin iyung presidente mong bangag, di ba, you’re going to laugh, tama ba yun? even (former vice president) Leni (Robredo) never did that [She is already a bad shot for me. I mean for me, for me, I was hurt because my husband will do everything to protect you. You ran together, didn’t you? Together we will rise again. You attended a rally where your president is called an addict, you’re going to laugh, is that right? even Leni never did that),” Araneta-Marcos said.
It was observed during recent several official functions, including departure ceremonies, that the First Lady would ignore the Vice President or avoid exchanging greetings with her, unlike in the past where they would sit together, chat, or even buss each other on the cheek.
