Bongbong: Presidential run not off the table

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has confirmed he is considering running for president in the May 2022 elections.

In an online forum organized by the Anvil Business Club before the weekend, Marcos said his supporters have been pushing him to run for president, noting his ranking in recent surveys.

“I feel that at least it’s a possibility. It’s certainly part of the plan. The presidency is not taken off the table by any means,” Marcos replied to a question by The STAR on when he intends to finalize his political plans.

“If you look at surveys I do better in the presidential survey than the vice-presidential survey. So yes, I think that’s a common sentiment that many of our supporters that definitely want me to run for the presidency,” Marcos said.

He said he has been getting support from various groups, a factor that could determine his political plans.

Marcos said he has been talking to various political parties, including the two factions of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

He was referring to the faction of President Duterte and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on one side, and Senators Manny Pacquiao and Aquilino Pimentel III on the other.

“In truth, we talk to everybody. All of them are my friends, anyway. I’ve worked with them. We’ve been together. Even the opposing party, we still talk… We are talking to the factions and others,” Marcos added.

Marcos, who has yet to give a definite answer on his political plans, enumerated his views on how to go forward after the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the country’s economy.

He cited some gains in the national government vaccination efforts, which he said is affected by the emergence of the Delta variant.

“Now, how do we prepare for that (new normal). It was in my view, COVID reminded us that we really need to get back to basics… COVID has shown us the weaknesses in our economic systems… agriculture production and digital infrastructure,” Marcos said.

He said one of the first things that the COVID-19 pandemic showed was the problem with food supply.

“We have a problem with food supply. That tells us that there are weaknesses in our agricultural products that we have to return to and look at.”