BBM in Time’s influential list

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People for 2024.

In an article published on Thursday, Time recognized Marcos’ efforts to stabilize the economy post-pandemic and enhance the Philippines’ global standing.

Time Magazine correspondent Charlie Campbell praised the head of state for his position on the West Philippine Sea amid China’s growing assertiveness in the disputed maritime area.

“Bongbong’s desire to rehabilitate the Marcos name has resulted in other shifts. He brought technocrats back into government, steadied the post-pandemic economy, and elevated the Philippines on the world stage,” Campbell wrote.

“Bongbong has stood steadfast against Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea and bolstered his nation’s alliance with the US in the face of ‘rising tensions in our region and the world,’” Campbell said.

“Many problems persist, including extrajudicial killings and journalists routinely attacked. But by trying to repair his family name, Bongbong may reshape his country,2 too,” Campbell noted.

But Campbell also cited the Marcos family’s alleged misuse of public funds and human rights abuses during his father’s tenure.

“Bongbong’s rise to the Philippine presidency in 2022 was owed to whitewashing his family legacy through clever manipulation of social media,” he said.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Marcos was named to Time’s list nearly 68 years after his namesake appeared on the magazine’s cover. Time featured Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in a story in 1966.

Other Filipinos who had made the Time list were former president Rodrigo Duterte and former senator Leila de Lima in 2017.

Marcos joined a distinguished group on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list that included Hollywood celebrities Dua Lipa, Taraji P. Henson, and Michael J. Fox, and prominent sports figures such as NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes, Dallas Mavericks owner Marc Cuban, and Formula One racer Max Verstappen.

Other notable figures on the list include World Bank president Ajay Banga, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, among others.