President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People for 2024 amid the attempts to rehabilitate the name of his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
The publication of Time Magazine's piece occurred shortly after Marcos said earlier this month that he is not obligated to apologize for the atrocities committed during his father's martial law regime.
In an article published on Thursday (Wednesday, US time), the renowned magazine recognized Marcos' efforts to stabilize the economy post-pandemic and his efforts to enhance the Philippines' global standing.
Time Magazine correspondent Charlie Campbell praised the head of state for his position on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and 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," as he said last May. Many problems persist, including extrajudicial killings and journalists routinely attacked. But by trying to repair his family name, Bongbong may reshape his country too," Campbell added.
However, the President remained shadowed by his family's notorious past, as Campbell outlined in his article.
Campbell mentioned Marcos' family's misuse of public funds and significant human rights abuses during his father's tenure.
"For Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos to make history, he first needed to rewrite his nation's. His dictator father plundered billions of dollars from state coffers and stood accused of grievous human-rights violations until his ouster in 1986," he wrote.
"Bongbong's rise to the Philippine presidency in 2022 was owed to whitewashing this family legacy through clever manipulation of social media," he added.
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 previously featured a story about Ferdinand Marcos Sr. before the imposition of martial law in 1966.
Other Filipinos who have been named to Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People include former president Rodrigo Duterte and former senator Leila De Lima in 2017, as well as journalist Maria Ressa in 2019.
The President also joined a distinguished group on Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list that includes Hollywood celebrities like Dua Lipa, Taraji P. Henson, and Michael J. Fox, alongside 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.
