Historic proclamation of first majority president and vice-president in the post-1986 era, says Congress
(Eagle News) — “Wish me well. Pray for me. I want to do well for this country.”
This was the statement of Philippine president-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., shortly after he was proclaimed as the 17th president of the country.
His running mate, presidential daughter, Sara Duterte, was also proclaimed as the country’s next vice-president at the end of a very historic national canvass of votes for the president and vice-president, described as the fastest in the nation’s history.
President-elect Marcos was proclaimed after two days of the national canvass of votes which saw him getting 58.77 percent of the total votes cast for the presidential elections. He garnered 31,629,783 votes, which is over 16 million votes more than that of his closest rival, Vice-President Leni Robredo, who got 15 million votes.
Marcos Jr., is thus the first majority president of the country since the 1987 Constitution, said the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), Senate panel chair senator Miguel Zubiri, detailing how the May 9, 2022 elections had been historic.
Marcos Jr’s running mate, Inday Sara Duterte, is also the first majority vice-president in the country after getting 61.53 percent of the votes cast for the position. She got 32,208,417 votes. Her closest rival is Robredo’s running mate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan who got 9.3 million votes.
“The result of this election is historical in several ways,” Zubiri said.
He noted how the May 9, 2022 national and local elections had the highest voter turnout in the country’s election history, at over 82 percent.
Aside from this, it is also the first time that the country has elected a majority president and a majority vice-president since the 1987 Constitution.
Zubiri said that this is phenomenal in the current multi-party system under a presidential form of government.
-Marcos Jr: “I want to do well for my country”-
Marcos, in his pronouncements, shortly after his proclamation, said he knows he has such a daunting task ahead.
He said he is humbled by his win, but knows that he has to unite the country after one of the most emotionally divisive elections.
“Please pray for me, Wish me well. Because when a president does well, a country does well too. And I want to do well for my country,” said the 64-year old Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late president Ferdinand Marcos who had ruled the country for over 20 years.
Marcos Jr., in previous interviews, recalled how he was just seven years old, when his father was elected as the country’s 10th president in 1965. He was 28 years old when his father was ousted from power in 1986. And after 36 years, he is set to return to Malacanang as the country’s 17th president at the age of 64.
The Marcos name evokes a lot of emotions in a country divided by how they react to the 20 years of Marcos rule marked by the controversial martial law years.
But Marcos Jr., said he wants a “unifying” presidency.
-Healing process –
The Philippine Congress which proclaimed him as the 17th president said the event was significant, but should also be the start of a healing process, both for the country and its people.
The president-elect was accompanied by his family when he was proclaimed and his hand raised at the podium of the House of Representatives by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
With him were his wife, Atty Liza Araneta, his mother, the 92-year old former First Lady Imelda Marcos, his sisters senator Imee Marcos and Irene Marcos-Araneta, and his sons. Also there was House Majority Floor Leader Martin Romualdez, his cousin.
“Let us heal the walls of the political division,” Rep. Romualdez said.
“At the end of the day, we are all Filipinos and we want nothing than to see our beloved nation chart its own course and ultimately triumph,” he said.
Zubiri, in his excitement, belatedly moved for the approval of the joint committee report and the resolution of both houses declaring the results of the May 9 national elections, and proclaiming Marcos Jr as president, and Sara Duterte as vice-president.
He noted the significance of the proclamation on Wednesday, May 25, amid a very divided country.
“The greater task of the victors today is to unite our countrymen for nation building that begins today,” he said.
“It is a time to respect the will of the majority of our electorate, and most importantly, it is to unite for the welfare and progress of our people and rally behind our flag and our country,” he added.
(Eagle News Service)
