Philippine election: why are overseas Filipinos such big fans of Bongbong Marcos Jnr?
- The presidential frontrunner, hailing from a family reviled by many citizens, has a large fan following among Filipinos working abroad, including in Japan, Hong Kong
- Many workers who run online campaigns in support of the senator and his running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio say charisma is one of the reasons why they back him
The support for Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr, 64, is especially strong among Philippines’ 2.2 million overseas workers.
Before the pandemic that forced thousands to return to the archipelago jobless, they remitted home US$33.5 billion in 2019, constituting almost 10 per cent of the country’s GDP.
‘A perfect partnership’
On Marcos Snr, who placed the country under martial law in 1972 so he could rule by decree for the next 14 years, Querubin said: “There was a reason why his father enacted martial law. And the one running now is the son and not the father, right?
“Their dynasty is full of hope, the Dutertes’ political strategy goes hand in hand with the Marcoses’ plans.
“It’s a perfect partnership – all for the people,” added Querubin, who has been living in Japan for more than a decade.
Dozens of pro-Marcos groups have emerged overseas, including in Hong Kong, where they have organised events to rally support for their political leaders. More than 130,000 Filipinos call the Asian financial hub home, with some 47,000 voting in the 2016 presidential election.
“When I see photos of [Sara] with Bongbong, it’s like I’m watching a telenovela,” said Romero, who recently attended a gathering in the city that drew dozens of Marcos Jnr supporters.
“[Bongbong] is so well-mannered. Sara is my idol – she’s very brave, protects the people, has a good heart,” added the 45-year-old, an overseas worker of 12 years.
Colour coordination
Like Romero, Filipinos at home and abroad have turned to social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube to express support for their preferred candidates. It has sparked questions about whether positive posts on the contenders are part of an organised publicity campaign or the true views of fans.
The strategy has also drawn attention to the issue of disinformation circulating online and through messaging apps. The hashtag with Marcos Jnr’s name on the short video-sharing app TikTok is leading other candidates with 1.4 billion views, and clips describe his father as “the best president of the Philippines”.
Political analyst Jorge Tigno said the tandem’s popularity should be credited to their well-coordinated campaign devised by managers and media advisers.
“A lot of pro-Marcos narratives are circulated heavily on social media – much of this is consumed by Filipinos overseas,” said Tigno, a professor of political science at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
I’m hoping for more investors in our country so that Filipinos don’t need to work abroad
With many supporters sporting merchandise and red shirts in solidarity with the former congressman, Tigno said that colour coordination compensates for the country’s “weak or virtually nonexistent” party system.
He added that candidates who have yet to choose a platform benefit from being associated with a colour, which ultimately “simplifies things for voters”.
The legacy of Marcos Snr and his contentious time in office has not tarnished perceptions of his son. Neither has the late dictator’s involvement in a scheme to promote overseas labour through a charter in 1974, believing remittances from Filipinos abroad would benefit the country.
To automotive worker Jemar Legal, Marcos Snr did what was necessary and would “never have declared martial law if it wasn’t needed”.
“There were many people who wanted to seize our country,” he said, referring to the long-time leader’s claim that there was an impending takeover by communist insurgents, which prompted him to suspend civil rights.
Legal, who is based in Saudi Arabia, runs a YouTube channel where he shares his views about Marcos Jnr with some 100,000 subscribers.
“I promote Bongbong because that’s my belief. There are many experts, but sometimes they are just wrong,” Legal said, adding that he has “never accepted money from politicians”.
“Those who say Bongbong doesn’t have a platform – are you deaf or blind?”
Marcos Jnr and his party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (Federal Party of the Philippines), have also been quick to capitalise on a valuable support base as next year’s election nears.
In October, they announced a slew of proposals, including setting up an OFW hospital and bank and ratifying a comprehensive benefits and retirement plan, The Manila Bulletin reported.
Meanwhile, Duterte passed a law in December to establish the Department of Migrant Workers, a government agency dedicated to improving the welfare of Filipino workers abroad.
Marcos Jnr hailed the move as an “institutional love letter” to overseas labourers, adding that it would address long-standing issues faced by them.
Guillermo Maliones, a Singapore-based technician, said he hoped Marcos Jnr would fix the country’s mounting economic woes so Filipinos “wouldn’t have to leave for jobs far away”.
“I am hoping for more investors in our country so that Filipinos don’t need to work abroad,” he said.
“People have woken up to the [mistakes] of the past administrations. We’re a country rich with natural resources, I don’t want the concept of OFW any more.”
