Ferdinand Marcos Jr vowed to be a leader “for all Filipinos” after he claimed victory in the Philippines presidential election on Wednesday.
With 98 per cent of the votes counted and an unassailable lead of more than 16 million votes, Mr Marcos Jr's spokesman Vic Rodriguez said the Filipino people had “spoken decisively”.
“To the world, he says: 'judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions',” Mr Rodriguez said of the man nicknamed 'Bongbong'.
“His is a victory for all Filipinos and for democracy. To those who voted for Bongbong and those who did not, it is his promise to be a president for all Filipinos — to seek common ground across political divides and to work together to unite the nation.”
With the initial count almost complete, the son of the once-notorious Ferdinand Marcos Sr has secured more than 56 per cent of the vote and more than double the tally of his nearest rival, liberal Leni Robredo.
Voters had been predicted to back Mr Marcos Jr by a landslide, after relentless online whitewashing of his family's past, the backing of powerful political dynasties and public disenchantment with post-dictatorship governments.
For years, pro-Marcos accounts have flooded social media, leaving many young Filipinos believing his father's rule was a golden period of peace and prosperity.
In reality, Marcos Sr left the Philippines bankrupt and impoverished after killing, torturing and jailing tens of thousands of opponents during his corrupt dictatorship.
Hours after his thumping victory, Mr Marcos Jr visited his father's grave at the national heroes' cemetery in the Philippines' capital Manila.
Photos posted on official social media accounts on Wednesday showed him standing by the tomb with his head slightly bowed and covering his eyes with his right hand, as if crying.
Marcos Sr died in exile in 1989 but was interred at the graveyard in 2016 only after president Rodrigo Duterte defied public outcry to order the dictator's burial with full military honours.
Mr Marcos Jr vowed to "hit the ground running" when he takes office on June 30, with the economy, cost of living, jobs and education among his government's priorities.
"I know that the counting is not over, it is not yet official but I'm always guided and always look to the fact that 31 million of our countrymen voted for unity," he told reporters at his campaign headquarters in Manila.
Marcos Jr supporters 'overwhelmed' by election outcome
The president-elect was greeted by a crush of supporters as he arrived at the headquarters before fronting the media.
The crowd erupted in cheers when Mr Marcos Jr grabbed a cardboard sign from a fan that read "Thank you 31 million".
Joseph Bugayong, 30, a gardener who was among those standing outside the building, said he was happy and overwhelmed by the result.
"I saw him in person and even shook his hand," he said. "My wait was worth it."
The Marcos family's astounding journey from ignominy back to political favour has overshadowed questions about how Mr Marcos Jr's government will perform.
There were few hints on the campaign trail after he snubbed televised debates and largely avoided media interviews as he sought to avoid own goals.
Human rights groups, Catholic Church leaders and political analysts fear the huge win could embolden Mr Marcos Jr to rule with a heavy fist and push through constitutional changes that could entrench his rule.
His running mate Sara Duterte, the daughter of the outgoing president, also won the vice presidency, which is elected separately, by a landslide.
Their success at the ballot box means the two offspring of authoritarian leaders will hold the highest elected positions for the next six years at least.
In his first Cabinet appointment, Mr Marcos Jr said Ms Duterte would serve as education secretary.
The overwhelming win has devastated many of Ms Robredo's supporters, who regarded the election as a make-or-break moment for the country's fragile democracy.
Many of them went door to door across the vast archipelago in a months-long effort to convince voters to support the liberal candidate for the top job.
Ms Robredo, 57, a lawyer and the current vice president, admitted to "clear disappointment" but vowed to continue the fight against poor government.
Mr Marcos Jr will have to contend with an opposition that could congeal into a potent pro-democracy movement, political analyst Richard Heydarian said.
"I think they could still be in a position to check the worst instincts of the incoming Marcos and Duterte administration," he said.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Non-oil%20trade
%3Cp%3ENon-oil%20trade%20between%20the%20UAE%20and%20Japan%20grew%20by%2034%20per%20cent%20over%20the%20past%20two%20years%2C%20according%20to%20data%20from%20the%20Federal%20Competitiveness%20and%20Statistics%20Centre.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%2010%20years%2C%20it%20has%20reached%20a%20total%20of%20Dh524.4%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECars%20topped%20the%20list%20of%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20re-exported%20to%20Japan%20in%202022%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh1.3%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJewellery%20and%20ornaments%20amounted%20to%20Dh150%20million%20while%20precious%20metal%20scraps%20amounted%20to%20Dh105%20million.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERaw%20aluminium%20was%20ranked%20first%20among%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20exported%20to%20Japan.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETop%20of%20the%20list%20of%20commodities%20imported%20from%20Japan%20in%202022%20was%20cars%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh20.08%20billion.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
