Pull to refresh
Logo
Daily Brief
Following Why Ranks Sign Up
Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

President of the Philippines

Appears in 4 stories

Born: September 13, 1957 (age 68 years), Santa Mesa, Manila, Philippines
Previous offices: Secretary of Agriculture of Philippines (2022–2023), Senator of the Philippines (2010–2016), and Governor of Ilocos Norte (1998–2007)
Education: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (1979–1981), University of Oxford (1975–1978), Worth School (1970–1974), and more
Spouse: Louise Marcos (m. 1993)
Children: Ferdinand Alexander Araneta Marcos, Joseph Simon Araneta Marcos, and William Vincent Araneta Marcos

Notable Quotes

These challenges are painful, but they also made one thing clear: Real change could no longer wait.

Unprogrammed appropriations are not blank checks. They must never function as open-ended spending authority.

We will not allow the Unprogrammed Appropriations to be misused or treated as a backdoor for discretionary spending.

Stories

Indo-Pacific allies weave a web of military pacts as South China Sea tensions mount

Force in Play

Overseeing rapid expansion of Philippine military partnerships

For decades, security in the western Pacific ran through Washington. Countries struck bilateral deals with the United States and, mostly, with no one else. That model is dissolving. On March 27, the Philippines and France signed a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) in Paris. It's the Philippines' first such pact with a European partner. The agreement gives each country's troops a legal basis to train and operate on the other's soil. France now joins the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada on a growing list of nations with military access arrangements in the Philippines. Four of these were signed in under two years.

Updated 5 days ago

Philippines slashes discretionary spending amid flood control scandal

Rule Changes

Signed 2026 budget with P92.5B vetoes; faces plunder charge recommendations implicating him in P100B insertion scheme

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed a $115 billion budget on January 5, 2026, while vetoing $1.6 billion in unprogrammed appropriations—slashing discretionary funds to their lowest level since 2019. The veto follows scandal over phantom flood control projects: former lawmaker Zaldy Co admitted to inserting $1.69 billion into the 2025 budget, implicating Marcos's cousin, then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in an alleged kickback scheme.

Updated May 19

Philippine Senate tries Sara Duterte in second impeachment

Rule Changes

Named victim in conspiracy-to-murder article

The Philippine Senate put on judicial robes Monday and opened the second impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The House charges her with stealing public money, hiding wealth, and plotting to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. killed.

Updated May 18

Water cannons on fishermen: Sabina Shoal becomes China–Philippines’ new front line

Force in Play

Balancing deterrence, alliance management, and domestic anger over sea confrontations

A month ago, China's coast guard escalated beyond shoving resupply convoys. It blasted water cannons at small Philippine fishing boats near Sabina (Escoda) Shoal, damaged two vessels, and left three fishermen injured. Chinese craft allegedly cut anchor lines and boxed out rescuers.

Updated May 15