NEEDS CONTEXT

In his inaugural speech on June 30, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. claimed to have the biggest electoral mandate in Philippine history.

This needs context.

STATEMENT

At the beginning of his speech, Marcos Jr. said:

“This is a historic moment for us all. I feel it deep within me. You, the people, have spoken, and it is resounding. When my call for unity started to resonate with you, it did so because it echoed your yearnings, mirrored your sentiments, and expressed your hopes for family, for country, and for a better future. That is why it reverberated and amplified as it did, to deliver the biggest electoral mandate in the history of Philippine democracy.”

Source: Presidential Communications Operations Office, Speech of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. during his Inauguration (transcript), June 30, 2022, watch from 2:24 to 3:01

FACT

While Marcos Jr. did garner the highest number of votes in Philippine electoral history, his share of the vote is only the country’s third highest margin of victory.

Data from then-Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office’s Philippine Electoral Almanac and Congress showed that former president Ramon Magsaysay’s victory in the 1953 elections still holds the highest vote percentage in Philippine electoral history. He earned over 2.9 million votes, or 68.9% of the 4,227,719 total votes cast.

Former president Manuel Quezon received the second highest vote percentage of 67.9% in the 1935 polls.

Compared to these two figures, Marcos Jr. garnered just 58.7% with 31,629,783 of the 53,815,484 total votes cast in the 2022 polls, based on Congress’ vote canvass as of May 25.

Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.

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