Ballot 39:
Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos
Nacionalista Party
Age: 69 (born Nov. 12, 1955)
Highest educational attainment: Undergraduate enrollee, Princeton University
Endorsed by: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas (composed of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party and Nacionalista Party)
Imee Marcos vows to push for a uniform minimum wage across the country, if reelected to a second term. The presidential sister also wants to continue lobbying for agricultural laws that will provide adequate funds to the farming sector from production to distribution stage.
Field of Expertise
Issues and Controversies
In 1991, a district court in Hawaii found Marcos liable for the wrongful death (by torture) of Archimedes Trajano, an engineering student from Mapúa University, and ordered her to pay over $4 million in damages and legal fees to Trajano’s family. The Trajano family never received this payment, as Marcos argued before the Supreme Court (SC) the validity of service of summons of a Pasig Regional Trial Court, which affirmed the Hawaii Court decision. The SC ruled in favor of Marcos on the basis that the Pasig RTC failed to properly serve the summons on her.
Marcos’ website bears the false claim that she was the founder and chair of Kabataang Barangay from 1975 to 1986.
Several reports have also debunked Marcos’ claims about her alleged educational degrees from Princeton University and the University of the Philippines – College of Law.
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Claims by Public Figures
FACT CHECK: Imee Marcos’ falsely claims being founder and chair of Kabataang Barangay
Sen. Imee Marcos falsely claims to be the founder of Kabataang Barangay and its chairperson from 1975 to 1986.
Family Members in Government
Matthew J. Marcos Manotoc
Relationship: Son
Position/s held:
- Governor – Ilocos Norte (2019 - present)
- Board Member – Ilocos Norte (2016 - 2019)
Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Relationship: Brother
Position/s held:
- President (2022 - present)
- Senator (2010 - 2016)
- Representative - Ilocos Norte, second district (2007 - 2010)
- Governor - Ilocos Norte (1998 - 2007)
- Representative - Ilocos Norte, second district (1992 - 1995)
- Governor - Ilocos Norte (1983 - 1986)
- Vice Governor - Ilocos Norte (1980 - 1983)
- Special Assistant to the President (1979)
Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Relationship: Father
Position/s held:
- President (1965 - 1986)
- Senator (1959 - 1965)
Imelda Romualdez Marcos
Relationship: Mother
Position/s held:
- Representative - Ilocos Norte, second district (2010 - 2019)
- Representative - Leyte, first district (1995 - 1998)
- Assemblywoman - Interim Batasang Pambansa, Region IV/Metropolitan Manila (1978 - 1984)
- Minister of Human Settlements (1976 - 1986)
- Governor - Metro Manila (1975 - 1986)
- Founding Chair - Cultural Center of the Philippines (1966)
- First Lady (1965 - 1986)
Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez
Relationship: Uncle
Position/s held:
- Mayor – Tacloban City (1998-2007)
Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez
Relationship: Uncle
Position/s held:
- Governor – Leyte (1967-1986)
- Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States, China, Saudi Arabia (1982 - 1986)
Edon Yap
Relationship: Uncle
Position/s held:
- Former aide-de-camp of Imelda Marcos
Elizabeth Marcos-Keon
Relationship: Aunt
Position/s held:
- Governor – Ilocos Norte (1971-1983)
Mariano Marcos
Relationship: Grandfather
Position/s held:
- Representative - Ilocos Norte, second district (1925 - 1931)
Vicente Orestes Romuáldez
Relationship: Grandfather
Position/s held:
- Former provincial sheriff - Leyte Former justice of peace - Tolosa, Leyte
Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez
Relationship: Cousin
Position/s held:
- Speaker - House of Representatives (2022 - present); Majority Leader (2019 - 2022); Representative – Leyte, first district (2007 - 2016; 2019 - present)
Mariano “Nonong” Marcos II
Relationship: Cousin
Position/s held:
- Board member – Ilocos Norte (2004 - 2013; 2016 - 2019)
Michael Marcos Keon
Relationship: Cousin
Position/s held:
- Mayor - Laoag City (2019 - 2022; 2022 - present)
- Councilor (appointed) - Laoag City (2018 - 2019)
- Governor - Ilocos Norte (2007 - 2010)
- Board Member - Ilocos Norte (2004 - 2007)
- President - Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (1985 - x)
- President - Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (1981-1985)
- President - Philippine Olympic Committee (1981-1984)
- Director - Gintong Alay Project (1979 - x)
Angelo Marcos Barba
Relationship: Cousin
Position/s held:
- Representative – Ilocos Norte, second district (2019 - 2025)
- Vice Governor – Ilocos Norte (2010 - 2019)
- Board Member – Ilocos Norte (2001 - 2010)
- Mayor – San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte (1992 - 2001)
Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos
Relationship: Nephew
Position/s held:
- Senior Deputy Majority Leader (2022 - present); Representative, Ilocos Norte, first district (2022 - present)
Where this candidate stands on top 5 concerns of the Filipino voter
- Seeks to pass a universal national minimum wage law to equalize the wages of those in the provinces and in Metro Manila.
- Wants to put in place a financial assistance program for farmers, akin to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and establish specialist health centers in every region.
- Urged the National Economic and Development Authority in November 2024 to review the rice tariff program and address rice inflation, despite an executive order signed by Marcos Jr. that sought to lower rice prices by lowering rice tariff.
- Co-authored bill recognizing the legitimacy of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and taxing them. Then-president Rodrigo Duterte signed this into law on Sept. 22, 2021.
- Called for the suspension of POGO activities, prior to the ban imposed by President Marcos Jr. in his State of the Nation Address.
- Urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to review and clarify its policies on regulating POGOs.
- Did not sign the joint report of the Senate Committees on Ways and Means and Public Order and Dangerous Drugs in 2023, which recommended the gradual phaseout of POGOs. The senator said she was not able to study the report thoroughly as a reason for not signing it.
- Advocates for the Philippines being a “friend of all” amid the tensions in the West Philippine Sea
- Wants a self-reliant defense posture to beef up the Philippines’ defense force with updated equipment manufactured in the country.
- Opposes the ongoing probe of the International Criminal Court into the extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s drug war.
- Seeks to create the National Resiliency and Disaster Management Authority that tackles disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, rehabilitation and recovery.
- Underscores the need to improve access to the People’s Survival Fund (PSF), a fund given by the government for projects of local government units and civil society organizations. The PSF has approved projects that allow communities to establish early warning systems and introduce farming technologies in agricultural areas affected by typhoons.
Interesting Facts
- Rejected her inclusion in the Marcos administration’s senatorial slate under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition.
- Spent over P1 billion from January to September 2024 on political ads prior to her filing of certificate of candidacy for senator, according to a Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism report.