The election of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – the son and namesake of the late dictator – completes the restoration of the Marcoses after they were removed from power in 1986 by a popular revolt. His presidency, which comes at a time of increased rivalry between the U.S. and China, will be tested in the contentious maritime dispute in the South China Sea. After former president Rodrigo Duterte's pivot to China, how Marcos will navigate this perilous terrain will be a defining moment in his presidency.

Marites Dañguilan Vitug, a leading Filipino investigative journalist and author, is editor-at-large for Rappler and chair emeritus of the Journalism for Nation Building Foundation. She was editor of Newsbreak magazine, a trailblazer in Philippine investigative journalism.

Cosponsor: Global Forum at International House