After being proclaimed the winner of the May presidential election, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines yesterday at the National Museum of Fine Arts.
President Marcos Jr. took his oath of office using the same bible his father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., used in his own inauguration ceremony in 1965.
The National Library of the Philippines had earlier posted a video on social media that showcased the process of restoring and repairing the 57-year-old bible in time for Marcos Jr.’s inauguration.
While using his father’s bible for his own inauguration ceremony may be yet another indicator that the new Philippine president is not holding back in evoking his ousted father’s image, Marcos Jr. is far from the first leader to have used his parent’s bible for his inauguration — especially if that parent was a former chief executive.
Rodrigo Duterte’s predecessor, the late Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III used the same bible for his inauguration in 2010 as his mother, former President Cory Aquino, used when she was installed as president after the 1986 People Power Revolution.
Even former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo took her oath of office in 2004 with the same bible used by her father, former President Diosdado Macapagal in 1961.
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