"Unifying leadership ... can lead us through this crisis, get our people safely back to work, for all of us to begin to live our lives once again," the 64-year-old Marcos Jr. said.
Ferdinand Marcos Sr. died in exile in Hawaii three years after fleeing the Philippines following a 1986 revolution that ended his decades as dictator -- a reign which saw thousands of people imprisoned and tortured. The late dictator's widow, Imelda Marcos, returned to the Philippines and was elected four times to the House of Representatives, despite controversies over the huge sums of money she and her husband plundered from the country. Marcos Jr. ran for vice president in the 2016 election but lost narrowly to incumbent Leni Robredo. He has also served as a congressman representing Ilocos Norte, and held the governor and vice governor posts in the province -- the Marcos dynasty's traditional power base.
His announcement on Tuesday coincided with him assuming the chairmanship of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas party, according to his camp, CNN Philippines reported.
