Marcos says he’s ‘number one supporter’ of Filipino Hawaiians

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (REUTERS FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday called himself the “number one supporter” of the Filipino Hawaiian community.

Addressing the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council trade mission in a courtesy phone call, Marcos recalled his family’s exile to Hawaii following the ouster of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., following the Edsa People Power Revolution in 1986.

In the following decades, his family would return to power, with the lone Marcos son securing the highest seat of power in the land in the 2022 national elections.

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“I have a special place in my heart for Hawaii, especially the people of Hawaii, for the kindnesses that we were shown. I mean, it is on a more personal intimate level, the kindnesses that we were shown has again in difficult circumstances are something that we will be forever grateful for,” Marcos Jr. said in his speech in Malacañang.

“We will never forget and therefore you have your number one supporter here in the Philippines,” he said.

“Despite the difficult circumstances that surrounded our stay in Hawaii, Hawaiians made it as pleasant and as best as we could make it. And for that, we will never forget and forever be grateful.”