Recently, there have been reports in multiple Filipino news outlets that the province of Camarines Sur has named former Philippine Senator and Vice Presidential candidate, Bongbong Marcos, as their “adopted son”. However, some of these reports have been called into question as they appear to lack evidence and are potentially misleading.
The first report, published by Philstar.com on August 27th, states that the Camarines Sur provincial board passed a resolution declaring Marcos as their “adoptive son”. The resolution reportedly credits Marcos for several infrastructure projects in the province during his time as a senator, including a housing project that provided homes for thousands of indigent families.
However, some have pointed out that the Philstar report fails to mention some key details. For example, the housing project in question was actually started in 2016, during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III, who appointed Marcos as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council. Additionally, the report incorrectly states that the project provided homes for 31,000 families, when in fact it only provided homes for around 14,000 families.
Furthermore, another report by CNN Philippines on August 30th appears to contradict the Philstar report. According to CNN Philippines, the Camarines Sur provincial board did pass a resolution declaring Marcos as their “adopted son”, but the resolution did not specifically credit him for any infrastructure projects. Instead, it cites Marcos’ “numerous contributions to the province and for always taking time to listen and lend a hand to our fellow Camarinenses”.
Similarly, an article by INQUIRER.net also reports that the Camarines Sur provincial board passed a resolution naming Marcos as their “adopted son”, but does not mention any specific infrastructure projects.
Finally, a more recent Philstar report on September 1st adds some additional context to the situation. According to the report, the resolution was actually submitted by a village chief who is a known ally of Marcos. The mayor of Camarines Sur’s capital city, Iriga, also reportedly questioned the accuracy of the resolution, stating that it “does not follow standard procedure” and “was not approved by [the] city government”.
In summary, it appears that while the Camarines Sur provincial board did pass a resolution naming Bongbong Marcos as their “adopted son”, there are discrepancies in the reporting about what the resolution specifically cites as Marcos’ contributions to the province. Additionally, some reports appear to exaggerate or misrepresent the extent of Marcos’ involvement in certain infrastructure projects. It is also worth noting that the resolution was reportedly submitted by a known Marcos ally and may not have followed standard procedure.
