President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives for the leaders and spouses dinner during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, California, on November 16, 2023. The APEC Summit takes place through November 17. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP)
HONOLULU, HAWAII — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. arrived here on Sunday morning for the last leg of his weeklong trip to the United States.
Marcos returned in this island state where his family has lived in exile for five years since 1986 after his father and namesake Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was ousted from power in Malacañang.
Flight PR001, carrying the President and the Philippine delegation, arrived at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at 1:12 pm (Philippine time) from Los Angeles, California.
Marcos told reporters on Saturday that he would return to Hawaii to visit “really old friends who shared our difficult times together and help lighten the load.”
“I really want to go and see my old friends. These were the people who looked after us after ‘86. These were the people who fed us. They brought us clothes. They brought food. If not for them, I don’t know what would have happened to us,” he said in a press briefing.
“They occupy a special place in my heart,” he added, referring to the people in Hawaii.
The younger Marcos will return to Hawaii on the day his father was buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City seven years ago.
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The Marcos family flew to Hawaii in February 1986 after a four day-uprising ended the two decade-rule of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Asked if he has forgiven those who ousted his family from power, he said: “I don’t need to forgive them, I never blamed them.”
“I hope by now you have realized I don’t take things personally. They don’t need my forgiveness,” he added.
But he said “if they want it, I will give it to them.”
“They fought for their beliefs. And That’s how it turned out. It’s life. That’s what life – well, at least my life, that’s what it’s like, that’s what it’s about,” he also said.
In February this year, Marcos offered a “hand of reconciliation” to his critics and opponents as the Philippines marked the 37th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution that toppled his late father’s dictatorship.
“I once again offer my hand of reconciliation to those with different political persuasions to come together as one in forging a better society — one that will pursue progress and peace and a better life for all Filipinos,” he said.
While in Hawaii, the President will meet with the Filipino community in Honolulu.
The island state is home to about 371,000 Filipinos.
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Marcos will also visit the US Indo-Pacific Command at the headquarters in Pearl Harbor on Oahu island where he will have a security briefing with top American military officials.
His visit to the US military base comes as tensions between Manila and Beijing continue to rise in the disputed South China Sea.
Aside from the visit to the US headquarters, he would also have a roundtable discussion at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
Marcos is scheduled to return to the Philippines after his visit to Hawaii.