Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. became the country's 17th president after getting over 31 million votes, which represented an overwhelming majority in the May 2022 polls.
His victory was history coming full circle as it also marked his family's return to Malacañang after his late father was ousted during the first EDSA People Power Revolution 36 years ago.
As he celebrates his 65th birthday on September 13, here's a quick look at how Marcos' first two months as chief executive went.
Return to the Palace
In his first vlog since becoming president, Marcos described his first week in office as "funny" and "normal."
“Parang nakakatawa nga yung pagbalik ko sa Palasyo, parang pangkaraniwan dahil ang tagal-tagal ‘kong tumira doon (It felt funny returning to Malacañang. It felt normal because I lived there for a long time),” he said.
“Ngunit, pagkaisip ko nang mabuti, hindi pangkaraniwan talaga ito dahil pagkabalik sa Palasyo, ako’y naging Presidente na. Kahit pareho lang yung aking ginagawa, iba ang pakiramdam (But when I think about it, it’s not normal since I returned as the President. Even though I’m doing the same thing, it feels different),” he added.
It was also during his first week in office when they celebrated the 93rd birthday of the former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
After meeting Palace workers, holding a Cabinet meeting, and attending events during his first week in office, Marcos caught Covid-19 for the second time. Last month, the President got his second booster shot.
A day before his birthday, the President scrapped the mandatory use of face masks outdoors and kept the state of calamity in the Philippines due to Covid-19 until the end of the year.
Restructuring
President Marcos reorganized the government during his first week in office. He reverted the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and its attached agencies to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS). He likewise abolished the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson.
In his Executive Order No. 2, Marcos cited the need to "rationalize and consolidate the communications arm of the Administration for a more efficient delivery of public policy to the general public" in reorganizing the PCOO.
To simplify the internal management of offices under the Office of the President (OP), Marcos abolished the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.
In doing so, the President hoped to achieve a comprehensive and meaningful recovery from the current Covid-19 and fiscal crises through a "just allocation of resources."
Vetoed bills and lapsed laws
On his first day in office, President Marcos vetoed House Bill (HB) No. 7575, which proposed to create the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport.
San Miguel Corporation, one of the country's biggest conglomerates, is investing P740 billion to turn a 2,500-hectare property in Bulacan into an aerotropolis featuring a world-class gateway capable of handling 100 million passengers annually, plus an adjacent urban and industrial hub.
According to Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Marcos vetoed the bill because it was the "fastest way" to cure the bill's defects before it lapsed into law on July 4.
In his veto message, Marcos said, "fiscal prudence must be exercised particularly at times when resources are scarce, and needs are abundant."
"l cannot support the bill considering the provisions that pose substantial fiscal risks to the country and its infringement on or conflict with other agencies' mandates and authorities," he wrote.
Marcos likewise vetoed the proposed bill seeking to strengthen the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), citing various reasons, including the excessive remunerations for OGCC lawyers.
Meanwhile, as of August 3, at least 40 bills have lapsed into law since Marcos took office on June 30. Among the lapsed laws were the controversial Vape Act and the Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage.
First SONA
President Marcos delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25, where he laid down his administration's economic plan to bring the country back to normalcy after being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, including 19 priority bills.
Marcos discussed his economic plan and talked about agriculture and agrarian reform. He likewise mentioned the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The President vowed there would no longer be lockdowns, make affordable medicines for ordinary people, and build easy-to-reach hospitals and health centers for those living in far-flung areas.
Marcos tackled the need to intensify the country's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
In addition, he talked about addressing the digital divide in the country, continuing the Build, Build, Build program, and considering building nuclear power plants.
He vowed to establish a command center to help Filipinos abroad in crisis, boost tourism, and not surrender an inch of the country's territory -- particularly its claim on the West Philippine Sea.
The President, however, did not talk about the drug war or the environment.
'Agenda for Prosperity'
The Marcos administration has proposed a national budget for 2023 worth P5.268 trillion. According to the President, this is anchored on what he called the "Agenda for Prosperity" that aims to achieve his medium-term macroeconomic and fiscal objectives.
In his message to Congress, Marcos said the objective of the most significant proposed budget in Philippine history is economic transformation. He enumerated the priority sectors: Education, Public Works, Health, Social Welfare, Agriculture, and Transportation.
Inaugural trip
Marcos went on his first overseas trips as president this month. He first went to Indonesia on September 4, where he bagged about $8.5 billion worth of investment deals that could translate to at least 7,000 new jobs.
Angeles likewise announced that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had sought executive clemency for Mary Jane Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on death row in Indonesia after she was caught in Yogyakarta in 2010 with several packs of heroin.
The President went to Singapore on September 6 where he convinced Singapore-based businessmen to invest a total of US$6.54 billion worth of foreign direct investments in the Philippines. This is equivalent to 15,000 jobs.
During his trip to Singapore, Marcos witnessed the signing of six agreements between the two countries. Singapore also named an orchid hybrid after the President and his wife, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos.
US Trip
President Marcos has been confirmed to go to New York City this month to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and attend other engagements.
Marcos has expressed his intention to cooperate with the United States and bolster the ties between the two countries. During his meeting with US State Secretary Antony Blinken, the President expressed his intention to cooperate with American scientists and institutions to further the country's agriculture research and development under his watch.