Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios “Imee” Romualdez Marcos-Manotoc, or simply Imee Marcos, is the eldest child of former President Ferdinand Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and the sister of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
She began her political career in 1977 as the chairperson of the Kabataang Barangay Foundation, a precursor to the youth-led arm of the government, Sangguniang Kabataan, and has since held various posts, including Ilocos Norte representative and governor — two posts she clung onto for multiple terms before being elected in the Senate in 2019.
In the coming elections, she hopes to return to the Senate and serve a third term. Though she is not officially part of the president’s Senate slate, she has been tagging along Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ campaign rallies. Here’s where she stands on the most significant issues in the country.
Current position: Senator (since 2019), At The Moment with Imee host (since 2024)
Education: Undergraduate at Princeton University (did not graduate), University of the Philippines College of Law (did not graduate)
Previous occupations: Ilocos Norte Governor (2010-2019), Ilocos Norte Representative (1998-2007), Batasang Pambansa member (1984-1986), Kabataang Barangay (KB) Foundation Chairperson (1977-1986), media producer
Affiliated parties: Nacionalista Party (since 2009), Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (1980-2009)
Political Stances
Governance
The Marcos-Romualdez family is well-documented to hold multiple positions in the government. Imee Marcos is the mother of incumbent Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc, while her cousin Martin Romualdez serves as the House Speaker.
Responding to the anti-political dynasty provision of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform law and the possibility of adopting similar legislation in the national level, Marcos said, “Huwag naman masyadong higpitan to the point na class prohibition na. Hindi naman tama din iyon. Kasi sa isang pamilya, bakit mo naman ipagbabawal kung magagaling naman iyong ibang kamag-anak?”
The Marcos clan is linked to various cases of ill-gotten wealth and conspicuous spending related to its patriarch’s rule that lasted 20 years until they were ousted in 1986. In October 2024, the Sandiganbayan junked the P276 million ill-gotten wealth case against the Marcoses, citing inordinate delays and Imelda Marcos’ declining ability to testify and recall events.
On the issue of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), she was quoted in a June 2024 DZBB interview saying these operators should be temporarily suspended amid issues of human trafficking and corruption. “I think we need to suspend operations right now, maybe suspend first, and then study the system and come clean on what is allowed and what is not,” she said.
Economy
Marcos said that should she be re-elected for a third term senator in May 2025, she would prioritize legislation to make minimum wage uniform across the country. She said that she wanted to remedy the P200 gap in Metro Manila and provincial minimum wages. “Kasi P640 na sa Maynila, samantalang P440 lamang sa probinsya. Kaya nais ko maging pantay ‘yan,” she said.
In 2022, she criticized the Maharlika Wealth Fund, which her nephew Ilocos Norte Representative Sandro Marcos and House Speaker Romualdez proposed to generate revenue for the government. She said, “Ako ay kinakabahan sapagka’t sa panahong ito na ang sama ng ekonomiya, pati ang World Bank sabi bagsak na bagsak sa susunod na taon sa 2023.”
Human Rights and Social Justice
Marcos has denied the human rights violations under her father’s dictatorship, calling them “political accusations that have not been proven in court.” She also said, “Bakit kami mag-aadmit sa hindi namin ginawa?”
On August 31, 1977, student activist Archimedes Trajano questioned Marcos’ appointment as KB chair during an open forum at Mapua Institute of Technology and was dragged away by her bodyguards. Trajano was found tortured and beaten to death later that day. In 1986, after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted, Trajano’s mother, Agapita Trajano, pressed charges against Marcos and the former president’s right-hand man General Fabian Ver in Hawaii, accusing them of her son’s false imprisonment, kidnapping, wrongful death, and deprivation of rights. According to the Hawaii court’s ruling, Marcos herself admitted to the torture and killing of Trajano.
Marcos backed the SOGIE Equality Bill in 2023 and the Divorce Bill in 2024. She also filed a bill in 2019 seeking to give same-sex couples legal rights to jointly acquire and sell properties.
In 2021, she called on fellow lawmakers to craft a law protecting Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from “cultural misappropriation.” However, Indigenous Rights group Katribu criticized Marcos for wearing Cordillera traditional attire to President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2023. National Convenor Beverly Longid urged Marcos to call for the release of IP political prisoners and the surfacing of IP rights activists Bazoo de Jesus and Dexter Capuyan, who have been missing since April 2023.
Healthcare
In December 2024, Marcos expressed her disapproval of the removal of PhilHealth’s subsidy for 2025, calling on the president to reverse the proposed budget cuts.
She also authored and backed bills proposing marijuana medicalization, comprehensive sex education, and amendments to the existing Universal Health Care Act.
National Security and Foreign Policy
In 2023, Marcos spoke against theInternational Criminal Court’s investigation into the war on drugs. “ICC has no jurisdiction over any Filipino — lalo na kay [former President Rodrigo Duterte],” she said. “It has no business meddling with our justice system.”
Ahead of the United States presidential elections in 2024, Marcos warned that “any U.S. president will naturally prioritize American interests” and that the Philippines should prepare for any policy changes that would come about. She said that stricter immigration policies may lead to the mass deportation of undocumented Filipino workers.
She also said that the Philippines should not be too reliant on the U.S. when it comes to national defense. “Magsimula na tayong magpakatibay at self-reliant dahil mahirap asahan ‘yang [Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement],” she told Brigada News FM Manila. She added that the Philippines must also bolster its own defense capabilities.
After China and India agreed to have a military disengagement along their disputed border in October 2024, Marcos said that a similar agreement between the Philippines and China may work to remedy the West Philippine Sea disputes.
Environment and Disaster Preparedness
In December 2020, under the 18th Congress, Marcos proposed a bill that would declare a climate change emergency in the Philippines, mandating government agencies to implement measures enhancing the country’s resilience and adaptability to climate change effects. The House of Representatives approved a similar bill in November 2023, under the 19th Congress, but the Senate has not acted on it yet.
In October 2024, she sought to create a National Resiliency and Disaster Management Authority (NRDMA), which would focus on “preparing, giving warnings, responding to and helping communities after calamities.”
Disinformation
Aside from denying the human rights violations that happened during the martial law period, Marcos has also falsely claimed to have graduated from Santa Catalina Convent (now Santa Catalina School) in California, Princeton University, and the University of the Philippine College of Law. All three have clarified that although she was a student in the said schools, she did not graduate from any of them.
Infrastructure Development
Following the onslaught of Typhoon Kristine in October 2024, Marcos emphasized the need to invest in green infrastructure and spaces. “The [national] budget is always focused on gray infrastructure, purely concrete structures, but we can’t deny that these materials aren’t permeable and can’t absorb rainwater,” she said. “We need to invest in solutions like vertical parks, rooftop gardens, and void decks.”
Youth and Culture
Marcos has produced films, including director Darryl Yap’s period dramas Maid in Malacanang and Martyr or Murderer. Both were criticized for their inaccurate portrayal of events during and after the martial law period.
In July 2024, Marcos introduced a bill proposing a Magna Carta for Students, which aims to provide a comprehensive framework to protect students’ rights and welfare, discounts on educational materials, access to counseling services, and financial assistance for indigent students.
Sara Duterte Impeachment
Though her relatives in the House voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, Marcos said that she did not want any internal conflict in the government. “Sinabi ko nga e ayoko talaga ng gulo, ng impeachment,” she said on February 6, a day after the lower house declared that the vice president was impeached. She also supports the idea of holding Duterte’s impeachment trial after the next SONA in July 2025, when the 20th Congress convenes.
Ahead of the midterm elections, Rolling Stone Philippines is taking a closer look at the Top 15 senatorial candidates based on the January 2025 surveys by polling firms Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.
