Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sworn in as Philippine President

CNN's Ferdinand Marcos Jr.Marcos Jr. was sworn in as the 17th President of the Philippines on Thursday, restoring one of the country's most notorious political dynasties to the Malaca ang Palace 36 years after his father was ousted in a popular uprising.

The rise to power came as a result of a decades-long attempt to rebrand the Marcos family's name and image, most recently through a supercharged social media campaign.

Marcos Jr. 64 is the son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.Marcos Sr. whose 21-year kleptocratic rule of the country from 1965 to 1986 was marked by human rights abuses, widespread corruption and plunder of the state coffers.

Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. is sworn in as President of the Philippines by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on June 30 at the National Museum in Manila, Philippines.

The former senator and congressman took his oath of office at the National Museum of Fine Arts in the capital Manila, before Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.

In his inauguration speech, Marcos Jr. said that his call for unity resonated with the people to deliver the biggest electoral mandate in the history of Philippine democracy. He said that this was a historic moment for us all. You chose me to be your servant, to make changes that benefit all. I fully understand the gravity of responsibility you put on your shoulders. I do not take it lightly, but I am ready for the task. Marcos Jr. thanked his mother, the 92-year-old former first lady Imelda Marcos, who attended the ceremony. He also praised his father, the late dictator, in his speech.

I once knew a man who saw what little had been achieved since independence. They were poor in a land of people with the greatest potential for achievement. He got it done. Sometimes with needed support, sometimes without. He said that he will have no excuses from me if he is with his son.

Marcos Jr. spoke of healing divisions in the country, promised to grow the economy, recover from the Pandemic and lead a more unified, prosperous country.

I am here not to talk about the past, but I am here to tell you about our future. A future of sufficiency, even plenty of readily available ways to get done what needs doing, he said. I will get it done. Activist groups planned to protest the inauguration in Manila, calling for accountability for crimes committed under the Marcos Sr. dictatorship, according to CNN Philippines.

Marcos Jr. had previously asked the world to judge him by his actions, not by his family's past. His election campaign was dominated by his father's legacy, including the slogan rise again, tapping into the nostalgia of some who saw the period under Marcos Sr. as a golden era for the country.

About $10 billion was stolen from the Filipino people, according to the Presidential Commission on Good Governance PCGG, who was charged with recovering the family's ill-gotten wealth.

The Marcos family has denied abuses under martial law and used state funds for their personal use. The Marcoses were never held fully accountable and victims of martial law are still fighting for justice, according to campaigners.

Some fear Marcos Jr. will continue down Duterte's path and that disinformation will make it harder to hold those in power accountable.

Despite his record on human rights and the Covid-19 epidemic that worsened the country's hunger crisis, Duterte remained hugely popular domestically.

Supporters expect Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio to continue Duterte's policies on infrastructure and his controversial war on drugs.