By Karen Lema

MANILA, Reuters – On Monday, the Philippines’ presidential elections will be held. It is expected that the election will see a rematch of the presidential race between the late dictator’s son and his namesake and the rights activist who narrowly defeated him in 2016.

In opinion polls conducted in days before the election, Ferdinand “Bongbong”, Marcos Jr was comfortably ahead of his competitors. This gives him an opportunity to turn the tables against Vice President Leni Robertredo who is currently second.

Temario Rivera, a retired professor of political science said that it is rare for elections to be decided by rational calculations or the examination of candidate’s public records. There’s often a lot to it, and the stories you feel most at ease with are usually decisive.

Marcos (64 years old), whose baritone voice is strikingly reminiscent of his father’s has focused his entire campaign on one message: Unity.

According to a spokesperson, “Bongbong will be the President of Filipinos without regard for your political colour or race,”

Marcos’ victory, which has maintained his lead, while generally avoiding any debates about key contenders to his position, would complete an once-unimaginable rebranding his family name. This is 36 years after “people power” overthrew his father and sent his family into exile.

Robredo, now 57 years old, describes 1986’s uprising in Peru as her political awakening. She is hopeful of another win against Marcos. Robredo’s campaign was built around the promise of an honest, transparent government and has seen a lot more people turn out for rallies in recent weeks.

Robredo supporters wearing pink, which is the only candidate of a field with 10 female candidates for the presidency, have been going house-to-house to try and win more voters.

Early in the campaign, she stated: “In 2022. The last man standing will still a woman.”

The former boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is also running as president. Senator Panfilo lacson and Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso are the other candidates. However, they remain far behind in polls.

Rodrigo Duterte, the incumbent president, hasn’t endorsed any presidential candidates, but his party backs Marcos and Sara Duterte Carpio is Marcos’s running mate.

Duterte Carpio was the most popular choice as vice president according to recent polls. This is a separate position that can be crucial for Marcos’ victory, provided she rallies her supporters.

The daunting task ahead of the winner of the election is rebuilding an economy that was among Asia’s most dynamic before the pandemic. It will be crucial to manage inflation, and plan a foreign strategy in the face of a growing China-U.S. rivalry in Southeast Asia.