Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc[fn 1] (born December 9, 1988) is a Filipino politician and athlete from Ilocos Norte, Philippines. He is currently serving the second year of his second term as the governor of Ilocos Norte; he was a senior provincial board member from the second legislative district of Ilocos Norte from 2016 to 2019.[2]
He is a member of the Marcos political family. His maternal grandfather, Ferdinand Marcos, was the former president and dictator of the Philippines. His mother, Imee Marcos, currently serves as a senator, while his maternal uncle, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., is the incumbent president of the Philippines.
Early life and education
Manotoc was born on December 9, 1988 in Morocco,[3] the youngest son of Imee Romualdez Marcos and Tommy La'O Manotoc. He is a member of the Marcos family. At the time of his birth, his parents were in exile in Morocco, reportedly living under false passports.[4]
In October 2018, Manotoc filed his Certificate of Candidacy to run for vice governor of Ilocos Norte in the 2019 Philippine gubernatorial elections as the running mate of his grandmother, Imelda Marcos.[7] However, Marcos withdrew from the race in November 2018 following her graft conviction, and Manotoc was named as her substitute.[8] He then went on to win the race, unopposed after Rodolfo Fariñas withdrew days before the election,[9] succeeding his mother who successfully ran for senator.
In 2022, Manotoc announced that Ilocos Norte's health system has received nearly Php 700 million that year as part of the Provincial Government's efforts to carry out its vision of a "healthier" province. More than Php 650 million was appropriated towards infrastructure and Php 35 million was allocated for the purchase of COVID-19 and other infectious disease response logistics, including medicines, emergency medical equipment and supplies, personal protective equipment and other supplies for frontline workers, COVID-19 and Dengue testing kits, and vaccines.[10]
Manotoc founded "Speak Up, I’m Here,"[11] a mental health center and hotline, which has become a sanctuary for locals who are enduring isolation, pressure, and other difficulties. The Center has serviced clients ranging from adolescents, frontliners, returning residents, and COVID-19 patients in isolation. Manotoc also announced that the "Search for the Best Mental Health Practices" initiative which emphasizes a whole-of-community approach to promoting, protecting, and caring for mental health, in addition to art therapy sessions, mental health break camps, and psychosocial first aid and support training.[10]
To further preventive healthcare, he urged the establishment of numerous new parks in the province, including many barangay eco-parks where the Provincial Government allotted ₱200,000.00 to each barangay to establish or improve their park with a vegetable farm.[12]
The provincial government implemented agricultural projects that include farm-to-market roads; small farm reservoirs; water impounding projects; multi-purpose drying pavements; tractors; combine harvesters; tobacco curing barns; and the critical shift to high-value crops, worth billions of pesos.[13]
Like in the COVID-19 situation, he ordered the provincial government to be on the ground immediately to contact trace and stem the infections caused by African Swine Fever. He initiated the provision of relief packs for those who were affected, gave sprayers and disinfectants, facilitated their indemnifications or payouts, allotted budgets for those who were uninsured, and provided alternate livelihoods to secure the livestock sector.[14]
The Provincial Government launched "Agri ka Dito," a flagship program of the Office of the Governor that aims to sustain the activities for the livelihood of community farmers and fisherfolks by providing them with immediate assistance amid the skyrocketing cost of agriculture inputs.[15]
Meanwhile, at the height of the pandemic, the Provincial Board passed ordinances that provided Php 370 million in cash to Ilokanos who were most vulnerable in support of the Governor’s solution-based and people-centered response, in the form of cash-for-work, emergency livelihood assistance, "pay now, work later," interest-free loans, and skills training programs.[16] Micro, small, and medium enterprises were provided with financial assistance, micro-financing packages, livelihood starter kits, and equipment. The Provincial Government allocated Php 40 million in cash to local entrepreneurs in 2021 alone.[17] Marcos Manotoc also waived the Governor’s Developmental Fees for non-essential enterprises that were adversely affected by the pandemic.[18]
Under his governorship, Ilocos Norte became the first and only province to receive a safe travel stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council.[19]
Aside from granting public utility vehicle accident insurance policies, Manotoc distributed increased financial assistance to almost 4,000 drivers, on top of more than Php 40 million in cash aid in 2021 alone, to alleviate their situation and sustain their source of income during the global energy crisis. [20]
Several times, Manotoc led the "Bike-to-Work," a cycling activity that aims to encourage employees to embrace environmentally friendly and convenient alternative transportation.[21]
Manotoc is both a golfer and a basketball player.[5][23] He was a basketball coach at the International School Manila and a co-founder of Espiritu Manotoc Basketball Management.
^"Marcos heartbeat stabilized, hospital aide says". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 10, 1988. Retrieved July 23, 2020. Marcos spokesman Gemmo Trinidad said Marcos was awakened by a telephone call at 3 a.m. yesterday from his daughter, Imee, in Morocco, in which she advised Marcos that she was about to undergo a Caesarean section delivery following six hours of unsuccessful labor.
^Wright, Walter (February 10, 1988). "Imelda says she WAS trying to go home". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved July 23, 2020. Imee, her husband and their two children have been living in Morocco under false passports, and a warrant has been issued for Imee's arrest for failing to appear before the grand jury
