"Join me in this noblest process and we will succeed," Ferdinand Marcos Junior, 64, a longtime politician popularly known as "Bongbong", said in a speech streamed on social media on Tuesday.

He has been involved in politics since his return in 1991 from exile following his father's 1986 overthrow, as provincial governor, congressman and senator.

Marcos on Tuesday took an oath as chairman of a political party that had earlier nominated him as its presidential candidate.

Marcos unsuccessfully ran for the vice presidency in 2016. A run for the top post would be a big step in a country where many are still healing from the 1970s martial rule era of the elder Marcos.

His family has long sought to rebuild its image and has repeatedly denied allegations it plundered billions of dollars of state wealth when in power, which ended in a 1980s People's Power uprising.

Australian Associated Press