President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. answers questions from the media during a Kapihan with the members of the press at Berlin, Germany on  March 13, 2024. Yummie Dingding, PPA pool 

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was among Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People of 2024," the publication bared Tuesday.

The magazine lauded Marcos for standing "steadfast against Chinese aggression" in the West Philippine Sea and "bolstering" the country's alliance with the US.

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"Many problems persist, including extra­judicial killings and journalists routinely attacked. But by trying to repair his family name, Bongbong may reshape his country too," the magazine wrote, while also noting the family's dark past during the martial law regime.

According to Time, they spent months deliberating on who should be on the list.

"[We] selected the 100 who we believe most changed the stories that define the past year," the magazine said.

The magazine categorized the 100 into artists, icons, titans, leaders, innovators, and pioneers.

Pop star Dua Lipa was the cover of the said Time issue.

Marcos' inclusion in the list "reflects his brand of leadership that puts the national interest and the welfare of every Filipino above all else", the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.

"Under his administration, the Philippines has experienced robust economic growth and  recovery, exceeding expectations and instilling confidence in the country's economic outlook," PCO said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page.

"Despite geopolitical tensions and the hurdles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, President Marcos  has elevated the Philippines on the world stage and contributed to regional stability, notably in the Indo-Pacific region," it added. 

-- With a report from Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News