For the son and namesake of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, winning the vice presidency in next week's election is as much about restoring his family's tainted image as it is about making the country a better place.

"Bongbong," as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is known, is comfortably leading opinion polls ahead of the May 9 election, marking the revival of a name synonymous with martial law, torture and billions of dollars of plundered wealth.

Marcos Jr., 58, says his family is not the only issue and his popularity comes from public disenchantment with a political establishment that emerged after his father's overthrow in the iconic "people power" revolution in 1986.