Marcos praises Imelda's legacy in latest vlog

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that his mother, former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, made enduring contributions to the country over decades, driven by her determination to serve the Filipino people.

The Chief Executive said this in his latest “BBM Vlog 261: Mama Meldy," which was uploaded on his YouTube Channel on Sunday after the former First Lady celebrated her 95th birthday.

"My mother always tells the story that when my father was newly inaugurated as president, she asked him, 'Okay, you are now the president. I am the First Lady, what is my job? What is my role?'" Marcos recounted.

“My father replied, ‘I will take care of the body of the nation. You must take care of its soul,’” Marcos added.

The Chief Executive said the conversation set the stage for his mother's influential role in promoting Filipino healthcare and arts by investing in the advancement of artists and the medical workforce.

Mrs. Marcos then concentrated on establishing specialized institutions, including the National Kidney Center, the National Children's Hospital, the Heart Center of the Philippines, and the Lung Center of the Philippines.

"For everyone, during the past three years, we have felt her specialty hospitals. Her specialty hospitals—the kidney center, the heart center, the children’s hospital, all of them—they have been revived," Marcos said.

"We have seen how effective they are. That is why we are increasing their number now; I am just continuing what my mother started," Marcos added.

Marcos added that his mother was also very dedicated to establishing the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Folk Arts Theater for the Filipinos because she wanted to make her fellow Pinoy artists happy by showcasing their talents to the rest of the world.

The former first lady also made her construction workers glad whenever she visited the construction sites by bringing a lot of lechon (roast pig) for the workers.

"She is famous for going to construction sites, bringing a lot of lechon, even at ten in the morning. She would arrive and feed everyone with a lot of lechon. Then she would give a pep talk to the workers. The people were always very happy," Marcos said.

“I always thought that she was a very determined, very driven person. I didn’t realize that until I took office how determined and how driven you have to be to have achieved as much as she has,” Marcos added.

Mother's charm

Marcos also admitted that he still hasn’t gotten his mother’s charm and easygoing ways of dealing and engaging with people.

He also noted that the former first lady is one of those few who never learned how to get angry.

"She does not know how to fight. I don’t know how she does it. My mother does not get angry. And she does not argue with anyone," Marcos said.

“You must understand that my mother is really a provincial girl. She’s really ‘promdi’ (from the province) and proud of it. That is her charm. She never lost her simplicity,” Marcos added.

The President went on to say that his mother treats everyone the same and can instantly build a connection, regardless of their status: billionaires, kings, politicians, or even inebriated people.

"I still haven’t mastered that skill; she is still the master," the Chief Executive said.