As the nation observes Holy Week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has urged Filipinos to remain resilient and optimistic despite challenges in daily life.

In his Palm Sunday message, Marcos called on the nation to ponder the values of compassion and self-giving. “I join the entire Filipino nation as we take a brief pause from our daily routines to observe the Holy Week,” Marcos said.

“As we enter the solemn commemoration of Jesus Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, let us ponder the Lord’s perfect example of compassion and self-giving. Our Savior knew that the path of Calvary was not an easy journey,” he added.

“Yet, in dutiful obedience to the Father’s will, He fulfilled His mission, enduring hardships and suffering, all in the name of love. Through His sacrifice, the gift of salvation came into our midst,” the President said.

He said Filipinos may emulate Christ by remaining resilient and optimistic in life, despite all the challenges that come their way.

The President explained that adversities shape people into better persons, capable of understanding and charity towards others.

Across the country, priests and lay ministers blessed palm fronds or “palaspas” which the faithful brought during the celebration of Holy Mass.

The waving of the fronds commemorates the triumphal entry to Jerusalem of Christ, amid “Hosannas” by the people who would ask that he be crucified a week later.

“By His death on the cross at Golgotha, He showed us that our limitations and frailties as human beings do not hinder us from greater causes,” he continued.

Deep devotion

Marcos looked forward to Easter, saying: “We are comforted by the triumph of Easter, which uncovered the success of the Lord’s ultimate sacrifice.”

“May the realization that a loving God embraced humanity to be with us inspire perseverance through tribulations and be an encouragement to our brothers and sisters.”

He continued: “I hope that we will regain strength in the presence of our family and loved ones for us to be more dedicated in doing His will, most especially to those in the peripheries He entrusted under our care.”

Filipinos mark Holy Week with deep devotion through church services, processions and personal acts of penance.

The Philippines boasts over 85 million Roman Catholics, making it one of the largest Catholic countries in the world, third after Brazil and Mexico.

For Filipino Catholics, Holy Week is the most sacred time of the year, commemorating the final days of Jesus Christ’s earthly life —His passion, death, and resurrection.

It begins on Palm Sunday and culminates on Easter Sunday. Filipinos honor this week through various religious traditions: attending Masses, watching the Senakulo (a reenactment of Christ’s Passion), observing fasting, and performing acts of penance.

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are especially solemn, with many refraining from work or leisure. For many, Holy Week is both a spiritual renewal and a communal expression of faith, reflecting the deeply rooted Catholic culture of the Philippines.