President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has offered to mend fences with his political opponents, saying he already has enough enemies for him to create more.

In a podcast, Marcos said, “I don’t want trouble. I want everyone to get along. It’s better that way.”

There were, however, prior events that make the offer less convincing to those being addressed.

For one, the political kingpin of the South was surrendered to a foreign court that itself is locked in a desperate effort to survive, which should bar the International Criminal Court (ICC) letting go of its prize catch.

Even in its sincerest form, the President’s offer may have come too late, as the other camp has clearly seen the administration’s vulnerability through 2028 after the outcome of the midterm polls.

However, Mr. Marcos still has everything to gain if he can summon the winds of reconciliation.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, campaign manager of the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate, which performed subpar in the recent polls, candidly assessed the near debacle.

He said Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment and the missteps in handing former President Rodrigo Duterte over to the ICC tipped the scales primarily in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Tiangco noted that the votes in Bisaya-speaking areas, where the administration previously performed well, plunged.

Surveys in October 2024 showed 10 Alyansa candidates doing well in Mindanao, but this was quickly reversed, except for four administration candidates, after the House impeached Vice President Duterte in February.

Tiangco admitted that Alyansa had to recalibrate the team’s strategy by avoiding campaigning in Mindanao as a slate.

The maneuver may have mitigated the bloodletting in the administration lineup, and was designed to help the administration capture control of the intractable Senate.

According to Tiangco, VP Duterte was impeached to justify the release of funds to lawmakers after parts of the 2025 national budget were vetoed.

In the podcast, the President said: “Nothing is impossible in Philippine politics.”

“As much as possible, for me, what I’m after is stability, something peaceful so we can do our jobs. I’m always open to any approach like, ‘Come on, let’s work together.’ Even if we don’t agree on policy, do your job, but let’s not cause trouble anymore.”

“Let’s remove the chaos,” he offered.

The path to reconciliation would be rocky, fraught with competing interests, deep-seated rivalries, and a history of divisive rhetoric.

President Marcos is pragmatic in his offer, emphasizing stability and cooperation over partisan rift.

The often fluid and unpredictable nature of alliances does not rule out any development in the remaining three years of the Marcos administration.

In Philippine politics, former adversaries can become allies overnight, driven by pragmatism and mutual benefit.

This fused the Unity Team in the 2022 elections before its leading personalities exploded in a vicious clash.

To open the door to reconciliation, skepticism about the sincerity of such overtures must be overcome.

The President’s appeal to “come together” and focus on stability suggests an attempt to rise above the fray and prioritize governance over partisan interests.

The public, weary of political drama, welcomes this rhetoric, but it should be backed with sincere actions from the Chief Executive himself.

A supreme will is needed to make political peace, and President Marcos should take the initial concrete steps towards it.