President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. met with members of his political party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), on Friday to check in with the organization and consult with candidates before the start of the campaign period.
Marcos urged fellow party members to transform party principles into programs and initiatives that uplift the lives of Filipinos.
“Let us not forget why we are here. Let us not forget what brought us here — our purpose; the goal to improve the lives of every Filipino, to improve and defend the Philippines,” he said in his speech.
The President emphasized that the main reason people enter politics and public service is to help their fellow countrymen, constituents, and the nation in their own ways.
“That’s why we enter this kind of service — because no one will say that politics is easy. Even if you are very rich, even if you have a good reputation, even if you are well-known by your entire constituency, the work is still difficult,” Marcos noted.
“Even if you are elected, the work does not stop. And especially for our local government officials, we know that when you take office as a local government official, the various issues — I don’t call them problems — that arise in our daily lives will really pour in,” he added.
Marcos said public officials endure harsh criticism and make sacrifices as long as they serve the public good.
As the election period approaches, Marcos assured the full support of the PFP for all its members running for office.
“Let’s not forget that the party is here behind you. Not just the party, but all the members — those who are with us today, those who couldn’t make it but are watching and waiting for what we will do, our plans in the coming campaign period until the election — all of these people are with you, supporting you,” he said.
“And whatever can be done, not only by the party but also by your fellow PFP members, we will help you. So that’s what we need to do,” he added.
Meanwhile, Marcos expressed confidence that his high survey ratings would benefit administration candidates in the upcoming May elections.
On Thursday, a survey from the Social Weather Stations showed that the President maintained a “good” satisfaction rating, with 59 percent of Filipinos approving of his overall performance.
“Maybe. I’m sure it has an effect. That will help,” Marcos said, referring to the high ratings of his administration’s performance.