At 68, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. doesn’t deny that he wants to be a “lolo” or grandfather, even though he often insists he is “not a senior citizen.”
In the last part of his fifth podcast episode, Marcos said he is open to his children — all sons — getting married and starting their own families.
“Well, I'm at the stage in my life where I would say, yes, please,” Marcos said. But there is one other thing he wishes for his future daughters-in-law: “I would also add good luck. Knowing my sons, good luck with that.”
Marcos did not go into specifics but described how each of his sons has grown up with distinct personalities.
For example, his eldest, Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos, followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by taking the political route.
His second child, Simon, tends to stay away from the limelight, living a private life and working as an analyst in the private sector. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from Oxford Brookes University. Simon makes occasional public appearances, often accompanying his family during public engagements.
The “bunso,” or youngest of the brothers, Vincent or Vinny, is often seen accompanying his parents at public events. Like his brothers, he also studied in England and now works as a software engineer. He currently serves as chairman of the Bagong Pilipinas Youth (BPY), a nationwide movement designed to empower young Filipinos to become “proactive agents of change” in their communities and the country.
Marcos said he has always treated his children as “whole persons.”
“I never sort of said, this is a child you need to… For example, I never did baby talk. I thought that's the most silly thing to do,” he said. “And I just dealt with them as people.”
Marcos added that he developed a way of connecting with them despite their differences.
“Each one is very different. But they all crack me up. They all make me laugh a lot,” he said.