President Marcos' birthday wish: Lasting PH reforms and more time with his family

Fresh off his attendance at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. marked his 69th birthday with a dual focus: securing long-term institutional reforms for the country and opening the gates of Malacañang to thousands of ordinary Filipinos.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Sunday, the President shared that his primary goal for his administration is to institutionalize foundational government restructuring to ensure continuity long after his term ends.

“I wish I'll be able to get the beginnings of what we started in place, so that they continue. It is, in many ways, a restructuring and I just want to get the basics of that in place so that we will continue to construct the government. We will continue to make it better,” Marcos said.

Alongside domestic administrative overhauls, Marcos reiterated the nation's commitment to independent, peace-oriented foreign relations. “We'll continue down the road of engagement with other countries. We will encourage trade. We will encourage diplomacy. We will always be on the side of peace,” he added.

On a personal note, Marcos admitted that the demands of the presidency have taken a toll on his family time, expressing a simple wish to spend more hours with First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos and their children.

“Our schedules don't match very well. We don't see each other that much either. I wish I could spend more time with all of you, number one,” he shared.

A Nationwide Celebration

Upon returning to Manila, the formal policy talk gave way to public festivities on Monday as Malacañang hosted the annual “Salo-Salo sa Palasyo.” The gathering brought the traditional Filipino communal meal beyond the Palace grounds, welcoming over 9,000 guests to the Kalayaan Grounds while simultaneously reaching thousands more across 90 satellite locations nationwide via livestream.

The guest list reflected a broad cross-section of society, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, public school students, government personnel, supporters, and vloggers.

“Thank you for all you’ve done to support me and the work that we are doing,” President Marcos told the crowd during a brief program before stepping down to personally greet and mingle with attendees amidst food tents and cultural performances.

The festivities resonated in regions across the archipelago. Beyond the celebration in the Palace, the celebration was simultaneously brought to Filipinos in 90 locations through livestreamed activities.

In Cebu, Governor Pam Baricuatro extended her birthday greetings and expressed gratitude for the chief executive's quick support to the province following the severe earthquake and typhoon that hit the region late last year and earlier this year.

According to Malacañang, the nationwide salo-salo highlights the administration's continued effort to transform the Palace into an accessible, welcoming space for all Filipinos.

President Marcos turned 69 on September 13.

-Paraluman News and Philippine News Agency