President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acknowledged that the results of the recent elections reflect a growing public disapproval, noting that Filipinos have grown tired of politics and are increasingly disappointed with the quality of government service.
"Ang mensahe sa aming lahat, hindi lamang sa akin kundi sa aming lahat, ‘tama na iyang pamumulitika ninyo at kami naman ang asikasuhin ninyo.’ Tama rin naman. Iyan naman talaga ang dapat nating ginagawa," Marcos said in an exclusive interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna.
"Tama na ‘yung pulitika, gawin na nating lahat ang dapat gawin," he added.
The President acknowledged that many Filipinos feel disconnected from the government's efforts and perceive project implementation as too slow and lacking visible impact.
He further shared that upon assuming office, he expressed a desire to move away from a 'business as usual' approach, believing that if things continued that way, the Philippines would remain stagnant and fail to progress.
"Sabi ko, ‘kailangan nating baguhin ito.’ Kaya tiningnan ko ‘yung malalaking mahihirap na proyekto na long term ang magiging effect. ‘Yun ang trabahuhin natin," said Marcos.
With this in mind, the administration prioritized major projects and placed them at the center of its agenda, including initiatives in tourism, health, and other key sectors.
However, the President acknowledged that the challenge with large-scale projects—particularly in transportation—is that they naturally take a long time to complete. Even under the best circumstances, with maximum efficiency and no delays, Marcos said such projects still require significant time.
"Pero sabi ko kailangan magawa natin ito kasi kung hindi natin gawin, papaano na? Hanggang dito na lang tayo. Kailangan gumawa tayo ng bago," Marcos stated.
Meanwhile, President Marcos admitted that everyday concerns directly affecting citizens' lives have faced challenges and have not received sufficient attention.
Despite this, the President emphasized that the initiatives launched under his administration must continue beyond his term, even after he and his Cabinet have left office.
In the same interview, President Marcos said he is open to reconciling with the Duterte family, emphasizing that he prefers unity and peace to effectively achieve his administration’s goals.
