Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he has learned ‘many things’ from the presidency of his father, the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., but acknowledged that his own brand of leadership is ‘different.’
According to Philippines News Agency, in the sixth episode of his podcast aired on Thursday, Marcos said one of the lessons his father taught him was to keep going, even if it means making sacrifices for the sake of the country. The President expressed that he considers himself the ‘luckiest’ person because he was born a Marcos, stating he does not regret being part of the family.
‘I think the basic thing that I learned from my father is: don’t stop. If you believe in something you’re doing for the country, for your people, do not stop. You will have to sacrifice,’ he said. ‘Don’t stop. You will fail. You have to stand up again,’ he added, noting that there were even times when he was ‘sleepless’ because of the grueling job as the country’s chief executive.
Marcos admitted that he is now living in a ‘different world,’ hence the need to take unconventional approaches for the country’s betterment. He also acknowledged that his efforts are not enough because ‘the work never ends.’
‘I’m here to serve. I’m not here for myself. I really think that there are many things that I could do. And I say to myself, ‘You’re not yet doing it. You haven’t finished. Go, go, go. Keep doing it. Keep working,” Marcos said.
To relieve stress, Marcos said he takes a break for at least three hours, adding that listening to music, spending time with his family, and exercising help a lot. ‘I’m fine. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to it. I have a big advantage because my father was president. So, for 20 years, I watched him. I know how difficult this job is. You have to learn to manage it,’ he said.
Marcos shared his approach to problem-solving, stating, ‘Ang sistema ko pag may malaking problema (My system has always been: when there is a big problem), my approach is always like this-learn everything about the problem, then go away and do something else, something completely different. When you come back, you usually have a new idea. That usually works for me.’
Asked how he is as a father to his children, Marcos said he ‘teach[es] by example.’ He expressed hope that his successor would build on the structural reforms initiated under his leadership and institutionalize them for the public’s benefit.
‘My hope and the reason the structural change is important is because kahit wala na ako rito, sana ‘yung mga pagbabagong nasimulan namin o na tumatakbo na, magtuluy-tuloy na (even if I’m no longer here, I hope the reforms we’ve started or are already underway will continue),’ he said.
