President Marcos: Successor should continue anti-corruption campaign

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos speaks before fellow regional leaders and other guests during the ASEAN Summit.

Romeo Marantal

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos will endorse a presidential candidate in 2028 who will continue his programs and policies, including fighting corruption, and bring “even better initiatives for the development of our country.”

Marcos gave the response when asked at a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines in Manila on Friday whether he would endorse a candidate against Vice President Sara Duterte, who earlier this year declared her bid for the presidency.

“I will certainly endorse a candidate in 2028, but who that is, I cannot tell you because even I don’t know… it’s a little early for that,” the President said. 

He noted that “so far we have only one person who has thrown their hat in the ring.” 

Marcos said he has not discussed the 2028 presidential elections with anyone. “We’ve never come anywhere near that,” he said. 

He said there is a possibility that his political party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, would form alliances with other groups. 

“I help the political party… that I belong to. How PFP is going to make its alliances with other parties and how that ends up in terms of the actual joint candidate with other parties or if not our own candidate,” he said. 

“I would say that if I decided now it would be premature. We have to see how things shape up.”  

The President, however, said the administration would support the best candidate for the betterment of the lives of Filipinos.  

“The candidate I will endorse will be somebody who I am confident will continue what we have begun in terms of the anti-corruption push,” he said. 

Marcos was also asked to comment about his former ally and now critic Duterte leading recent presidential surveys. “I don’t really worry about surveys, to be honest with you,” he said.

“I don’t change direction because of a survey. I take a decision because that’s what I feel is proper,” he added.