MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos should encourage president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be the “best ever” leader of the country, former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario said.
“Everyone has the capacity to be a better person. If one chooses to be a leader, one can also choose to be a better leader. Or, one can choose to be the best ever leader,” Del Rosario declared over the weekend.
Marcos, he added, has the honor and privilege of constructively leading 110 million people.
“He can successfully do this by subjecting every presidential decision to the test of what is best for our countrymen. Let us fully encourage him to do this,” the former chief urged.
But for the three sons of the president-elect, the Filipino people are “lucky” to have Marcos as the next chief executive and father of the nation.
In a video greeting for Father’s Day posted on YouTube yesterday, his sons Sandro, Joseph Simon and William Vincent wished him luck for his incoming post as the country’s chief executive.
The siblings added that, together with their mother Louise Araneta-Marcos, they would be supporting him all the way.
“To our beloved and incoming President, but most importantly my beloved father, I want to wish you the best of luck in what’s to come. I know you prepared all your life and you spent a significant time making sure that you are ready for the problems that our country is facing,” Marcos’ eldest son and recently elected Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos said.
Sandro said his father’s “undying optimism” is the best trait that he wishes to emulate as he is set to become a public servant himself.
Marcos’ second son, Simon, meanwhile said his father is always objective and decisive and even gave him advice “to never make a decision when you’re too angry or too happy or too sad.”
For Marcos’ youngest son, Vinny, the best advice he got from his father was “to never hate anyone.”
“My favorite thing that you’ve always said to me is to never hate anyone even if they’ve crossed you, talked bad about you, criticized (you), never hate, just keep moving forward by doing the best you can. You’ve always led by example and always such a great person to be around,” Vinny said. – Elizabeth Marcelo