President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that he intends to endorse an official successor in the upcoming 2028 presidential race, though he emphasized that it remains far too early to select a standard-bearer for the ruling coalition.
Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) Presidential Luncheon in Manila, the Chief Executive noted that while the administration aims to present a top-tier candidate to build on ongoing economic and social programs, formal choices have not been finalized.
“I will certainly endorse a candidate in the 2028 elections,” Marcos stated.
When pressed on potential candidates, the President remarked that no single individual has been chosen, as political dynamics continue to evolve.
“Who that is, I cannot tell you because even I don’t know. It’s a little early for that. And we don’t know,” he said.
Addressing early presidential declarations, Marcos observed that only one contender has officially stepped forward at this stage.
“So far, we have only one person who has put their hand in the ring. So, that’s a very, very early one in the process,” he noted.
The Chief Executive explained that his administration party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), will explore alliances with other political groups before establishing its unified platform or candidate list.
“We will certainly provide the best candidate for the betterment of the lives of every Filipino,” Marcos remarked.
“We will choose the best possible candidate,” he added, reiterating that sustaining progress remains his principal objective.
Responding to ongoing political speculation and early polling matchups, Marcos dismissed current discussions as unconfirmed rumors, maintaining that he has not yet held private meetings to select candidates.
“Sa ngayon, puro haka-haka lang. Baka tatakbo si ganito, tatakbo si ganyan,” Marcos explained.
“Put it this way, I haven’t sat down with anyone and said, ‘Do you want to run for president or not?’ No, we’ve not come anywhere near that,” he added.