President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he has no regrets about running alongside Vice President Sara Duterte in the 2022 elections, but acknowledged concerns that key reforms initiated under his administration could be disrupted if she eventually takes over the country’s leadership.
In an interview with Bloomberg Television uploaded on May 29, Marcos dismissed claims that choosing Duterte as his running mate was a political mistake.
“No, I don’t think so.”
Marcos said their alliance was appropriate at the time because they shared common goals for governance and national development.
“I think it was for the time that was the best thing that we could do.”
The President explained that both he and Duterte previously agreed on the direction the government should take, although he suggested that their views may have diverged since then.
“We had the same idea of what needed to be done in government. Maybe that’s changed.”
“But if you look at it in the context of that period, I think that was the right thing to do, still.”
Despite standing by their 2022 partnership, Marcos admitted he is worried that the reforms his administration has begun may not be sustained if a new leadership takes a different approach.
Asked whether he fears that his policies could be undone due to Duterte’s continued popularity, Marcos replied:
“Yes. Very much.”
He emphasized that many of the reforms being pursued are long-term initiatives that require consistency and commitment beyond a single administration.
“That is a great worry for me because we have just started, and these are big things that we are trying to do.”
According to Marcos, his government is focused on transforming the way public institutions operate, particularly through efforts to improve the bureaucracy and governance systems.
“We’re changing the whole way that we govern. We are trying to reform the bureaucracy.”
“These things don’t get done instantly, and it’s very, very easy to go off the rails.”
The President stressed that continuity is crucial to ensuring that reforms are completed and that the country does not revert to previous practices.
“It is continuity that we aspire for, that we dream of, that we work for, and that continuity has to go on.”
“Otherwise, we will go back to doing business the old way.”
Marcos also rejected descriptions of an ongoing political battle between the Marcos and Duterte families, saying he is focused on governance rather than political rivalries.
“Well, I don’t see it as a war. I’m not conducting any war or political war against anyone.”
“I’m just trying to do my job.”
He maintained that his priorities remain centered on economic growth, public welfare, and national development.
“All I worry about is work, all I worry about is national development, all I worry about is sustainability.”
“I worry about jobs, I worry about the economy, I worry about people’s lives, safety, etc.”
The President further urged political leaders to set aside partisan conflicts and concentrate on the country’s long-term progress.
“The response is really to leave politics aside because the work of national development is a billion times more important.”
The interview surfaced as Vice President Duterte continues to face impeachment proceedings, while former President Rodrigo Duterte remains the subject of an ongoing International Criminal Court investigation related to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.