President Bongbong Marcos on Monday encouraged Filipinos to look to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a model of purity, devotion, and unwavering faith, urging the nation to build a future rooted in placing God at its center.
In his message for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception — a special nonworking day and a holy day of obligation for Catholics — the President said, “As we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, may her example of purity, devotion, and unwavering faith inspire us to lead lives anchored in grace and purpose. Through her intercession, may our leaders be guided by wisdom and discernment, our institutions purified at the root, and our people united in hope.”
He added, “Let us draw strength from her life as we continue building a nation that places God at its center and holds fast to the dignity of every Filipino.”
Observed every December 8, the celebration highlights the belief that Mary was conceived without original sin.
Marcos said the day invites Catholics to reflect on Mary, “whose life began entirely in God’s favor,” calling her a “Mother who journeys with us—interceding, guiding, and showing us what it truly means to belong to God wholeheartedly.”
The President also framed the feast as a reminder of intention and integrity, noting, “The Immaculate Conception reminds us that the way we begin matters. Our intentions shape our outcomes, and the spirit in which we start a mission influences the fruit it bears.”
He warned against division and deceit, saying, “If we sow pride, we reap division; if we sow deceit, we reap distrust. But if we begin with truth, humility, and compassion for the least among us we can build a more just and peaceful Bagong Pilipinas.”