Marcos Jr. calls for unity, direction in 2026

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos yesterday called on Filipinos to face 2026 with a clear direction as he echoed his call for unity to achieve a more humane country.

In a social media post, Marcos, whose administration grappled with a host of political controversies in 2025, said the new year is a time to think about the things the country had undergone.

“As 2026 begins, this is a time to reflect on what we went through and to carry on with a clear direction and hope,” the President said in Filipino. “We will achieve more if we remain united. Let us continue to work for a better and more humane new Philippines. Happy New Year to all of us.”

In a separate New Year message, Marcos highlighted the need for discipline, confidence and a shared commitment to progress and encouraged Filipinos to look back at the lessons, achievements and challenges of 2025.

“For beyond personal resolutions, the new year calls on us to examine how we live with one another, how we lift one another and how our choices shape our nation,” he said.

The year 2025 saw the Marcos administration dealing with political tensions arising from major developments, including the arrest and detention of former president Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court in The Hague over alleged crimes against humanity, the efforts to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte and the President’s directive to probe ghost and substandard flood control projects.

The executive branch also underwent several leadership changes last year because of a performance audit that covered agency heads and the flood control controversy. 

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III welcomed 2026 by urging the country to learn from the past lessons.

“As we welcome the New Year, let us look ahead with renewed hope and determination. Dalhin natin ang aral ng nakaraan at tapang na harapin ang hamon ng bagong taon nang may pagkakaisa, displina, at malakas na pananampalataya sa Diyos (Let us learn from the lessons of the past and face the new year with courage, unity, discipline and faith in God),” Sotto said on social media.

Sotto’s leadership made the budget bicameral conference meetings transparent by livestreaming these to the public, in a bid to stop previous years’ practice of closed-door meetings to tinker with the national outlay. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab