The virtues observed during Ramadan — compassion, humility, patience, and charity — should outlast the holiday itself and shape how Filipinos treat one another in daily life, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Saturday.
Marking Eid’l Fitr on March 21, Marcos described the occasion as both solemn and joyous, calling it the culmination of a month defined by prayer, fasting, and reflection.
“It reminds us that the deepest joys are often those earned through sacrifice, and that discipline in faith strengthens not only the individual, but the entire community,” he said.
The president framed the lessons of the holy month not as personal spiritual milestones but as obligations that extend outward — to families, communities, and the nation as a whole.
“They must strengthen families, restore hope in communities, and remind us that a nation is built not only through laws and institutions, but through people who choose kindness, responsibility, and solidarity with one another,” Marcos said.
He paid tribute to Muslim Filipinos, pointing to what he called their quiet generosity and steadfast commitment to duty even under difficult circumstances. “We see it in the quiet fidelity to duty even when no one is watching. These are the virtues that preserve peace in our neighborhoods, sustain trust in our communities, and keep hope alive in difficult times,” the president said.
Marcos expressed hope that the celebration would bring comfort and renewed strength to those in need and in service, while bridging understanding across faiths.
“May it deepen understanding across faiths and cultures and continue to unite us in our shared aspiration to build a Bagong Pilipinas where dignity is upheld, opportunity reaches every Filipino, and peace flourishes through justice and mutual respect,” he said.
The observance fell on March 21 after the Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’ announced Thursday evening that the crescent moon had not been sighted, pushing the celebration back a day from the national holiday Marcos had originally proclaimed through Proclamation No. 1189.
