Choosing who to back for the 2028 presidential race would be a decision made too soon, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Friday, though he committed to eventually supporting a contender capable of carrying forward the reforms his government has pursued.
The president made the remarks at a dialogue hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP). Pressed on whom he might support, Marcos acknowledged that no name had crystallized in his own thinking. “I will certainly endorse a candidate in the 2028 elections. Who that is, I cannot tell you because even I don’t know… It’s a little early for that,” he said.
He noted that the political landscape remains unsettled with more than two years to go, and that the field could shift considerably regardless of what current polling indicates. To date, Marcos observed, only “one person has put her hat on the ring” — a reference understood to point to Vice President Sara Duterte.
Marcos was candid about the limits of committing to anyone at this stage. “And so, it’s very hard for me to, for myself, even to make a decision. I would say that if I decided now, it would be premature. We have to see how things really shape up,” he said. He added that he has not held any direct conversation with a prospective candidate about whether they intend to seek the presidency.
Looking ahead, the president signaled that a clearer picture would emerge in due course. “The time will come,” he said, framing any endorsement as a matter of finding the right person rather than the right moment alone.
On the standard he intends to apply, Marcos returned to the idea of continuity. “We will certainly provide the best candidate with the betterment of the lives of every Filipino. We will choose the best possible candidate who will continue what we have started,” he said.
