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December 31, 2025 | 12:00am
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on November 7, 2025.
STAR / Noel Pabalate
MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippines continues to be beset by widespread corruption, President Marcos yesterday urged Filipinos to draw inspiration from national hero Jose Rizal by upholding patriotism, truth and responsible citizenship.
Marcos led the flag-raising and wreath-laying rites at the Rizal Monument in Manila as the nation commemorated the 129th anniversary of Rizal’s heroism and martyrdom.
“Today, as Filipinos demand integrity and accountability from their leaders, we look up to his life to provide us with guidance and strength,” he said.
Attendees included National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chair Regalado Trota Jose Jr., Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Jimmy Larida, other state officials and members of the diplomatic corps.
First Lady Liza Marcos and their children, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, Joseph Simon and William Vincent, joined the President.
The Chief Executive also led a gift-giving event with supporters at the Open-Air Auditorium in Rizal Park.
The Marcoses hosted a year-end celebration for some 2,000 supporters from the Friends of Imelda Romualdez Marcos or FIRM, led by founding president Artemio Lachica.
Programs were held simultaneously at the Rizal Shrine in Calamba City, Laguna, Rizal’s birthplace; Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte and other Rizal monuments nationwide, the NHCP said.
Don’t let unity die
Vice President Sara Duterte, for her part, said the true lesson given by Rizal is that “freedom is not only freedom from foreign forces, but also the liberation of one’s mind and emotion from abuse, disintegration and evil.”
“Let us not let the spirit of wisdom and unity die,” she said.
Marcos and Duterte’s political alliance in the 2022 general elections, dubbed the UniTeam, collapsed in 2024.
Since then, their dynasties have been at odds, leading to the Vice President’s impeachment and her father’s turnover to the International Criminal Court to face crimes against humanity charges.
Anomalous flood control deals, meanwhile, uncovered kickbacks sourced from insertions in a mangled national budget.
The President’s cousin, former House speaker Martin Romualdez, and former congressman Zaldy Co, appointed by Romualdez as appropriations chair, have been implicated, among other state officials, public works engineers and contractors. — Michael Punongbayan, Emmanuel Tupas, Ric Sapnu
