By Brian Campued
Following the spate of typhoons that lashed the country and left widespread destruction in its wake, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on Filipinos to unite in the face of adversity brought by recent calamities.
In a speech during the 49th Philippine National Prayer Breakfast (PNPB) at the Malacanan Palace on Monday, the President underscored the importance of prayer as the most powerful tool “to weather these storms.”
“Our collective faith and prayer to the Almighty is the most powerful tool that we have to weather these storms and the destruction that they bring,” Marcos said.
The country has experienced consecutive storms in a month, starting with Severe Tropical Storm Kristine up to the latest Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi), which made landfall in Catanduanes and Aurora over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive also called on present and future leaders to recommit to service guided by discernment, emphasizing the value of unity and faith in nurturing harmony instead of sowing discord.
“The world and our country are facing so much divisiveness—beliefs, politics, and even generational cultural differences. These often make us forget our humanity, that we are one in our shared goal: to serve our fellow Filipinos, to help the Philippines flourish,” he said.
According to the President, the PNPB serves as a reminder that “leadership without faith is like a ship without a compass: it may sail, but it will drift,” noting true leaders are those who aspire to transform the people’s lives for the better.
“Let us renew our pledge to seek divine wisdom, to build bridges where there are divides, and to lead with conviction that our nation’s best days are ahead of us,” he added.
The PNPB gathered various leaders from government and other sectors to seek God’s guidance against the challenges the nation is facing.
—avds