By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
After being joined by the First Family during a thanksgiving mass at the Immaculate Conception Parish, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led a wreath-laying ceremony at the Marcos Monument in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on Thursday.
The solemn event commemorates the 109th birth anniversary of the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., who served as the nation’s 10th Chief Executive from 1965-1986.
President Marcos Jr. conveyed his appreciation to those present, noting that the occasion reminds him of the lessons he learned from the principles and examples of public service his namesake showed him at a young age.
The President reminisced in his speech, “My father never sat me down and said ‘The lesson for today is that you must learn this, that, and the other thing.’ Hindi ganun ang style ng aking ama—his way is to teach by example and to teach by leadership.”
He went on to discuss how the knowledge and wisdom passed down from his father carried on in his tenure as the nation’s top government official.
President Marcos Jr. likewise encouraged Filipinos and fellow workers in government to live by the ideals that defined the leadership of his father.
The Chief Executive concluded, “Happy Birthday Dad, thank you for the lessons you taught us. Thank you for the examples of service that continue to guide us.”
jpv
