Jamaine Punzalan

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the oath-taking of the new officers of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang Palace, Manila, on October 7, 2025.
Taking their oath before the President were San Juan City Mayor Francis Javier M. Zamora, LCP President; Echague, Isabela Mayor Faustino A. Dy V, LMP President; Rep. Joseph Sto. Niño B. Bernos, LMP President Emeritus; and Roxas City Mayor Ronnie T. Dadivas, LCP National Vice Chairperson. Mark Balmores, PPA pool

Article (news)

MARCOS

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATE) — Only “real leaders can sacrifice their self-interests for the nation’s good,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during the Philippines’ 128th Independence Day rites, which also marked the first time that he and Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian was seen in together in a public event.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/senate-plenary-session-majority-minority-1501">Gatchalian elected as Senate president pro tempore</a></div><p>While Marcos Jr.’s Independence Day speech revolved around the need for modern day Filipinos to safeguard the country’s hard-earned freedom, his address also comes on the heels of a weeks-long power struggle in the Senate that saw Gatchalian’s bloc seizing power from Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano after his group refused to attend sessions following Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s arrest over non-bailable plunder charges.</p><p>“Ang ating kasaysayan ay nagturo sa atin na sa pagkakaisa lamang makakamit ang kasarinlan, na ang tunay na mga pinuno ay yaong nagsasakripisyo ng sariling interes para sa ikabubuti ng bayan, na ang kalayaan ay dapat inaalagaan,” Marcos said in his speech.</p><p>“Gamitin natin ang mga aral na ito upang mapaunlad ang ating bansa at mapalawig ang ating kasarinlan,” he said, underscoring that the Philippines continues to be riddled with corruption, divisiveness, and poverty.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=306&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2244925786276218%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="306" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>The President also noted that Filipino revolutionaries were only able to free the country from foreign powers after mounting a united front against oppressive conquerors.</p><p>“Ang pag-aalsa sa Bohol, sa Piddig, Ilocos Norte, at sa Cavite ay senyales ng maigting na pagnanais ng ating mga ninuno na maging malaya subalit dahil sa pagkakahiwalay at kawalan ng iisang layunin, hindi sila nagtagumpay,” he said.</p><p>“Sa ilalim ng Katipunan, nagawa ni Gat Andres Bonifacio at ng mga Katipunero na pag-isahin ang bayan tungo sa isang adhikain at isang laban,” he said.</p><p>“Dito, ipinahayag natin sa buong mundo ang hangarin nating mamuhay bilang isang malaya at nagsasariling bansa,” he said.</p><p>Despite present-day challenges, Marcos said he remains optimistic that the Philippines would remain free not only from invaders, but also from corrupt practices and divisiveness.</p><p>“Sa bawat Pilipino, ito ang aking panawagan: Huwag po tayong mapagod na mahalin, piliin, at ipaglaban ang Pilipinas,” the President said.</p><p>“Palalimin natin ang ating kamalayan. Maging mapanuri sa katotohanan. Gamitin natin sa tama ang ating kakayahan, hindi sa masama,” he said.</p><p>“Lumaban nang patas sa araw-araw. Huwag pagsamantalahan ang pinagpaguran ng iba at piliin natin ang ikabubuti ng bayan laban sa interes ng iilan,” he said. </p><p>“Kung mananatili tayong tapat sa mga adkihaing ito, makatitiyak tayong magmamana ang mga susunod na henerasyon ng isang bansa na mas matatag, mas makatarungan, at mas maunlad.”</p><p>Marcos delivered his speech at the Quirino Grandstand in front of government officials, diplomats and ordinary Filipinos. Loud cheers were clearly heard after the President acknowledged Gatchalian’s attendance, addressing the senator as Senate President Pro Tempore.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/loren-legarda-insists-she-s-still-senate-president-pro-tempore-1049">Loren Legarda insists she&#x27;s still Senate President pro tempore: &#x27;Never po tayong kapit-tuko&#x27;</a></div><p>The President paused after hearing the cheers and chuckled before continuing with his speech.</p><p>Gatchalian’s group on June 3 mustered a quorum of 12 to install him as Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President.</p><p>But Cayetano has maintained that he is still the Senate President until his replacement could be elected with 13 votes. </p><p>The leadership tussle in the Senate comes ahead of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment proceedings in July.</p><p>Malacañang and the House of Representatives earlier said they recognized Gatchalian as the Senate leader.</p><div><br/></div><div><em></em><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gLXaDAgZKsw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><em></em><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday recognized Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the Senate President Pro Tempore during a speech at the Independence Day gathering in Quirino Grandstand.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday recognized Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the Senate President Pro Tempore during a speech at the Independence Day gathering in Quirino Grandstand.

Marcos on Independence Day: Real leaders can sacrifice self-interest for nation’s good

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Marcos on Independence Day: Real leaders can sacrifice self-interest for nation’s good

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 12, 2026 09:56 AM PHT

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Updated June 12, 2026 10:54 AM PHT

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