By el Amigo
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Friday he plans to endorse what he considers the best candidate in the 2028 presidential elections, particularly someone capable of carrying forward his administration’s programs and accomplishments.
Marcos made the statement during a presidential luncheon hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines at the Diamond Hotel Philippines in Manila.
“I will certainly endorse a candidate in the 2028 elections,” Marcos said, adding that the choice should be someone who can sustain the initiatives his administration has started while introducing new and better programs for the country.
The President, however, said it remains too early to determine who could become the standard-bearer of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), his political party.
Marcos said he could not yet identify a possible successor because he has not determined who would be the most qualified candidate.
He noted that only one potential presidential contender has so far publicly expressed an intention to seek the country’s top post, making it premature to draw conclusions about the 2028 race.
Marcos also said the PFP could coordinate with other political parties in deciding whether to support common candidates or field its own slate in the upcoming elections.
While he acknowledged that preelection surveys provide interesting insights, Marcos said they may not carry much weight this early in the political cycle, given that numerous developments could still affect the 2028 race.
He likewise said he has not approached anyone to ask whether they intend to run for president.
“The time will come,” Marcos said.
elamigo/xf
