BATAC CITY, ILOCOS NORTE — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. returned to his family’s home province on Friday, September 11, to commemorate the 109th birth anniversary of his father and namesake, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., reflecting on the lessons of leadership, sacrifice and public service that he says continue to guide him as the country’s leader.
Marcos Jr. led a series of commemorative activities in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, including a Thanksgiving Mass at the Immaculate Conception Parish and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Daytoy Ti Bannawag Monument, also known as the Marcos Monument.
The commemoration marked the 109th birthday of Marcos Sr., who was born on September 11, 1917, in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.
According to ABS-CBN News, Marcos Jr. traveled to his hometown and personally led the wreath-laying ceremony to honor his late father. The event brought together members of the Marcos family, local officials and other government leaders.
Marcos Jr.: The Lessons of His Father Still Guide Him
During the commemoration, the President spoke about the lessons he learned from his father while growing up, saying many of those teachings have taken on greater meaning now that he himself is President of the Philippines.
Marcos Jr. said his father taught him the importance of public service, leadership and sacrifice — not simply through formal instruction, but through everyday experiences and by setting an example.
One lesson that stood out, according to the President, was the importance of doing what is right even when it is difficult.
He also recalled his father teaching him that meaningful achievements require sacrifice and that leadership should ultimately be focused on serving the country and its people.
The Philippine News Agency reported that Marcos Jr. described his father as a “great man” whose principles continue to influence the way he approaches his responsibilities as president. He said the elder Marcos taught him not to seek political importance or high office for its own sake, but to understand the value of public service.
“Make the Country Better Than You Found It”
Marcos Jr. also highlighted what he considers one of the most important principles behind leadership: leaving the country in a better state than when one first assumed responsibility.
The President said that even now, he often looks back on the lessons he learned from his father and considers what advice the elder Marcos might have given him in difficult situations.
Reports from the Philippine Information Agency said Marcos emphasized that his father taught him through leadership and experience, with the principle of public service remaining central to those lessons.
Marcos Family and Officials Join Batac Commemoration
The event was attended by First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos and the President’s sons, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos and William Vincent “Vinny” Marcos.
Other officials present included Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Ilocos Norte Second District Representative Angelo Marcos Barba and Batac City Mayor Markee Chua, according to government reports.
The activities formed part of the province’s annual commemoration of Marcos Sr.’s birth anniversary, highlighting the enduring political and historical significance of the Marcos family in Ilocos Norte.
September 11 Declared Special Non-Working Day in Ilocos Norte
Ahead of the commemoration, September 11, 2026, was declared a special non-working day throughout Ilocos Norte to allow residents to participate in activities marking the 109th birth anniversary of the former president.
The declaration was made under Proclamation No. 1421, signed by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto by authority of President Marcos Jr.
The proclamation said the holiday would give residents of Ilocos Norte a full opportunity to participate in the commemoration and related celebrations.
ABS-CBN News, the Philippine News Agency and the Philippine Daily Inquirer separately reported on the declaration before Friday’s anniversary activities.
A Return to the Marcos Family’s Political Stronghold
For Marcos Jr., the visit to Batac was more than a ceremonial trip.
Ilocos Norte remains the political heartland of the Marcos family, while Sarrat — the birthplace of Marcos Sr. — and Batac continue to play important roles in the family’s historical and political identity.
Marcos Sr. served as Philippine president from 1965 to 1986 and remains one of the most consequential and controversial figures in Philippine history. His legacy continues to generate sharply different views among Filipinos, making commemorations such as his birth anniversary significant not only for the Marcos family and Ilocos Norte but also within the broader national conversation about Philippine history and leadership.
This year’s ceremony, however, centered on Marcos Jr.’s personal memories of his father and the values he says continue to shape his own presidency.
As the President stood in his family’s home province to mark his father’s 109th birth anniversary, one message stood above the ceremony: leadership, according to Marcos Jr., is not about the position a person reaches — but about the responsibility they carry and what they leave behind for the country.
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