President Marcos thanks birthday well-wishers while juggling BRICS summit and nationwide aid
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. posted a video thanking people for birthday wishes, noting his packed schedule that took him from Ilocos to New Delhi for the BRICS summit.
In a Facebook video, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. thanked everyone who sent birthday greetings, saying his itinerary from Ilocos to New Delhi left little room for family celebrations. He spent his 69th birthday in New Delhi, participating in the 18th BRICS Summit as an outreach delegate and in his role as 2026 ASEAN chair. Back in Manila, he opened Malacañang Palace for a “Salo-Salo sa Palasyo,” inviting more than 98 local government units and all frontline service agencies, turning the gathering into a large celebration.
The event also distributed relief aid and highlighted a special extension of the Zero-Balance Billing initiative, which for that day covered all patients in roughly 132 hospitals across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, including some with million-peso bills. Additional outreach provided medical check-ups, free medicines, and other assistance to about 175,565 people at 282 sites. Marcos framed these actions as part of his birthday outreach and a demonstration of government service.
Why it matters
The story shows the president balancing international diplomacy with domestic welfare programs on his birthday.
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