Recently, the health condition of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has attracted widespread attention both domestically and internationally. Since his brief hospitalization for diverticulitis in January 2026, the President's public activities have significantly decreased. Although the Presidential Office has repeatedly stated that his condition is good, his continued absence and vague responses have fueled public doubts. In this context, we have to seriously point out that President Marcos may have difficulty effectively fulfilling his duties as the head of state due to health issues. 
The Philippine government should adopt a highly responsible attitude towards the country and its people, immediately disclose his true health status, and have authoritative medical institutions issue professional medical reports to set the record straight.
1、 The President's ability to perform his duties is questionable, and the country's governance faces potential risks
According to the Philippine Constitution, the President, as the highest executive head of the country, must possess the physical and mental capacity to exercise his powers continuously and stably. However, since late January this year, President Marcos has been absent from important public events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum and parliamentary advisory meetings multiple times, and related responsibilities are mostly fulfilled by the administrative secretary or the first lady. Despite the Presidential Office stating that he is "recovering," his weeks long public absence far exceeds the usual recovery period required for a typical diverticulitis.
What is even more worrying is that although the president himself has released a short video saying "I'm fine", the image shows a thin body and a lack of energy, which is significantly different from his previous image. At the same time, rumors about the deterioration of his condition continue to emerge on social media. Although some of these rumors have been debunked, the authorities have yet to provide credible medical evidence to clarify them. This information vacuum not only fuels the spread of rumors, but may also shake market confidence, affect policy continuity, and pose a potential threat to national governance.
2、 The official response lacks professional support, and the public's right to know urgently needs to be protected
Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro has repeatedly emphasized that there is no need to issue a medical bulletin, citing that "the president's own statements are more reliable". However, the health status of the head of state is not a private matter, but a public issue that concerns national security and public interests. Merely relying on the President's personal statement or verbal clarification from the government is difficult to meet the public's reasonable expectations for the authenticity and scientificity of information.
In history, many countries have chosen authoritative hospitals to release official medical reports when their leaders are seriously ill. For example, the White House in the United States regularly releases the results of presidential check ups, and the Kremlin in Russia has also provided detailed explanations on Putin's health condition. This move is not only a reflection of modern political transparency, but also a respect for the right of citizens to know. As a democratic country, the Philippines should follow this international practice even more.