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Helen Flores - The Philippine Star
January 29, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Amid rumors of his alleged deteriorating health, President Marcos appeared in a video message last night, assuring the public that he is fine while he continues to take medications for his diverticulitis.
In a video message shared by Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro with Palace reporters, the 68-year-old Marcos was seen playing with his dog, Oreo.
“I was just prescribed medication and continue to take antibiotics, but I’m OK,” Marcos said in Filipino.
He said he was able to preside over the Economy and Development Council meeting on Monday at Malacañang that lasted two hours.
“Tomorrow, I have meetings, and so on,” he said.
Marcos joked that his doctors are concerned that he is not resting but he told them that there are things to be done that could not wait.
The President said his doctors restricted him to soft meals, specifically soup, for a few days so as not to “stress” his intestines.
He said he dreamt the other night of eating steak.
“Now, I can eat anything,” he said, adding he had an hamburger,” the President said.
Marcos was checked by his doctors at Malacañang on Wednesday.
“I got the best possible medical care that I can have,” Marcos said.
He also thanked those who expressed concern about his health and prayed for his fast recovery.
Earlier in the day, Castro said Marcos has no serious illness and continues to work inside Malacañang,.
Castro said the Palace does not see the need to issue a medical bulletin on the condition of the President, saying such a document is issued only for serious illness.
Marcos skipped the conferment of the 2025 Gawad Lingkod Bayani—the country’s highest honor for outstanding government workers—at Malacañang on Wednesday morning. He was represented by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
The President, however, led the oath-taking and donning of four-star rank to Philippine National Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. which was also held at the Palace on Wednesday morning.
“Ngayon po um-attend po siya sa oathtaking po ni General Nartatez Jr. kaya masasabi po natin na gumaganda, umiigi, umaayos po ang kalusugan ng Pangulo matapos po siyang ma-diagnose ng doktor patungkol sa diverticulitis,” Castro told Palace reporters at a briefing.
(Today, he attended the oathtaking of General Nartatez Jr., so we can say that the President’s health is improving, getting better, after the doctor diagnosed him with diverticulitis).
Asked whether it would be better if the President’s doctors would issue a medical bulletin to inform the public about his condition, Castro responded, “Sa ating pagkakaalam po, kapag naglabas ng medical bulletin [ay] dapat serious illness (As far as we know, a medical bulletin is issued for serious illness).
“Kung sinabi ng Pangulo na hindi ito life-threatening, so bakit kakailanganin po ngayon ang medical bulletin samantalang kami naman po ay nagpu-provide sa inyo kung ano ang kalagayan ng kalusugan ng Pangulo?,” she said.
(If the President said it was not life-threatening, then what is the need for a medical bulletin, while we are providing you with the President’s health status?)
When a reporter told Castro that doctors are more reliable, the Palace press officer rebutted, saying the President is probably more reliable as he himself knows what he feels.
Marcos was brought to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City last week after experiencing stomach pain. Castro on Tuesday said the President has been advised by doctors to slow down a little.
Diverticulitis is an inflammation in the large intestine that causes abdominal pain. The President has given assurance that his condition is not life-threatening.
Castro was also asked to comment on a text message from an anonymous number which circulated on Tuesday claiming that the President’s “acute diverticulitis has deteriorated severely due to drug use.” The text message said that the “cyst and showed clear sign of perforation which could lead to a life-threatening complication if not addressed immediately.”
Castro downplayed the rumor coming from an unknown source, urging the public not to trust unverified reports.
“So, kung unknown ang source niyan, so, malamang gumagawa ang kuwento iyan. So, huwag nating paniwalaan ang mga kumakalat sa social media nang hindi verified at walang ibang source,” she said.
(So, if the source of that is unknown, then, that is a made-up story. So, let’s not believe what is being spread on social media without verification and without any other source).
Castro, however, could not say whether or not the President would attend activities outside the Palace this week or next week.
In a Viber message, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto assured that the President “is fine.”
“It’s natural for his doctor to recommend that he rest for a week,” Recto said.
