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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appoints Juan Ponce Enrile as his chief legal counsel on July 26, 2022.
Bongbong Marcos / Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wished Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile a happy birthday on his 101st birthday, calling the political veteran “a statesman, a legal luminary and an exemplary public servant.”
Enrile was born on February 14, 1924. He has participated in many major events in Philippine history — and appears ready to keep doing so. The centenarian joined Marcos’ administration decades after being part of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s cabinet: the namesake and father of the current president.
“He has not only witnessed history but has actively shaped it. In that time, he has amassed a wealth of wisdom and experience, which he generously shares. It is one that all presidents, including myself, have gladly partaken in,” Marcos said in a statement.
Enrile’s birthday famously falls on Valentine’s Day, which Marcos said is opportune.
“The fact that his natal day coincides with Valentine’s Day reminds us that the sharpness of his mind is equaled only by the warmth of his heart for the Filipino people,” Marcos said.
The president wished Enrile good health, good cheer and good spirits for his birthday.
