MANILA — Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought to put an end to speculation about his health by performing jumping jacks and briefly jogging in front of reporters outside his office on Monday.
Visibly annoyed by circulating claims, the 68-year-old president, dressed in formal office attire with reading glasses and leather shoes, carried out the impromptu exercise to reassure the public that he remains fit to lead.
“I challenge anyone who are saying that I am sick, that they come and exercise with me,” Marcos told reporters. “You come to the gym with me. Let’s see who can lift the weights better.”
He strongly denied rumors alleging serious illness and even paralysis. “Those people who tell you that I’m sick, that I’m paralyzed, they’re all liars,” he said.
Speculation about Marcos’ health intensified on social media after he was briefly absent from public view in January. He later confirmed in a video message that he had been hospitalized for an abdominal condition, which he attributed to stress and age.
The president said he had been diagnosed with diverticulitis, a condition involving inflammation of small pouches in the digestive tract that can cause pain, fever, nausea, or constipation. He added that a recent medical checkup showed he had recovered and was now back on a normal diet while maintaining a regular exercise routine.
Marcos also disclosed that he takes maintenance medication for gout and high blood pressure.
Since assuming office in mid-2022, Marcos has faced a range of challenges, including tensions with Beijing over the South China Sea, recurring natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and flooding, as well as economic pressures and political disputes within his administration.
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