President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday called on Filipinos to unite amid the spate of typhoons that ravaged the country and urged leaders to recommit to faith and lead with compassion and integrity.

Speaking at the 49th Philippine National Prayer Breakfast (PNPB) in Malacañang, Marcos stressed the importance of unity and faith, especially in the face of challenges the country is facing.

“Our collective faith and prayer to the Almighty is the most powerful tool that we have to weather these storms and the destruction that they bring,” Marcos said before government and Christian leaders.

Founded in 1975 by Senate President Gil Puyat and lawyer Francisco Ortigas Jr., the PNPB gathered the nation’s leaders from government, business, and the faith community to seek God’s guidance for the Philippines.

Marcos expressed both gratitude and purpose in joining the PNPB, which he said served as a cornerstone of national reflection, providing an opportunity for leaders to set aside titles and agenda to come together as equal in prayer.

“The world and our country are facing so much divisiveness—beliefs, politics, and even generational cultural differences. These often make us forget our humanity, that we are one in our shared goal: to serve our fellow Filipinos, to help the Philippines flourish,” he said.

The President also encouraged future leaders to let faith be a guiding beacon, providing courage in times of doubt and tempering ambition with a sense of purpose greater than oneself.

“Let us ensure that in every decision, in every action, the spirit of love, mercy, and humility is present,” Marcos said.

“You will draw courage from it when faced with doubt, it will temper your ambition with a sense of purpose greater than self.

“Let us bequeath to the next generation a leadership culture that values integrity over expediency, vision over short-term gains, and harmony over discord,” the President said.

He also called on leaders to recommit themselves to service imbued with faith and prayerful discernment.

“Let us renew our pledge to seek divine wisdom, to build bridges where there are divides, and to lead with conviction that our nation’s best days are ahead of us.”

According to the President, the gathering came at a critical moment as Filipinos faced successive challenges since Oct. 21, starting with Severe Tropical Storm Kristine hitting the country. The situation continued with Super Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi).

The President said the PNPB serves as a reminder that leadership without faith is like a ship without a compass – “it may sail, but it will drift.”

“True leadership, the kind that transforms people’s lives for the better, is guided by wisdom and is rooted in faith and in God,” he said. (PNA)