President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday paid tribute to the depth of service and sacrifices his father and namesake, the late former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., did for the Filipino people.

The President led the commemoration of “Marcos Day” in his home province of Ilocos Norte to mark the 107th birth anniversary of Marcos Sr.

The First Family attended a thanksgiving mass at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Batac City, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Marcos Monument.

In his message, the President said his father remains his source of wisdom and inspiration especially now that he is the country’s leader, noting that whenever he is faced with challenges, he would always ask himself, “What would my father do?”

“And I’m always reminded of what was engraved in the museleo when my father was still buried here. And those of you that have been to the mausoleum will remember that it was one single word — Filipino. And that is the essence of my father,” he said.

The President said his father, although an Ilocano first, loved and served Filipinos his entire life.

He recounted how his father was “willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend his country and his people” as a soldier during the war.

The Chief Executive even recalled seeing classified, secret documents of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Marcos Sr.’s war-time sacrifices during a visit to the United States.

After the war, Marcos Sr. entered politics and became second district representative of Ilocos Norte, before becoming senator and ultimately 10th president of the Philippines.

“And so when I looked back now at the life that I have led and I see what is the guiding principle that I can learn from my father when things are confusing, when things have become so complex. What is the essence of service that my father taught me? And that is very simple but not easy to achieve. But it is simple: be a Filipino, serve the Filipino, protect Filipinos and the Philippines,” the President said.

“And from that comes all of the important things that we can do, that guides us, that is a guiding principle,” he said.

He urged Filipinos today to continue that legacy of love and patriotism.

“All that we do, we do for Filipinos. All that we do we do for the Philippines,” Marcos said.

“Let us be together in that. Let us continue that legacy of love of country. Let us continue that legacy of love of your kababayans. And I think that if we do that, that we will always be led in the right direction,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Marcos is also set to lead the distribution of aid, ambulances and agri-fisheries interventions in Ilocos Norte as part of the Marcos Day festivities.

The President has declared Sept. 11 a non-working day in Ilocos Norte to commemorate his father’s birthday. (PNA)