Philippines’ President Marcos Jogs in Public to Dispel Health Rumors

Philippine President Performs Jumping Jacks to Refute Health Rumors

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took extraordinary measures to dispel rumors about his health on April 13, performing jumping jacks and jogging in front of journalists during an impromptu press conference at the presidential palace.

The 68-year-old leader was responding to viral social media claims that he was either terminally ill with stage four colon cancer or already deceased. Some posts had circulated with specific details, alleging he died on April 8 at 2:51 am in Room 304 of the West Wing of Saint Luke’s Medical Center—specificity that lent credibility to the false reports among thousands of supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I challenge anyone who is saying that I am sick, that they come and exercise with me. We will see who is stronger. You come to the gym with me. Let’s see who is stronger in lifting weights,” Marcos told reporters as they laughed at his physical demonstration.

The presidential palace has consistently denied these health rumors, confirming that Marcos was diagnosed with diverticulitis—an inflammation of the digestive tract—in January, a condition that is treatable and not life-threatening.

The situation highlights the growing political tension between the Marcos administration and supporters of the Duterte family. Pro-Duterte influencers have accused the government and media of recycling old photos and videos of Marcos to create the impression he remains in good health.

Dave Gomez, acting secretary of the Presidential Communications Office, reported on April 9 that his agency had detected a “sudden and coordinated surge” of disinformation across platforms like Facebook and TikTok regarding the president’s health.

“We are in a state of energy emergency. The president will not be distracted by this noise,” Gomez stated, referencing the country’s ongoing power crisis that has demanded significant government attention. He added that his office is “tracking and documenting every post, every comment, and every lie” as potential evidence for legal action.

The administration has already requested the Justice Department to file charges against those spreading false information about the nation’s energy crisis, signaling a more aggressive stance against disinformation campaigns.

The phenomenon reflects the Philippines’ persistent struggle with political disinformation, which has become a regular feature of the country’s political landscape. Critics point out that both the Marcos and Duterte families have historically benefited from disinformation campaigns—the former to rehabilitate the legacy of the Marcos dictatorship of the 1970s-1980s, and the latter to downplay human rights concerns during Duterte’s controversial drug war.

Father Jerome Secillano, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Manila, expressed serious concern about the current wave of false information. “Lying is the work of the devil,” he told UCA News on April 14, adding that these rumors “border on destroying the person” of Marcos.

The Catholic Church, a significant institution in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, has attempted to address the issue through educational forums and seminars on disinformation, but Secillano acknowledged the limitations of these efforts. “From the point of view of the Church, it has to stop. But how do we stop these people from doing these evil things? I don’t know,” he said.

The priest advised Filipinos to exercise greater skepticism when encountering “outrageous claims” online, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and information verification in the digital age.

As the Marcos administration continues to tackle both governance challenges and information warfare, the president’s physical demonstration underscores the extent to which Philippine politics has become entangled with social media narratives and the struggle for control over public perception.