"You give us too much credit."

This was how President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. reacted to claims that his path to the presidency was a long-term plan.

During his interview with television host Toni Gonzaga, Marcos belied such claims, saying it was never his dream to be a president.

"Natatawa ako kung minsan (I laugh sometimes when) I see the commentary “pinagplanuhan nila nang taon-taon ito (they planned it for years), it’s a long-term plan,” Marcos said.

"I’d like to talk to them and say you know you give us too much credit. If only you knew all the stumbling blocks that came in our way, all the mistakes that we made," Marcos added.

The President was referring to claims that he has made his way to the presidency through well-planned disinformation and propaganda.

Growing up watching his father rule the country for 20 years, Marcos said he once told himself he will never enter the political arena and the presidency was never his goal.

But he eventually became President after serving as a governor and senator.

"Ako naman sinasabi ko hindi na ako papasok diyan (As for me, I said I would never enter that). In fact, umiiwas talaga ako sa pulitika, e (I was avoiding politics)," he said.

"Well, circumstances are what they are, I ended up here. Para sa akin hindi yung ano, eh gusto kong maging presidente kahit na anong mangyari basta ‘yan lang ang gagawin ko sa buong buhay ko magpi-presidente ako (for me, it's not: I want to be a president so whatever it takes I will only be aspiring for that). It was never like that," he added.

Now that he has won the presidency, Marcos believes it was watching his father lead the country that prepared him to be one.

"t’s very much playing a familiar role but you never played it before. I was never president before. But I watched my father for a very long time so “ah ganyan ang presidente (ah, that is how to be a president),” Marcos said.