In a speech delivered during the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas thanksgiving event for the media at the coalition's headquarters in Mandaluyong City, the President said the campaign season is over and the focus must now return to addressing the country’s pressing concerns.

"We all wish we had better results, but we live to fight another day. Now it’s time, I think, to put all the politics aside," he said.

"It’s time to put all of the issues that were raised during the election, and only talk about non-political issues, but developmental issues—healthcare issues, education issues, agricultural issues, food supply issues, all of these things," he added.

Marcos said the real work begins after the polls, and sustained communication with the public on the administration’s programs remains essential.

"Let’s let people know that we’re going to continue to work hard now and put the, as I said, politics aside," he said.

"We consider it a distraction for now. Put the politics aside and get on with the work of nation-building,” he added.

The President also reminded that time is running out to complete the reforms he promised at the start of his term.

"Lagi kong binibilang ang araw na natitira sa term ko at kailangan matapos natin yung mga nasimulan natin (I always count the days left in my term, and we must finish what we've started)," he said.

Marcos asked for the continued support of the media to help communicate the administration’s efforts to the Filipino public.

"I know that, once again, as we did before, you’ll do a very, very good job and make a success of whatever it is that we are trying to do," he said.

While acknowledging the coalition’s midterm results were not as strong as he had hoped, Marcos expressed satisfaction with the media campaign, noting that the team succeeded in shaping public discourse.

"The media sector of our campaign was very successful, and I think we were able to put out and occupy the narrative space very, very well," he said.

He also reassured his allies that their work did not go unnoticed.

"Kung minsan hindi nakikita ang inyong trabaho, pero alam namin ‘yan (Sometimes your work goes unseen, but we know it’s there)," the President said.

"Pagka meron kaming nakikita in the media…alam namin that you’re clearly working and doing your job (Whenever we see our narrative in the media, we know it’s your work)," he added. 

With the leadership of the incoming 20th Congress now up for grabs, Vice President Sara Duterte believes that her brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, must compete for the House speakership position.

If he doesn’t win, then he could be the minority leader, she said.

The Vice President said that no one has approached her yet for her blessings to vie for the House leadership positions.

“Ah, wala. Wala akong (None. I don’t have a) candidate for speaker or for Senate president. Wala din ako, wala din lumapit sa akin (No one has approached me)for speaker or for Senate president,” she told the media.

“Sinabihan ko si Congressman Pulong. Sabi ko sa kanya baka gusto mo lumaban ng speaker?Hindi pa siya sumagot. Hindi siya sumagot, iniisip din niya siguro yung chances niya na malayo (I asked Congressman Pulong. I told him, ‘you might want to run as speaker? He didn't answer. He didn’t answer, maybe he was thinking what his chances are),” she added.

The official said her brother might “be thinking about it” because he hasn’t given her his answer yet.“Well, sinabi ko sa kanya, kung hindi ka manalo ng speaker, then kunin mo 'yung minority (I told him that if you don't win as speaker, then get the minority),”she disclosed.

But her brother simply reminded her not to start a fight as she had just been to church to attend a mass.

The siblings attended a thanksgiving mass at the Carmelite Church in Lanang, Davao City on May 17, for the success of the Duterte family in the recently held midterm elections.

Aside from Rep. Duterte, Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco has floated his own name for the possibility of replacing House Speaker Martin Romualdez, President Marcos’ first cousin, as Speaker.

But Deputy Speaker David Suarez already affirmed that Romualdez has the “supermajority” of the Congress, with reportedly 240 members already signing a manifesto of support.

He also said that Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), National Unity Party (NUP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP),Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), and Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) have already affirmed their support.

A “full declaration” of their support is expected before the 20th Congress starts in July, the lawmaker said. 

Congressman Erwin Tulfo posted on Facebook on Sunday morning a photo of him visiting the grave of his late mother, Caridad Teshiba Tulfo, the day after he was proclaimed senator-elect.

"I made it Mom…Salamat sa mga dasal mo noon, at hanggang dyan sa heaven (Thank you for your prayers back then, and up to now there in heaven). I love you forever Mom," he wrote.

The outgoing ACT-CIS Party-list representative brought with him his certificate of proclamation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) which he proudly offered to his mom's grave stone.

He also brought her a bouquet of flowers.

In another photo, Tulfo appeared emotional as he sat next to the gravestone, his eyes hidden from view by his baseball cap.

Tulfo, a former broadcast journalist, will be one of the 24 senators in the upcoming 20th Congress. (With a report from Ellson Quismorio)