President Marcos said he has never once regretted becoming president despite the challenges of governance, calling it the “greatest privilege” to finally address the issues he had long criticized.

“No. Not for one moment,” Marcos said in the latest episode of his podcast, when asked if he ever regretted being president, given the many problems he faces.

He explained that the position has given him the chance to take action rather than simply complain.

“Because I am given the opportunity to actually – the privilege, the opportunity, and the chance to actually do something,” Marcos said.

“All of the things that I complained about all my life, now I can do something about it. And that is the greatest privilege that anyone can be granted,” he added.

In the eight-minute episode released on Sunday evening, Sept. 7, the President said he is not disheartened but “very, very angry” when he sees how corruption deprives hardworking Filipinos of their sacrifices.

“How can you do this to people who have worked every day of their lives? Walang ginawa ito kung hindi magtrabaho. Nagsakripisyo nang mahirap for very little (They did nothing but work hard, sacrifice for very little). Just to be able to send money home. Just to be able to feed their family, send their children to school,” he said.

“That’s all they want in life. Kukunin niyo pa sa kanila yun para bumili ng Rolls-Royce (And then you take that away from them just to buy a Rolls-Royce)?,” he added.

Calling it a “horrible situation,” Marcos acknowledged that corruption has left many Filipinos feeling hopeless, even applying for foreign citizenship.

Despite these realities, the President urged Filipinos not to lose faith.

“There’s hope. Have hope. We’ve seen all of what people are complaining about or having to live with,” he said.

The President assured the public that reforms are underway despite the entrenched nature of corruption.

“Yung kailangan ninyong pagtiyagaan, pagtiisan na araw-araw niyong mga buhay, alam namin yun (We know the hardships you endure every day),” he said.

“Lahat ng aming gawin na kayang gawin, ginagawa namin. Pero… ang lalim ng kalawang. Ang lalim ng bulok (And we are doing everything within our power. But the rust runs deep. The rot runs deep),” he added.

Marcos stressed that loyalty to friends or political allies will not stand in the way of accountability.

“We’re making an omelet. We’re going to have to break some eggs. There’s just no way around it,” he said.

Marcos said Filipinos will always take precedence, even over relatives or supporters.

“Who’s more important? Your friend? Your political supporter? Or every single ordinary Filipino citizen? Who’s more important? To me, it’s the Filipino citizen,” he said.

“Nobody is more important than Filipinos. Nobody, nobody, not one person is more important. Not me, not anybody is more important,” he added.

The President became visibly emotional as he recalled ordinary Filipinos’ daily struggles.

“I’m very upset. No, because I see people having a hard time. And they don’t deserve it,” he said.

“Mabuti ba kung masamang tao ‘yan, dapat parusahan. Hindi naman eh… Ba’t mo paparusahan? Para magpayaman ka (If they were bad people, then they deserve punishment. But they are not. Why punish them? Just to enrich yourself)? Makes no sense to me,” he added.