BUSAN, South Korea — President Marcos called on Filipinos to observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day with prayer, reflection, and a renewed commitment to live out the virtues and legacy of those who came before them.

In his Undas message, the President urged the public to remember not only their departed loved ones but also the “noteworthy exemplars of the Christian faith,” saying that both days are meant to inspire gratitude and faith.

“Every November, we dedicate the first two days of the month to a solemn pause to pray, reflect, and recall the many people whose deeds and presence continue to be felt long after their passing,” Marcos said.

He described the twin feasts as a reminder that “those who came before us do not vanish into nothingness but continue to live on in our hearts and minds.”

Marcos emphasized that remembrance carries a deeper meaning.

“To pray is to enter communion with our saints and deceased loved ones, to light a candle is to bind our conscience with their legacy, and to lay flowers is to pledge to uphold their mission,” he said.

The President reflected on the transience of life, noting that mortality should not deter people from making a “lasting impact in our communities and those around us.”

He said that the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days should move Filipinos to emulate the strength and devotion of those who came before, turning remembrance into action and service.

“Let the Philippines strive to be that lamp upon a hill where people carry the memory of the dead as strength, the witness of the saints as guide, and the hope of a permanent dwelling as purpose until time itself bows before eternity,” he said.

Marcos also reminded the faithful that the solemn traditions of Undas offer a glimpse of “the paradise that awaits in the hereafter—where poverty, pain, and suffering no longer hold purchase.”

“I wish everyone a solemn and meaningful observance,” he said.