Marcos family pays private respects at patriarch's tomb during Undas

The presidential visit to the Libingan ng mga Bayani occurred as thousands of Filipinos nationwide observed Undas by paying respects to their deceased loved ones. The Presidential Communications Office confirmed that Marcos Jr. chose a private arrangement for the family's cemetery visit, allowing them to honor the late strongman without the customary throng of visitors that typically accompanies the holiday.

The former president, who ruled the Philippines for two decades before fleeing the country in 1986 following a people power revolution, was buried at the Heroes Cemetery in 2016 after his son won the presidency in May 2022. The reinterment marked the culmination of a lengthy legal and political battle over the burial location, with supporters arguing he deserved recognition as a national hero.

Undas, celebrated on November 1st and 2nd each year, traditionally sees Filipinos visiting cemeteries across the archipelago to remember deceased family members. The private nature of the Marcos family's visit stood in contrast to public commemorations, reflecting the family's approach to observing the holiday.

The visit underscored the continued prominence of the Marcos family in Philippine political life, with the president maintaining his position as the country's chief executive while managing the legacy of his father's controversial presidency.