Imelda Marcos hospitalized over suspected pneumonia

MANILA, Philippines – Former first lady Imelda Marcos is in the hospital for suspected pneumonia, Senator Imee Marcos said on Tuesday, March 5.

Imee told reporters that her mother, aged 94, was brought to the hospital after bouts of coughs and feverishness. Imee said the family would prefer to “take precautions.”

“In-ospital na namin for close monitoring (We brought her to the hospital for close monitoring),” the senator said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is currently in Melbourne for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, said he spoke with Imelda’s doctors and confirmed that she had a “slight pneumonia.” The update came hours after news broke that his mother was in the hospital. 

“She is in good spirits, has no difficulty in breathing and is resting well,” the president said in a statement, which he also posted on X.

He added Imelda also had a fever, but noted that doctors had given assurance that the prescribed antibiotics would help. 

Past health issues

In May 2023, Imelda had a “successful angioplastly.” The Marcos matriarch had also previously cited “multiple organ infirmities” when she skipped the promulgation of her graft case in November 2018, noting that she had the following illnesses:

• diabetes mellitus type 2
• hypertension and atherosclerotic cardio vascular disease
• static ministrokes
• sensorineural hearing loss
• chronic recurrent urinary tract infection
• chronic recurrent gastritis
• multiple colon polyps
• recurrent respiratory tract infection

Imelda had been subject of death rumors for years, with the latest being in 2023. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos had to post a selfie online to prove that her mother-in-law was still alive. – with a report from Bonz Magsambol/Rappler.com