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| President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address |
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today highlighted expanded
programs for overseas foreign workers, especially those affected by the Middle
East crisis, where 2.5 million Filipinos live and work.
“We started with those directly affected by the conflict:
helping our OFW compatriots who were caught up in the war,” he said in his
fifth State of the Nation speech at the Batasang Pambansa. “Since the war
broke out, we have safely brought back more than 12,000 of our compatriots. We
have provided various assistance to more than 140,000 OFWs in the midst of the
conflict in the Middle East, such as food, financial assistance, medical care,
and shelter.”
The OFWs who returned to the country received livelihood
assistance, through the AKSYON Fund, the OWWA-Kabuhayan program, PESO, or the
Bayanihan for Balikbayang Manggagawa job fairs to find jobs in the Philuippines
and abroad.
“In addition to them, our returning OFW teachers will be
entering public schools where they are needed the most,” he added.
The concern also
extended to their families, who benefited along with the majority.
“We took immediate action to stop the rapid increase in
commodity prices. Banks and e-wallets were encouraged to reduce standard
charges for each online transaction. So now, many banks and e-wallets have
lowered or removed their online transaction fees,” Marcos said.
“Banks have also given up to six months in loan repayment;
and up to one year if the loan was used for agriculture,” he said. “The GSIS and
SSS did the same for the debts of their members, as well as the NHMFC for those
who borrowed cheap housing, and the Pag-IBIG Fund for affected OFWs.”
Marcos also said the Pag-IBIG Fund has increased increased
the limit for housing loans to P10 million.
Agreements with other countries. which are also continuing
to increase, have resulted in additional opportunities for employment abroad. “We
have also increased the minimum wage of our OFWs who work as domestic workers,”
he said.
To encourage young people to graduate from college, the
Office of the President has allocated P100,000 for five
students in each barangay nationwide. They are now our Presidential Scholars,
he said.
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| Marcos is flanked onstage by House Speaker Bojie Dy and Senate President Win Gatchalian |
In his speech that lasted one hour and 26 minutes,
Marcos drew the most applause when he vowed to pursue corruption cases
regardless of blood or political ties, called on Congress to amend laws to
lower electricity charges, and declared commitment to defend the country’s
sovereign rights in the West Philippine sea.
He announced that the Ombudsman is preparing to file
multiple charges against the “former Speaker”, meaning his cousin, Rep. Martin
Romualdez, who has been linked to multi-billion irregularities in the country’s
flood control projects.
"Malapit na ang paghahain ng patung-patong na
kaso laban sa dating Speaker. Masakit man sa akin ito, pero kailangan nating
gawin ang tama (Multiple cases are about the filed against the former Speaker.
Painful as it is for me, we need to do what is right), Marcos said.
He added the country must come ahead of family
interests.
“Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya. Ako ay Pangulo ng
Pilipinas at ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, mga kapwa ko Pilipino (I am not the
President of my family. I am the President of the Philippines, and my duty is
to you, my fellow Filipinos),” he added, to boisterous applause.
The President said that nearly Php25 billion worth of
public fund and assets have been recovered or frozen, while more than Php800
million has already been returned to the National Treasury.
Another well-applauded part that even led the audience
to give him a standing ovation was his call on Congress to immediately amend
the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) that allows power companies to
charge systems loss to customers.
“Hindi naman
kasalanan ng consumer kung bakit nagkaroon ng systems loss. Kaya hindi naman
tama na kailangan sila pa ang pagbabayarin dito (It is not the consumer’s fault
that there is systems loss. It is therefore unfair that they are the ones being
made to pay for this),” he said.
While acknowledging that consumers are also made to
pay value added tax or VAT on their electricity consumption, he did not call
for this additional charge to be scrapped.
Marcos reserved the last part of his SONA to respond
to recent tensions in the West Philippine Sea, including the wounding of two
Philippine Navy personnel during a violent confrontation with Chinese Coast
Guards neary Ayungin Shoal.
Chinese state media later put out a video over the
dispute depicting Filipinos as monkeys, prompting Marcos to summon the Chinese
ambassador to Malacanang to protest.
Without directly referring to China, Marcos denounced
recent insults directed at Filipinos.
“Our unity and collective consciousness are challenged
now greater than ever before. A common threat lies before us, directed against
our dignity and self-respect as a people,” Marcos said.
“Of late, our very humanity has been called into
question.”
He wrapped up his critique with one of the most
memorable parts in his speech.
“Let me remind our friends and our detractors:
Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We
are not racists. We are not liars. We are respectful, and we are dignified. We
are Filipinos, and we do not yield,” he said, drawing a drawn-out applause and
cheers from the crowd.
