Marcos says no room for negativism, discord under Bagong Pilipinas
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched his “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) campaign at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila Sunday, calling on Filipinos to reject negativism and those who sow discord and hamper the country’s progress.
“We face a complex and changing world. It calls for a united response that would make our nation strong, our economy sound, and our children’s future secure,” the President said before an estimated crowd of 200,000.
“Bagong Pilipinas transcends this administration. To those whose overheated imagination has been poisoned by toxic politics, Bagong Pilipinas is no Trojan Horse. It conceals no agenda. It is a program… driven by the love of country,” he said.
In an apparent reference to the bitter division over a bid to amend the Constitution through a people’s initiative, the President spoke of the “negativity that seems to be enveloping our country, [and] distorting our ability to evolve.”
“Still, there are heroes who prove that no matter how great the obstacles, we can grow and win,” the President said in Filipino. “To the selfish ones who try to drag us down… there are exemplaryFilipinos who are proof that there is success if we dream together and act as one.”
Vice President Sara Duterte attended the kick-off rally, arriving at the event before 4 p.m.
In a statement, she said the Department of Education, which she heads,supports the President’s 8-point Socioeconomic Agenda—but in a discordant note, she also said she supported those at a prayer rally in Davao City to voice their opposition to Charter change.
“It is important that we see and understand the danger that threatens us when we completely surrender our Constitution to the hands of people with personal and political interests,” Duterte said.
“Let’s take a stand against changing our Constitution through ‘money in exchange for signatures for the people’s initiative,’” she added.
Speaker Martin Romualdez, meanwhile, said he believes “Bagong Pilipinas” is a testament to the President’s commitment to a transformative journey for a better Philippines, where government programs and services are made more accessible to Filipinos.
“Unity has always been the bedrock of any successful endeavor, and in the pursuit of a better future for our country, it becomes even more crucial,” he said.
“The Bagong Pilipinas campaign is a call to unity, a rallying cry for every Filipino to come together, transcending differences and working hand in hand for a brighter and more prosperous tomorrow,” Romualdez said.
The Bagong Pilipinas kick-off rally coincided with the second day of the 10th installment of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Zambales, where over P500 million worth of government aid and programs were granted to citizens of the province.
“Like the BPSF that we implemented to respond to the call of President Marcos to bring the government closer to the people, the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ shares the same principle: that programs and projects of the government should be made accessible to the people,” Romualdez said.
He said that under the new Philippines, President Marcos ensures that the government is here and ready to serve our countrymen. “We, at the House of Representatives, will fully support our President in these advocacies,” he said.
“President Marcos has underscored the significance of individual resolutions in contributing to the broader goals of the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ campaign. Each personal commitment to positive change is a vital building block for the collective progress of our nation,” Romualdez noted.
“Let us stand united in the pursuit of a Bagong Pilipinas — a Philippines that we can proudly turn over to the generations that will follow,” he added.
Also at the rally, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said they will bring services closer to the people. Specifically, he said, his department is embarking on digitalizing services with the help of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT).
“Payment through the cell phone is now very important, ” he told the crowd at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park.
He also related recent linking of the power grids in the Visayas and Mindanao, made possible by the faster issuance of permits on the ground.
He urged all local executives to bring their services closer to the people.
“We are all doing this for our President, for the Bagong Pilipinas,” he said.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. also spoke of their boosted digital transformation to ensure a more effective, efficient and faster transactions of taxpayers.
“We want to make them feel that if they go to BIR, no time will be wasted,” said Lumagui.
“We want their transactions with us easier,” he added.
He noted that the Bangon Pilipinas offers a new government and a new BIR.
He also cited the importance of collecting funds for national development.
Some of the crowd said they believed in Marcos, even though they admitted they knew next to nothing about the controversy over Charter change.
“If he runs again why not, for as long as he is doing a good job for the country,” Manila resident Dennis Ardea, 53, said.
“The Dutertes belong to the past. We should go with another (leader),” Ardea added.
Remelyn Zuniga, 39, said: “We’re here to listen to any help he can offer us. I’m a single mother and it would be good to get cash assistance.” — With AFP