Committed to lead the country to a new era of progress and prosperity, newly-minted President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos on Thursday rallied everyone to unite to overcome the nation’s various challenges.
In his inaugural address, President Marcos appealed to all Filipinos to be part of the solution and unite for a common goal aimed at leading the country to progress.
“These are troubling times,” he said.
“Giving up is not an option. We’ve been through times of bitter division; but united we came through to this when it shall begin again. But better,” he also said.
Marcos also expressed hope for a peaceful and progressive Philippines, in which the young generation could have a brighter future.
In his speech, he also averred that his newly formed government is drawing up a comprehensive and all-inclusive plan for the country’s economic transformation, vowing to build back better through past experiences.
Marcos also promised to fix the Philippine agriculture sector, which he said cries for urgent attention.
He noted that while food self-sufficiency has been the key promise of every administration, no one was able to deliver.
Highlighting a looming global food shortage, he said: “Food is not just a trade commodity. Without it, people could die; societies come apart. It is more than a livelihood; it is an existential imperative and a moral one.”
He then vowed to strengthen the agriculture sector through various innovative means and support local farmers and fishermen by bringing importation to lowest possible level.
“An agriculture damaged and diminished by unfair competition will have a harder time, or will have no prospects at all, of recovering,” he pointed out.
BBM also mentioned the country’s problem in energy supply as a result of the ongoing conflict in Europe and the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Marcos then promised to find a way to enhance the country ‘s energy supply.
He explained the country is “not far from oil and gas reserves that have already been developed.”
At the same time, he also tackled the need to focus on improving the Philippine education sector by putting more attention on sciences, sharpening students’ theoretical aptitude and imparting vocational skills.
Another area he discussed was about the Philippine public health system.
“Although Filipino nurses are the best in the world, they suffered the highest casualties during the current health crisis, he said.
BBM also vowed that his administration will fix issues hounding the health sector without hiding anything from the public.
Noting the infrastructure developments under his father, he said that his government would also embark similar programs to help those living in the countryside especially the farmers and fishermen.
He likewise lauded his predecesssor former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for building more and better infrastructure projects than all the administrations succeeding his father.
“Following these giant steps, we will continue to build. I will complete on schedule the projects that have been started. I am not interested in taking credit; I want to build on success that’s already happening,” he said.
Marcos also vowed to aid the recovery of the Philippine tourism sector by opening the country’s scenic spots to local and foreign tourists through better roads and more efficient communication systems. PND
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