
VP Sara: Reconciling with Marcos not a priority
'Unang-una, hindi muna siguro ako magsalita about reconciliation dahil hindi naman mahalaga siguro ang mga personal na problema... Ang mas mahalaga is 'yong taumbayan at iyong bayan natin,' she told reporters during an ambush interview at The Hague.
(First of all, I don't think I should speak about reconciliation for now because personal problems are not important. What's more important is the people and our country.)
VP Sara's comment comes days after Marcos disclosed that he is open to reconciling with the Dutertes.
''Oo, ako, ayoko ng gulo. Gusto ko magkasundo sa lahat ng tao. Mas maganda. Marami na kong kaaway, hindi ko kailangan ng kaaway, kailangan ko kaibigan,'' Marcos said in an interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna.
(I don't want trouble. I want to get along with everyone. It's better. I already have many enemies, I don't need enemies, I need friends.)
READ: Uniteam no more: Timeline of Marcos-Duterte tandem's woes
Dad wants to take oath
VP Sara was in the Netherlands to visit her father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who is detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague due to crimes against humanity charges.
She said she was able to see her father for an hour on Friday and that they talked about Eleksyon 2025.
'Na-share ko... na nanalo iyong dalawang PDP Laban na senator candidates, tapos iyong isang guest candidate - si (Rodante) Marcoleta, plus dalawang guest candidates from Alyansa, si Senator Camille Villar at Senator Imee Marcos.'
(I shared that two PDP Laban senator candidates won, along with guest candidate Rodante Marcoleta and two guest candidates from Alyansa – Senators Camille Villar and Imee Marcos.)
She also mentioned that her father wants to take his oath after winning the mayoral race in Davao.
'I want... Set me free and I will take an oath,' Sara said quoting, her father.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier said it will ask the ICC to allow the former President to take oath as Davao City mayor while he is in detention in The Hague.
SWS survey
Duterte also addressed the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in which 88% of respondents said it was important for her to face the impeachment proceedings and answer the allegations.
'Oh, I totally agree. Kasama ako doon sa 88% na iyan... thankful sa opportunity na malinis iyong pangalan ko at masagot iyong mga akusasyon sa akin,' she said.
(I totally agree. I'm part of that 88%... I'm thankful for the opportunity to clear my name and respond to the accusations against me.)
The Vice President also said that the Senate's decision to move the presentation of the articles of impeachment hearings to June 11 has no effect on her.
'Wala naman siyang epekto sa akin... Iiwan na namin iyan sa mga lawyers namin, sa defense impeachment lawyers,' explained Duterte.
(It has no effect on me... we'll leave that to our lawyers, the defense impeachment lawyers.)
Imee
The Vice President, meanwhile, also mentioned that Senator Imee Marcos, who is also currently at The Hague, was not permitted to visit her father.
'Hindi siya pinayagan ng ICC na makabisita at makausap si dating Pangulong Rodrigoe, she said.
(I mentioned that she was not allowed by the ICC to visit and speak with former President Duterte.)
Sara said her father was hoping to speak with Senator Marcos, but he is hopeful that there will be "another time."
'Unang-una, nagpasalamat siya. At pangalawa, sabi niya gusto nga daw niya sanang makausap si Senator Imee kaso hindi nga daw payagan pero sabi niya, 'There will be another time for that.''
(He was thankful. He wanted to talk to Senator Imee but wasn't allowed. He said, 'There will be another time for that.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News

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7 hours ago
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Salceda optimistic about PH entering into FTA with US
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GMA Network
a day ago
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P20/kilo rice, farm to market roads remain work in progress
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Marcos also vowed to prioritize enhancing local production to address the high food cost and build the necessary infrastructure to prop up agricultural productivity and assist farmers. He had said in his SONA that a total of 1,200 kilometers of farm-to-market roads all over the country will be completed. Further, Marcos said over 9,300 farm equipment would be distributed and more than 80,000 hectares of land would be irrigated. The projects remain in the works. In his visit to Balingasag, Misamis Oriental in April 2025, Marcos reported that in Region X (Northern Mindanao), the government was able to construct almost 70 kilometers of farm-to-market roads. "Sa buong bansa, umabot na sa 1,162 kilometro ang naitayo nating mga daan, at higit 865 linyang-metro naman ng tulay," he said. Since his presidency, Marcos said 36,000 pieces of machinery and agricultural equipment had been distributed to farmers' cooperatives and associations for post-harvest. 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"It also aims to uplift rural incomes and improve food logistics, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,' Balisacan added. The Agriculture Department also reported that it had completed over 450 agri-infrastructure projects, including farm-to-market roads, fish ports, and food storage facilities. Further, agriculture insurance now protects more than 1.3 million farmers, livestock raisers, and fishers. 'Through the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program, aligned yields have improved from 3.3 to 4.2 metric pounds per hectare, with the first quarter yields again at 4.09 metric pounds. We are also expanding value-chain innovation,' said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel in a speech, as delivered by Agriculture Director Karen Roscom in a summit in Manila. Benefits A number of farmers expressed relief with the administration's efforts, saying that farm-to-market roads are a long-awaited solution. 'Mahalaga para sana may madaanan kami at mayroon kaming mapagbiladan ng palay namin,' said Robert Lopez, a rice farmer in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, in a report by GMA Regional TV. (It is vital so that we can have paved roads for our goods and an area for drying palay.) Approved by the DA, the local government in Mangaldan and the barangay, a farm-to-market road is set to connect Barangays Guilig, Malabago, and Bari. Initial groundwork, such as soil filling, has already begun. Guilig Councilman Louie Prestoza said the project, which is estimated to reach P3 million, will make it more convenient for farmers to transport their goods and will serve as an alternate route for public and private vehicles in the area. 'Hindi lang kami dito ang mabebenepisyuhan. Marami, kahit na taga-ibang lugar,' Prestoza said. (It is not just us here who will benefit. Many more residents, even from other places.) P20 per kilo of rice Marcos' campaign promise of P20 per kilo of rice has been initially implemented in the Visayas region, and is set to be rolled out across the country in the coming months. The second phase of the program commenced this July in the Mindanao region. Marcos said it took time for him to fulfill his promise because the government needs to assist the local farmers first, including the provision of machinery. The P20 per kilo rice initiative under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program only allows members of vulnerable sectors—including indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents to buy NFA rice at P20 per kilogram. Moreover, it can also be availed by minimum wage earners. Marcos expressed confidence that his administration could sustain its implementation. Increasing prices of goods With the price of some goods increasing, Marcos said the government is also monitoring "price gouging" in the consumer market. "Iyon lamang binabantayan natin ngayon 'yung price gouging. Dahil ang dami ko nang nakita nagtataas ng presyo, hindi naman tumaas ang presyo ng langis. So, iyon ang babantayan natin ngayon. That's what we are going to watch," he said. (We're monitoring the price gouging. Because I've seen a lot of price hikes even though fuel prices have not increased. So that's what we will monitor right now. That's what we are going to watch.) Farmers However, the progressive group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said that farmers and fisherfolk remain waiting for the fulfilment of the President's SONA promises. KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos lamented that majority of the Filipino farmers do not own the land they till, and continue to lose it due to land conversion. He also said the people in other areas of the country await the affordable rice promised by Marcos. Ramos said they also continue to long for the day when the country would be rice self-sufficient and would no longer need to buy imported rice.—LDF/RSJ, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
2 days ago
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A look back at Maharlika Fund two years later
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The gains from the Fund shall be reinvested into the country's economic well-being,' he added. Under the law, the MIC was granted an authorized capital stock of P500 billion, with P375 billion in common shares available for subscription by the national government, its agencies or instrumentalities, government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), and government financial institutions (GFIs). In November 2023, Rafael Consing — former executive director of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Investment and Economic Affairs — was appointed as MIC president and chief executive officer. First moves After being skipped in the 2024 SONA, the MIC has made a handful of developments. With just days before the President makes a report to the nation next Monday, July 28, GMA News Online looked at what the MIC has accomplished so far. In January 2025, the MIC made its first investment by acquiring a 20% stake in Synergy Grid and Development Philippines Inc. (SGP), gaining two board seats in the company and another two in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). A month later the MIC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group Co. Ltd. (CP Group) that would provide for the establishment of a private equity fund with a capital target of up to $1 billion. 'This partnership will lay the groundwork for a multi-sectoral investment initiative that will drive long-term economic growth while reinforcing the Philippines' position as a premier investment destination,' Consing said in February. Under the agreement, a steering committee would drive project selection, fund structuring, and investor engagement, with the first capital close expected within the next nine to 12 months. Key investment areas include agri-food modernization, digital and e-commerce expansion, and sustainable energy and infrastructure. That same month, the MIC inked another agreement — a $76.4-million bridge loan facility to Makilala Mining Company Inc. (MMCI), the Philippine affiliate of Australia-based Celsius Resources Limited that operates copper and gold projects in the country. 'Our investment decision reflects a shared commitment to the sustainable, inclusive, and regenerative development of the MCB Project,' Consing said. The loan is intended to finance early-stage development works for the Maalinao-Caigutan-Biyog Copper-Gold Project (MCB) in Kalinga. This includes updating MMCI's front-end engineering design (FEED), constructing a main access road in collaboration with the Kalinga Provincial Government, and funding skills-based training for the indigenous community. Under the agreement, the facility will be split into two tranches — the first will be available nine months from signing, and the second subject to the completion of the FEED and an updated feasibility study, up to 24 months from signing. The loan carries a 12.5% fixed interest rate compounded quarterly, and gives MIC a right of first offer on any sale or transfer of MMCI's assets and/or shares. In May, the MIC then said it was in preliminary talks with Dubai Ports World to pursue logistics development projects in the Philippines, with an internal study underway to determine how much investments are needed for local port development. Most recently, this July, the MIC signed an MOU with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to invest in 'critical digital infrastructure projects' aimed at delivering long-term returns and supporting inclusive growth across geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). 'By prioritizing digital infrastructure today, we are not only enabling inclusive growth and innovation but also securing opportunities for future generations of Filipinos. Maharlika is proud to play a key role in shaping a more connected, future-ready Philippines,' Consing said. While these developments mark a starting point for the MIC, the agency has yet to announce additional deals. Investment process According to the MIC, its due diligence process to evaluate and select investments includes economic assessment on the broader economic impact and alignment with strategic goals, along with financial assessment on the viability and potential returns of the investment. It also takes into account operational assessment of the feasibility and management capabilities of the investment, sustainability assessment on the environmental and social impact, and legal assessment on compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Investment proposals are initially reviewed by the Investment Committee, before being presented to the Board for final approval. At the helm of these decisions is the MIC Board, composed of representatives from both the government and the private sector. It is currently chaired by Finance Secretary Ralph Rector and vice-chaired by MIC president and CEO Consing. It counts as members Land Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Ma. Lynette Ortiz, Development Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Michael de Jesus, and independent directors Stephen Anthony CuUnjieng, German Lichauco II, and Roman Felipe Reyes. Moving forward, investors and stakeholders are awaiting whether it will reclaim a spot in Marcos' SONA on July 28, or continue to operate in the background.—BM/LDF/NB, GMA Integrated News