Latest news with #Ferdinand"Bongbong"MarcosJr.
GMA Network
31 minutes ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Marcos state visit to India set next week
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will embark on a five-day state visit to the Republic of India next week. The visit is scheduled from August 4 to 8, upon the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His first stop will be in New Delhi, and he will proceed to Bangalore for official meetings and events. The President will also meet with the business sector in both cities. Aside from that, Marcos will have a meet and greet activity with the Filipino Community in New Delhi. The Philippines and India are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 2025. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
19 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Department of Energy fast-tracking nationwide electrification
The Department of Energy (DOE) is expediting efforts to achieve President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s goal of full nationwide electrification, especially in far-flung off-grid areas, by the end of his term in 2028. "The President mentioned electrification, particularly in remote areas where it's costly for electric cooperatives to expand. There are three approaches: first, microgrids; second, solar-powered homes; and third, continued expansion by electric cooperatives. The government is currently looking for investors for microgrid projects," Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said at the Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum in San Juan City on Wednesday. "It's not just about electrification in remote areas—many homes near existing power lines remain unconnected due to permitting issues. There are ongoing discussions on how to reduce or waive application fees," Garin said. The Energy chief said the DOE and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) are working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to reduce or waive these fees to fast-track household connections. Data from the Energy Department showed that the national household electrification level is at 94.75%, equivalent to 27.9 million households with electricity access as of December 2024. The DOE is estimating about 3.08 million households which are still needed to be electrified by 2028. Last February, the DOE said the government needs to spend at least P85 billion to provide electricity to all households in the entire Philippine archipelago. In a news release on Wednesday, the Energy Department said it will undertake a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) for Microgrid System Providers to reach geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas beyond the coverage of existing power distribution networks. Through the initiative, approximately 12,000 households in off-grid areas, located in Quezon, Camarines Norte, Palawan, Masbate, Samar, Negros Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur, are targeted to be energized through microgrid systems (MGS), according to the DOE. Each MGS is equipped with self-contained power generation units and localized distribution networks. It comes with a solar panel, a battery-powered home system, and basic components that can power four LED bulbs, charge a mobile phone, and operate a built-in radio. These microgrid systems are designed to provide reliable and sustainable electricity in areas that existing distribution utilities (DUs) and electric cooperatives (ECs) can no longer reach. For 2025, the DOE is targeting to energize an additional 5,000 households nationwide. For households located in remote and mountainous areas that are completely inaccessible to conventional power distribution lines, the DOE said part of the solutions is the deployment of Solar Home Systems (SHS). For this year, NEA aims to bid out SHS to energize 100,000 households until the first quarter of 2026. Similarly, NEA will conduct early procurement for 54,000 SHS for its target household energization in 2026, benefitting a total of 154,000 households for the next two years, according to the DOE. Meanwhile, the Energy Department said it is also intensifying its efforts to expand access to the government's Lifeline Rate Program—key subsidy initiative that provides electricity discounts to marginalized households. As of June 2025, around 4.5 million households have been identified by the DSWD as eligible for the Program, primarily through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This number is expected to increase following the President's directive to expand eligibility to include households listed under the DSWD's "Listahanan" database, a key reference in identifying poor and vulnerable sectors. Despite the high number of potential beneficiaries, only about 330,000 households, or 7.34% of the eligible 4.5 million, have registered with their respective DUs as of July 2025, the DOE said. In response, the Energy Department said it is implementing a multi-pronged approach to bridge this gap and ensure wider access to the program. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
SONA 2025: Marcos admits 'reality' of PH education woes, vows reforms
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday vowed aggressive actions to address the learning crisis confronting the Philippine education sector, seeking to create a lasting impact for Filipino students, teachers, and families. During his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos acknowledged issues confronting Filipino learners today, including widespread learning poverty, high dropout rates, and persistent gaps in reading, math, and science proficiency. "Malinaw sa atin ang tumambad na realidad tungkol sa ating mga kabataan ngayon—ang kakulangan sa kaalaman at kakayahan, lalo na sa matematika, sa agham, sa pagbabasa, at sa wastong pag-unawa," the President said. (The reality that has emerged regarding our youth today is clear: the lack of knowledge and skills, especially in math, science, reading, and comprehension.) Expanded support Highlighting his administration's ongoing efforts to eradicate the learning crisis, Marcos touted the rollout of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program for structured interventions in foundational skills. The President also stressed the conduct of summer tutorials and remedial classes, which will be expanded further. Based on the 2022 results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines ranked sixth lowest among the 81 countries and economies that participated in the study, with Filipino learners continuing to lag behind in reading, math, and science. Filipino students ranked second to the last when it comes to creative thinking. READ | Where is PH now in terms of learning recovery? Earlier this month, the nongovernment group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) sounded the alarm on the worsening state of Philippine education, calling for urgent decentralization and localized reform delivery to address what it called as a "generational crisis" in learning and workforce readiness. The President assured that education remains the most urgent priority of his administration, even more than infrastructure spending. "Sa lahat ng mga pinahahalagahan ng administrasyon, ito pa rin ang nasa rurok (Of all the priorities of this Administration, this remains at the very top)," he stressed. Classroom shortage To address infrastructure gaps in education, Marcos committed to construct 40,000 classrooms before the end of his term in partnership with the private sector. He urged Congress to allocate sufficient funding to meet the growing demand, even as he reported that 22,000 classrooms have been built over the last three years. "Hindi na dapat nabibitin ang oras nila sa klase dahil sa kakulangan sa classroom (Students should no longer lose class hours due to lack of classrooms)," he said. Marcos also underscored the importance of early childhood education, announcing the construction of over 300 Barangay Child Development and Bulilit Centers this year, particularly in underserved communities. Additional funding of P1 billion will be provided to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the construction effort. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos: PH now more peaceful with guerilla fronts eliminated
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Monday that the Philippines is now more peaceful with the elimination of guerrilla fronts. Marcos said this during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), noting that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and former rebels are working together to maintain peace and order in the country. 'Sa wakas, wala na ring nalalabing grupong gerilya sa bansa, at titiyakin ng pamahalaan na wala nang mabubuo muli,' the President said. (Finally, there are no guerrilla groups left in the country, and the government will ensure that none will be formed again.) 'Magkakasangga ngayon ang AFP, PNP, at mga dating rebelde sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan at kapayapaan sa BARMM. Kaya naman, ang lipunan natin ngayon ay mas mapayapa at mas mapangalaga rin sa karapatang-pantao, anuman ang edad, kasarian, kundisyon, o pangkat,' he added. (The AFP, PNP, and former rebels now work together in maintaining peace and order in BARMM. Therefore, our society is more peaceful now, giving more importance to human rights, regardless of age, gender, condition, or group.) Marcos said that the government is helping thousands of former rebels and their families to start a new life. Their communities are also being developed, and they are being provided livelihood through the help of the private sector, he added. Aside from employment programs, the President said that over 13 million Filipinos saved from armed conflict are also currently benefiting from the health stations, classrooms, water systems, and streetlights built by the government. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Health
- GMA Network
SONA 2025: Marcos urges healthier lifestyles, 'car-free' Sundays
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday expressed concern over the growing number of overweight Filipino adults, calling for a nationwide shift to healthier, more active lifestyles through accessible community-based fitness initiatives. Speaking before Congress during his fourth 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said, "Nakikita natin ang sobrang pagtaas ng timbang ng ating mga kababayang edad dalawampu at pataas. Kaya sikapin nating maging mas aktibo ang ating pamumuhay araw-araw." (We are seeing an excessive rise in the weight of our countrymen aged 20 and above. That's why we must strive to live more active lifestyles every day.) In May last year, the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) reported a significant increase in overweight and obesity prevalence among Filipino adolescents, from 11.6% in 2018 to 13% in 2021. Obesity is not an issue facing the Philippines alone. According to research published in The Lancet, rates of obesity and overweight are spiraling due to a "monumental societal failure" to tackle the problem. More than half of adults and almost a third of children and young people set to be affected by 2050, the study found. Marcos encouraged local government units (LGUs) to organize sports activities such as local leagues, fun runs, and group fitness events like Zumba and aerobics. He also urged cities and municipalities to open public parks and plazas, and make them inviting spaces for physical activity. "Ipalaganap natin ang pagsasagawa ng mga palaro at mga paliga, mga fun runs at fun walks, pati na mga pa-aerobics at pa-Zumba," he said. (Let's encourage organizing sports fests and tournaments, fun runs and fun walks, and even aerobics and Zumba sessions.) "Para sa mga LGU (local government units), buksan at gawing maaliwalas ang mga park at mga plaza, kung saan makakapag-ensayo ang ating mga mamamayan, bata man o matanda," he added. (To our LGUs, open and brighten up our parks and plazas so people of all ages can use them to exercise.) Walkable cities Marcos also promoted the expansion of "Car-Free Sundays" across the country, citing its current implementation in cities such as Metro Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao. The vision for these weekly initiatives converts major roads into walkable, bike-friendly spaces, encouraging outdoor movement and reducing pollution. "Magpatupad tayo ng mga 'Car-Free Sundays', tulad ng ginagawa sa ilang lungsod dito sa Metro Manila, sa Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, at Davao," he said. (Let's implement Car-Free Sundays, like what's already being done in some cities in Metro Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao.) PSC facilities As additional support, Marcos said the Philippine Sports Commission will now open its facilities to the public for free. "Simula ngayon, bubuksan ng Philippine Sports Commission sa publiko ang kanilang mga track and field oval sa Pasig, Maynila, at Baguio, upang makapag-jogging na kayo nang libre," he said. (Starting today, the Philippine Sports Commission will open its track and field ovals in Pasig, Manila, and Baguio to the public for free jogging.) The President's push for public fitness is part of a broader strategy to combat preventable health conditions and strengthen the country's overall well-being, following recent efforts to improve nutrition among children and access to free medical services. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
