At ito mga kapuso, nakikita na po natin ang paglalakad ni Pangulongng Bombo Marcos papasok ng plenary hall. Sa ilang pagkakataon o atom, may mga nakahilera, nakatila sa paligid habang naglalakad si Pangulongng Bombo Marcos papuntang plenary hall. Pero sa pagkakataon ito, siya po ay mag-isang naglalakad papasok ng plenary hall.
In these moments, this is a moment to actually also assess. This is a lot of symbolism and imagery. We can see our President walking to the Plenary Hall alone.
It sets the tone of what the importance of the state of the nation is that has become a tradition, a part of our history over the years. This is the way and the time of the President to directly address the citizens and tell them what are the plans, what are the things that have been done, and what are the promises that the future administration is promising. Because at the end of the day, essentially, the State of the Nation address is really the President's message to the people so that he can show whether he has done his homework and what else he should expect from him and his entire administration. This is the plenary hall and the joint session is currently starting.
President Bongbong Marcos has already entered the plenary hall. Josephph He Estrada and other government officials So here, I will talk about who went through and I will talk more about who did not go through All the biggest leaders expected here, but as we mentioned, Vice President Sandra Duterte is absent on this occasion. She is in Bohol on this day to be one of the Boholans on their founding anniversary. And these are the heart of the joint session of the House of Representatives and Senate. On the part of the Senate, the joint session is called to order.
On the part of the House of Representatives, the joint session is called to order. Please rise for the singing of the Philippine National Anthem to be led by Ms. Blessie May Abagat. The heart of the rainbow, in your heart, in the sea, in the world, in your sky and in heaven. Thank you for your support of our leadership and the great efforts and efforts to make the country a better place for all.
Thank you for your faithful teaching and support of us as a government and as a nation. in our aspirations and goals, in our challenges and challenges in our national values, and in our journey towards stability, peace, and tranquility. Especially, you give us wisdom to be more truthful in the past.
And you enlighten us ang bawat hakbang namin sa landas ng pagkabayan at pagkabansa. Turuan niyo po kaming lalo pang magkaisa at magtulungan para sa ikatitibay ng lipunan at ng bansa. Nahigit pa naming lingapin at palusugin ang bayan. Pagpalain niyo po ang aming mga pinuno, mga tagapamahala, upang ang kadila mga isip at pangitain, mga kilos.
and hard work always lead to a more honest and righteous service. Keep their responsibility so that more blessings will be born that will continue to come and will be fulfilled by all. Let us follow the path and direction of a more generous, responsible, and responsible citizen.
so that our every move can help to improve and develop the country. Teach us all to always first the good of the people, of all, more than the interest of ourselves alone. Teach us to more than just protect the fellow citizens.
Yes, sir. Teach us to value each other. And in our democracy, may the good of many be always above all else.
And may peace always reign. May our friendship, our giving, our help, and our unity may our country be prosperous and prosperous, and may our future be more prosperous, more beautiful, more prosperous, more prosperous for all. May our love for one another be blessed and may we be given praise. Ladies and gentlemen, honorable members of the Congress of the Philippines, His Excellency Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Thank you. Allow me to greet the former presidents who are with us here today. President Josephph Ejercito Estrada and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Senate President Cheese Escudero and the Honorable Members of the Senate. House Speaker Martin Romaldes and the Honorable Members of the House of Representatives. Chief Justice Alexander Gismundo.
and the Honorable Justices of the Supreme Court, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Charles John Brown, and the esteemed members of the Diplomatic Corps, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the members of the Cabinet, Of course, First Lady, First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, other distinguished guests, my dear fellow citizens, good afternoon to all of you. The hard lesson of this last year has made it very clear that whatever current data proudly bannering our country as among the best performing in Asia. means nothing to a Filipino who is confronted by the price of rice at 45 to 65 pesos per kilo.
Although these statistics are good, it does not mean that our country is facing a reality where the prices of goods are higher, especially food, especially rice. It's true. Market power in our country and throughout the world ang siyang nagdidikta ng presyo. Bunso dito, halimbawa, ng gera, problema sa supply, at pwersa ng kalikasan tulad ng ilninyo na naranasan din sa ibang bansa. Subalit, hindi na ito mahalagang alalahanin ng ating mga kababayan na bibigatan sa presyo ng bigas.
Mahal kong mga kababayan. Alam kong damang-daman ninyo ito. We do not ignore your suffering and hardships. Despite the obstacles we face, we witnessed the highest level of poverty in the country this past year.
It exceeded 20 million tons. The highest level of poverty. ngula ng 1987. Gayunpaman, gayunpaman, ang ani na ito ay katumbas lamang ng 13 milyong tonelada ng bigas. Kulang pa rin ito para sa ating pangangailangan na 16 na milyong tonelada ng bigas kung kaya't napipilitan tayong mag-angkat.
Ngunit, lokal na produksyon pa rin ang ating mas bibigyan ng halaga. Kaya patuloy nating sinusuportahan ang sektor ng agrikultura upang mapabilis, mapadali, at mapalakas ang produksyon mula sa pagpunla, pag-ani, at paghuli, hanggang sa pagbiyahe at pagbenta upang maiwasan din ang pagkasira ng mga produkto. Nito'ng nakalipas na taon, higit isandaang bilyong kilo ng mga sari-saring binhi, suwi, at pataba. ng ipinamahagi sa mga magsasaka.
Namigay rin ang pamahalaan ng mahigit tatlong daan libong inahin upang ito ay maparami. Para naman sa mga mangingisda, mahigit limang daang milyong fingerlings at tatlong libong mga bangka ang napamahagit. Nakakatulong din ang mga ginawa at inayos ng mga fish port at cold storage upang masuportahan ang kanilang industriya.
Bukod pa sa mga ito. There are also technical and financial assistance for the increase of knowledge in new methods and the acquisition of sufficient capital. The government is also ready to release vaccines against swine fever that will strengthen animal farms and guarantee farmers'fight against disease.
We are also making a joint effort to lower the price and increase our supply of food. Because of compelling emergency measures such as illegal price manipulations, I ordered and smoothly straightened to temporarily implement mandated price ceilings on rice. We also extended the reduced tariff rates to facilitate the importation of rice, corn, and pork until the end of this year. I assure our farmers and the entire agriculture sector that these are just a few solutions. In terms of farming reform, our program is still in progress and the share of the titles to our farmers.
Sa nakalipas na dalawang taon, mahigit isan daan at tatlongpong libong titulo na ang ating naigawad sa mga benepisyaryo. Tuloy-tuloy din at pinabibilis pa natin ang pagkakahati-hati ng Collective Certificate of Land Ownership Award, o yung CLOA, para sa mga individual na benepisyaryo nito. The Certificate of Condonation is also being distributed along with the removal of the 57 billion pesos debt of 600,000 beneficiaries. Aside from this, more than 70,000 cases regarding the agrarian reform have been resolved.
This includes the more than 2,000 cases of agrarian reform. before the administration even entered. Through modernized customs procedures and heightened enforcement efforts, more than P2.7 billion worth of smuggled agri-fisheries products have been seized, preventing them from entering the market and negatively influencing prices. As a lesson, those who are in the field of loading rice, is immediately distributed to our poor countrymen. The same will be the case with all the rice that will be wasted.
We will destroy or burn other products aside from the harvests of the last-duty salaries. We will be implementing the pre-border technical verification and cross-border electronic invoicing of import commodities. This will send a strong message that we mean serious business. To reduce the necessary business costs, local government units no longer collect fees and charges from motorists transporting goods and merchandise while passing through national roads.
On the same principle, LGUs have been strongly urged to refrain from collecting similar fees for the use of local roads. We have added more people to different parts of the country. More than anything, we will continue to make the migration of people permanent and more frequent.
This year, 1,200 kilometers of farm-to-market roads across the country, more than 7,300 machinery, ang may papamahagi at pasilidad na magagawa ngayong taon. Patuloy tayo nagbubukas at nagkukumpuni ng mga irigasyon sa buong Pilipinas. Ngayong taon, bibigyan natin ng patubig ang halos 45,000 hektarya ng bagong lupain. Bubuhayin din natin muli ang irigasyon sa halos 38,000 hektarya.
ng lupain sa buong bansa. Isa sa mga natatapos na proyekto ay ang Stage 2 ng Malitubog-Maridagaw Irrigation Project. Halos 10,000 hektarya ng lupain sa North Cotabato at sa Maguindanao del Sur ang masisirbisohan ng irrigasyon na ito.
Ang ilan sa mga ginagawa nating irrigasyon ngayon ay solar. Ibig sabihin, pinapatakbo... ang mga ito ng haring araw.
Hindi nauubos at hindi nangangailangan ng paggamit ng crudo. Isang halimbawa ay ang kakabukas lamang na Kabaruan Solar Powered Pump Irrigation Project sa Quirino, Isabela. Samantala, dahil sa Halao River Multipurpose Project sa Iloilo, halos 32,000 hektarya ng lupain ang mabibigyan ng patubig.
Patutunayan ng proyekto sa Halao River ang pinalalawig na potensyal ng irigasyon. Hindi na lamang patubig sa sakahan ang kaya nitong gawin. Ito na rin ay magagamit sa pagkontrol ng baha, paglikha ng kuryente, at pati na rin para sa turismo. Moving forward.
Irrigation dams will supplement all our other bulk water projects to ensure water security for our people, especially in the underserved areas. The effect of the El Nino flood has been significant, especially in the sacks. In the last two years, the damage caused by the destruction of crops has protected our farmers through our crop insurance. Over the past two years, the cost of the crop insurance has increased by over P7,000 for the affected farmers and fishermen. But, it is also a good thing that early this morning, the government has been able to provide ang mga modernong paraan ng pagtatanim tulad ng low-water use farming technologies.
Sa ating nasimulaan na proyektong lawa at binhi, isinasagawa na ang mga modernong imbakan ng tubig upang lalong maging handa at protektado ang ating mga magsasaka sa banta ng tagtuyot. As we can see in all the world, Weather events are, as has been predicted, getting more extreme, such as torrential rains that instantly shift to scorching heat waves or vice versa. Our country's geographical location makes us highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
Precisely because of our inherent vulnerability, we are proactive advocates for heightened climate responsibility and justice on the global stage. To this end. we have secured a seat on the board of the Loss and Damage Fund.
And further, the Philippines has also been selected as host country to that fund. This will require an enabling law from Congress to confer the legal personality and capacity to the board. This welcome development shall complement all our other climate adaptation and mitigation measures and give us a strong voice to access the needed financial assistance for climate-related initiatives and impacts. However, the most important thing is that the entire country is strong and always ready for the upcoming disasters. We are asking our DRRM workers to ensure our broad preparation.
and our being ready and ready at any time. As a primary preparation, we are establishing important infrastructure that will serve as a protection and center of coordination, especially in the aspect of helping the needy. Within the past two years, almost a hundred evacuation centers have already been built. While in January of this year, we started the operations of our Disaster Response Command Center, which shall serve as a central hub for the government's disaster response efforts. Now, in the blink of an eye, the rainstorm and heavy rains are what we are watching and preparing.
More than 5,500 flood control projects have been completed and many more are currently being done. sa buong bansa. Isa na rito ay ang Flood Risk Management Project sa Cagayan de Oro River na magbibigay ng pangmatagalang proteksyon sa mahigit 600 hektaryan ng lupa at 60,000 nating mga kababayan.
Isa pa ay ang proyekto sa Pampanga Bay na magsisilbing karagdagang lunas sa mga pagbabaha. In January, we launched the Cleanup of the New Philippines, where we evacuated our barangays to clean their communities. In just five months, more than 40,000 tons of garbage were collected by more than 22,000 barangays throughout the country.
I hope that... the continuous support of local governments in cleaning up our population. As an example here in Manila, the broad assistance has already begun to revive the river Pasig.
As we enter the midterm, Our infrastructure development remains sustained, strategic, and on schedule. Aside from agriculture and disaster risk, our other vital sectors and pillars such as education, health, energy, low-cost housing, transport, information technology, they all stand to benefit from our aggressive infrastructure development as befitting our upper middle-income economic target. With the results that we have seen two years into this administration, we can claim that despite challenges, we are steadily progressing.
towards our targets in the medium term. Our power and internet services are continuously being upgraded in both capacity and connectivity. In our free Wi-Fi program, almost 10 million unique user devices are being used for free internet in more than 13,000 places in the Philippines. This is a target for our many students and our distant and distant friends. We are also continuing to provide free Wi-Fi to the entire country.
As part of our nationwide internet infrastructure development, Phase 1 of the National Fiber Backbone has been completed and operationalized. Phase 2 and 3 have already begun early this year. and shall be completed by 2026. This fiber backbone will give us sufficient capacity in terms of bandwidth.
As of 2022, only 77% or 20.6 million households were connected to the internet. This is much too low. Together with our private sector partners, we will efficiently harness the concept of common towers, to provide connectivity to Filipinos who are at the far end of the last mile.
Expect full government support to ensure the successful completion of this critical project, including policy reforms and streamlined processes. Bigger and faster IT infrastructures require stronger and more impervious cyber defense. Our recently launched National Cybersecurity Plan lays down the blueprint for us to safeguard our systems against cyberattacks. With this said, I have directed the agency's concern to ensure that the speed and quality of our IT development always mirrors the pace and trajectory of our economic aspirations. As energy projects get completed and new investments pour into this sector, We expect our nation's power supply to increase at a steady pace to meet our growing demand in the next few years.
Nonetheless, we are continuously diagnosing and urgently addressing power shortages, as well as the systemic causes of blackouts in unserved and underserved areas. We are remedying the need for places without electricity and that are often browned out. Sa pamamagitan ng microgrid at off-grid systems at mga missionary small power utilities na sinusuportahan pa rin ng solar, running through Bataan, Pampanga, and Bulacan, the newly inaugurated Mariveles-Hermosa-San Joseph transmission line will further strengthen the reliability of the Luzon power grid.
In the Visayas. All stages of the Cebu-Negros-Panay Backbone Project have likewise been completed. This project shall serve to stabilize the power situation in western and central Visayas and avert recurrences of power outages experienced in the past. Because of this project, the blackout on Panay Island was avoided from April to June despite the yellow and red alerts in the region. And just last week...
And just last week, the Dumanhug-Corellia line of the Cebu-Bujol Interconnection Project was energized, enabling the transfer of power between Cebu and Bujol. With these systems currently operating at capacity, these major power lines shall contribute to the efficient power exchanges not only between Luzon and the Visayas, but also involving Mindanao. Energy sharing and transfers between... among and within the three island groups, have now been made possible with the energization last January of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection.
The energization of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection is a defining moment, not only for the power sector, but for the entire country. Finally, we have connected the power grids of all three major island groups. The unified Philippine grid is a fulfillment of this dream, whose seeds were planted in the 80s through a vision bolstered by R&D, which we accomplished by applying typical Filipino persistence and dedication. Let's all stand together.
that the current price here in our country is high. So we will continue to add infrastructure of current that will lower the price of coal. On the other hand, we also firmly believe that the consumer's rights are important.
Some of the steps that the government has taken are First, the better and more legal Lifeline Rate Program for the poor, especially for the beneficiaries of 4-Peace. Second, the temporary suspension of the fit-all tariff on our electric bill. Third, the Anti-Bill Shock Program.
And fourth, the suspension of the wholesale electricity spot market during the time when it red-alerted the Luzon and Visayas grids. And lastly, refunds and removal of too many consumers'fees, such as franchise fees. We are returning and re-polluting the EPIRA. upang malaman kung angkop pa ba ito sa ating kasalukuyang sitwasyon o napapanahon na na ito ay amyandahan.
Hinihiling ko sa Kongreso na pagtulungan na natin ito alang-alang sa kapakanan ng mga Pilipino. Sa taas ng presyo ng kuryente sa bansa, nahihirapan hindi lamang ang mga negosyante kung hindi lalo na ang taong bayan. As of May this year, 12,000 kilometers worth of roads and more than 1,200 bridges have been built and upgraded across the country.
Of note, we have provided the budget to upgrade 367 bridges and almost 1,600 kilometers of road along our country's longest thoroughfare, the Maharlika Highway. from Luzon all the way to Mindanao. Moreover, significant segments of major expressways, which are part of the Luzon-Spine Expressway Network, have now been opened to the public. The C-Lex, N-Lex, S-Lex connector and the Plaridel bypass will be fully completed by the end of this year. Calax and the C-5 South Link will be fully operational by next year.
Because of these important roads, the Northern, Mid-Luzon, Manila, and Eastern Luzon will be more connected to each other. Under our Inter-Island Linkage Bridge Program, we expect two major bridges to be open to motorists this year. One is the Pangil Bay Bridge, touted as the longest water-spanning bridge in northern Mindanao. This bridge will connect Lanao del Norte to Misamis Occidental. The other is the Gikam Bridge in Sambuanga, Cebu, which shall connect the Olutanga Island to the mainland of Mindanao.
In addition, travel to and from Clark Airport is now much faster and more convenient, with the inauguration of the 20-kilometer airport New Clark City Access Road in Pampanga. We are also in the midst of a railway renaissance. The Metro Manila Subway Project has logged significant accomplishments in its tunneling works.
At this point, three to six stations have been destroyed and are still being built in the next station. Other railway projects, such as the MRT-7 and the North-South Commuter Railway, are likewise progressing. We will make sure that the right-of-way issues are resolved in the most equitable, efficient, and expeditious manner so that these will not get in the way of our infrastructure development.
As part of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, the route of LRT Line 1 in Metro Manila will be expanded from Baklaran to Sukat. It will be open to the public during this year. And in a few years, this line will reach Bacoor.
We also added 76 new and modern trains to LRT-1 to speed up the development of the LRT-1. and make the passengers'travel more comfortable. Just recently, we reopened the PNR Bicol Line to the public that has a length of 100 km from Naga to Legazpi. Likewise, the improvement of our routes and our resources for the sake of our fellow travelers. First and foremost, the servicing our ever-increasing local and international flight routes, and catering to more than 62 million passengers every year.
More than 70 airports and seaport development projects across the country have now been completed, and another 350 ongoing projects are set to be completed by the year 2028. Notably... Notably, the capacities of the passenger terminal buildings of the General Santos Airport and the Bicol International Airport have been expanded by 300 and 500 percent, now catering to 2,000 and 1,600 passengers, respectively. Meanwhile, the Batangasport PTB, our popular marine gateway to Mimaropa, the Visayas, and to Mindanao, can now accommodate 8,000 travelers at any given time. Thanks to Congress, the public-private partnership as a crucial funding mechanism for big-ticket projects is now institutionalized by the force of law. PPP is seen to facilitate strategic investments in the timely development of projects under our Build Better More program.
especially since around one-fourth of our flagship projects have been envisioned to be funded through this modality. As a perfect example, the NIA PPP will go down in our history, not only as among the largest and fastest approved PPPs, but one that has set the bar in terms of openness, transparency, and competitiveness of the process. Through this partnership, we will continue to work together to improve the quality of our products.
Our foremost aerial gateway is now primed for a revitalization. Once considered as among the worst and most stressful airports in the world, it will soon be a world-class international airport that we can all be proud of. But even before that, the UPPGH Cancer Center is the first PPP to be approved. in this administration. Together with the Philippine Cancer Center of the DOH, which broke ground last March, these two specialty hospitals will soon join our nation's fight against cancer.
These centers will be a godsend to the more than 400,000 Filipinos who are afflicted with this deadly disease. While these modern hospitals are still working, we will continue to work. sa pagdadagdag at pagpapataas ng kalidad ng ating mga ospital at mga specialty center. Binuksan na natin sa publiko ang mahigit dalawampung bagong urgent care and ambulatory service o mga bukas centers sa ibang lugar sa bansa.
Intended to decongest public hospitals, these centers shall provide competent ambulatory care. most especially to the poor and to the disadvantaged, for health conditions that do not require hospital admission. We are also a part of the local government in the so-called super health centers. With the help of the LGUs, we will be able to provide enough doctors and nurses for these, and we will add more in the coming years.
We will be able to provide more in the coming years. In the past, all of our provinces have enough centers or facilities that can provide the first medical service for our citizens. Meanwhile, we will ensure that each province will be given a mobile clinic so that the laboratory exam and other first medical services can be brought closer to our citizens. In PhilHealth, the generic medicine class is now included in the benefits for outpatients. Of the 21 generic medicines, 53 are already available.
There are new medicines for high pressure and there are also for nerve pain and epileptic seizures. As a response, In the midst of more and more incidents and rising drug prices, PhilHealth has increased benefits by more than double for the people with severe symptoms such as acute stroke and pneumonia. The limit for these conditions is increased to P76,000 and P70,000.
To make it even more clear, Our fight against cancer was boosted by PhilHealth by more than 1,000% in the benefit of treating breast cancer. The previous limit of P100,000, now we have made it P1.4 million. The benefits for colon cancer have also been paid. And before the end of the year, chemotherapy for cancer in the liver, liver, ovary, and prostate will also be included in the benefits of PhilHealth.
We have raised a higher fund for our medical assistance program. Kaya higit na mas marami pang mga Pilipino ang matutulungan nito ngayong taon. Aside from our aggressive hiring efforts, we have enhanced medical and allied health programs, allocated seed funds for public medical schools, and launched scholarships and review and upskilling programs.
These are to support the medical and nursing professions with a goal to strengthen and increase our human resources for health. As part of our recalibrated health approach towards prevention and healthy habits, we are prioritizing vaccinations, nutrition, mental well-being, and active and healthy lifestyles. We will continue to pursue the vaccination of children and infants, especially in Region 6 and in the Barm, where half of them are still unvaccinated.
Atuloy na tuloy din ang Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition na ating binibigyan tuon ngayong Hulyo, buwan ng Nutrition. Ang convergent programs to stamp out hunger and malnutrition were not only successfully launched but have yielded inspiring results thus far. One survey confirmed that our expanding school-based feeding program has had a significant impact.
on the physical and mental well-being of more than half of the learner beneficiaries. Therefore, we will continue to further enhance these feeding programs in our schools and daycare centers. The recently launched Walang Gutum 2027 will now be fully rolled out from the initial 2,300 households Now all the way to 300,000 food-poor households across the country by the end of this year.
But the program will go on until we feed the one million most food-poor families by 2027. An important component of our strategies to address malnutrition shall be the program for the first 1,000 days or the first two years of a child's life. To ensure the health and nutrition of children 0 to 2 years old from the poorest families, we have proposed in the 2025 budget a new grant under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program for this purpose. Through this grant, a mother or a daughter of a 4-piece beneficiary will receive additional financial assistance for her and her child. This assistance is to ensure that she and her child who was vaccinated will be treated by a doctor, vaccinated, and given adequate nutrition. Closely related to these, the DOST has been continuously undertaking scientific research to develop nutritious food and drinks which can be integrated into the government's feeding program.
Government is aware of the pressing yet delicate social issues of the day, such as the mental well-being of our people. The DOH has launched its comprehensive mental health plan and ensured sufficient supply of medications. Feel Health.
has also released this year its mental health benefit package for all its members. At the same time, grassroots and sports for all programs are back in the mainstream, catering to Filipinos of all ages. The year of the national football game has been resumed, after three years of stopping it due to the pandemic.
We are greeting Marikina and Cebu, and the education of their successful players. We will continue to support these health-enhancing sports programs. Through these, we will also set forth our youth on the same well-established path that has taken some of our national champions and renowned athletes to sporting greatness.
As we speak, 28 of our finest athletes are competing in Paris now for the glory of the Philippines. Let us wish them well and the best of luck. In the field of education, investing in our own people is not only a fundamental moral imperative for us, but an economic one as well. In its report, the World Bank revealed that our promising economic growth is largely attributable to our people.
The great bulk of the country's wealth is being created by the skill, the industry, and the resourcefulness of all Filipinos. However, there are still many more that the Philippines will grow. We must harness the totality of the Filipinos'potential. Thus, For consecutive years, we have prioritized an increase in budget for the inclusive development of Filipinos, not just in food, nutrition, and health, but even more so in education and training.
Recent assessments have revealed the poor reality that more than half of our grades 6, 10, and 12 students have failed to reach the ideal proficiency levels, faring low in information literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Therefore, our national learning recovery program must proceed without the slightest disruption, especially in basic education. Our system of education must be strategically calibrated to make sure that our youth are not only taught to become literate, but it has also consciously developed them into problem solvers and into critical thinkers hungry for success, ready for the future. Similarly, as we relentlessly address the classroom gap, the digital gap must also be bridged with equal intensity.
We are working towards a day when all students will be equipped with computers, smart TVs, essential programs, digital books, and once again, access to reliable power and the Internet. Digitalization and solar-powered electricity must now become the standard features in our schools and in our classrooms. Simply put, this is educational reform through technology. The perennial problems surrounding textbooks shall be resolved. The production of instructional materials, especially textbooks, which are up-to-date and error-free, must be ensured.
The whole process, from approval of manuscript to procurement, all the way to distribution, will be cut short from its present three years to just one year. This will be the key to our new future. To ensure the development and improvement of the quality of education in the country in a much easier time. Clearly, of course, the quality of our education rests on the quality of our teachers.
Every classroom that we build... will be but an empty and lifeless structure without its moving force, the teacher. But our teachers are not just perfunctory figures in our schools. They are the very foundation of our educational system. And so, as we build and upgrade schools, so too must we uplift and upskill our teachers, whose competence and trademark Filipino patience, determination, and compassion will be at the core of our national...
Ito ay magbibigay sa mga guro na sa pampublikong paaralan ng taonang teaching allowance para pambili ng mga kagamitan sa pagtuturo at mga kaugnay na gastusin. Nakatanggap na nila ito simula sa susunod na taon. Meron na rin silang personal accident insurance mula sa GSIS.
Special hardship allowance will also be added for the additional public school teachers who will be able to support them who are experiencing great difficulties and hardship in their daily work. And there will be no more debt-tagging for teachers. Their debt will not be limited to renewing their licenses. Bagkus, marapat lamang na sila ay payagan pa ring makapagturok nang sila ay makapaghanap buhay at merong kinikita. Of equal significance, we have allocated funds to finally implement the expanded career progression system for our public school teachers.
This will promote professional development and career advancement within their ranks. This expanded system lays out two major career paths for our teachers to pursue, the teaching and the school administration tracks, each of which shall have ample career growth opportunities. With this system in place, we will accelerate the career growth of teachers. Sa sistemang ito, wala ng public school teacher ang magre-retire na Teacher One lamang. In simple terms, if we really want to succeed, we are striving to get up on the education ladder.
They, our teachers, are the ones we must support and strengthen. Last year, we reported that our system of higher education was gaining international recognition for all the right reasons. As further evidence, 87 of our higher educational institutions have now made it into various world university rankings. 51 of them are public universities or colleges. Also, we witnessed this past school year a significant rise in the enrollment rate in higher education, both in public and in private institutions.
The same upward trend is likewise noted in Technical Vocational Education and Training, or TVET. Statistics do not lie. Eight out of ten graduates of TVET ultimately land decent jobs.
So with its high employability rate, TVET will definitely be instrumental in capacitating our people and maintaining our employment rate at consistently high levels. Cognizant of its potential, The DepEd, CHED, DoLE, and TESDA have joined forces now to incorporate TVET in the senior high school curriculum to further boost the employability of our students. The Filipinovation and Balikhaing Pinoy programs have been launched, both drawing vast interest and inspiring key sectors and the public.
to generate solutions, to share ideas, and to drive innovation forward across the country. The IT and creative sectors are burgeoning industries, knowing no territorial bounds, and they hold great promise for our talented and hard-working people. This is the call of our times and we are moving to answer that call. The schools will serve as a preeminent incubators of the innovative and creative energies of all Filipinos.
Advanced learning systems and technologies in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things shall be made available in TVET innovation centers nationwide. Highly technical and professional-level training courses will soon be launched, notably in cybersecurity and in the creative industries. Of our globally ranked HEIs, 63 have made it into the WURI Global Top 300 Innovative Universities. In the face of tough global competition, the Mabalacat City College in Pampanga was awarded the Technic Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year.
And for the second straight year, Samar State University won the WURI Global Top 300 Innovative Universities. top the rankings for its digitally pioneering R&D project entries. Relevant scholarships and R&D grants will continue to be available, aligned with our agenda to foster startups. To commercialize and mass-produce R&D outputs, crucial support such as intellectual property rights enforcement and venture financing have been put into place.
We are also building essential infrastructure and linkages to support the ethical development of artificial intelligence systems for high-impact practical applications. Since the nation's foray into space technology, our satellites in space have generated more than 51,000 maps, images, and space-borne data for various purposes. These now provide us with vital information.
that guides our country's stratagems and decision-making in agricultural development, urban planning, and environmental management, including the strengthening of our maritime domain awareness, to name but a few examples. Along with these discoveries, we are likewise in awe of our countrymen who have carved out their niche as pioneering space scientists and engineers in this emergent field. in collaboration with local space technology companies that provide an additional impetus.
As we speak, 16 of our space engineers are in the United Kingdom resuming work on the development of the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment, or the MULA satellite. Once completed, the MULA satellite will be our largest Earth observation satellite to be launched into space so far. May they inspire the next generation of Filipino students to follow their footsteps and reach for the stars. To our employees, our employment rate has increased to 95.9%. We also saw a significant increase in high-quality jobs.
Underemployment too. has decreased from 11.7% in May of 2023 to 9.9% today. This is our lowest number since 2005. Notably, we also saw an increase in middle-skilled employment, wage and salaried employment, and full-time jobs.
These are still good news. On the other hand, ng nararanasang mataas na presyo ng pagkain. Bukod sa paglikha ng trabaho, pinalalakas din natin ang kakayahan ng ating mga mamamayang, lalo na sa panahon ng kanilang kagipitan.
Our adaptive and responsive social protection programs assist our countrymen in times of dire need, reaching those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. More importantly, these programs seek to develop their productive potential and bridge their capacities towards self-sufficiency. With a noble aim of breaking the cycle of poverty across the country, the Pantawid Pamilyam Pilipino Program has not only consistently accomplished its annual targets, it has also proven its efficacy over the years.
Since the last SONA, more than 420,000 families have graduated from the program. This means that with the help of 4Peace, their situation and ability to fight life have improved. In reality, More than 4,000 graduates of 4Peace are now in the hands of licensed teachers.
And not only that, 35 of the top-notchers of the respective board exams that were held over the past two years came from the families of 4Peace beneficiaries. How many of them? is Teacher Cain Jevy Cervantes of Davao Oriental who got the number one in the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers.
Another one is Engineer Alexis Aligado who won the Civil Engineering Board Exam in April last year. Tomorrow, On the birthdate of Apolinario Mabini, we cap off the National Disability Rights Week. Our PWDs can rest assured of government's effective implementation of beneficial policies and programs that will guarantee equitable opportunities, special interventions, and incentives for them. Since the administration came to power, the programs for the survival of the disabled, for our PWDs.
Next year, PhilHealth will be giving its benefits to children with disabilities. The discount given to PWDs is almost double as well as to senior citizens like you for basic necessities and prime commodities. You're all happy there, aren't you? In all of the things we do, we are always happy with the private sector, especially with the important things like work and finances.
With tripartite consensus, minimum wage levels have been increased in various sectors in all regions, including the BAM, for workers and private establishments. This will result in the loss of more than 4 million of our countrymen and their families. For our government officials, they have a medical allowance as an additional benefit for the coming year.
And not only that, they will also receive a raise in their salary. Sa apat na tranche, naglaan na po tayo ng pondo para dito simula sa taong ito at sa mga susunod na taon. Furthermore, we have extended the services of our job order and contract of service personnel working in government. This will also afford them ample opportunity to work on their civil service eligibilities.
while gaining additional relevant experience and training to upgrade their employment qualifications. Our aggressive infrastructure development, business-friendly policies, investment and export promotions, foreign visits, and economic missions are all aimed at generating not just jobs, but quality and competitive jobs. A substantial number of investment pledges have already commenced operations, with many more at various stages of development. Thank you. In our country, aside from the large income for the country, these will be able to generate more than 200,000 jobs for our countrymen.
The rationalized incentive scheme under the CREATE Act has also made possible the generation of investments amounting to more than P1 trillion and more than 100,000 new jobs. This promising state of affairs is now beckoning us to create more through the passage of the Create More Act. Conscious efforts to improve the ease of doing business and delivering government services through digitalization, integration, and streamlining of processes have produced their intended multiplier effects.
Cost savings from operations have translated to higher revenues and to more speedy transactions. These have effectively addressed the fragmented, overlapping, and time-consuming procedures that have hindered optimal productivity by government. Attributable to these transformative reforms, government services are becoming more efficient.
More and more systems are now digital and catchless, assimilating individuals, MSMEs, even agricultural workers. These have expedited transactions and commercial exchanges and promoted the convenience of all parties concerned. The Paling QR is one of the programs that is gradually getting stronger. ang hatak sa publiko at dumarami ang gumagamit.
Bolstering our Cybercrime Prevention Act, the recently passed Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act will further protect the public by heightening the responsibility of end-security systems of banks and financial institutions and imposing high criminal liabilities on social engineering schemes and money mules. Job placement also has seen significant progress. especially through our Public Employment Service Offices nationwide.
PESOS have harnessed IT capabilities and improved labor-industry coordination. Collectively, they boast a job placement success rate of 98%. Likewise, due to shortened timelines, We have recorded a significant increase in new business and corporate registrations, including foreign firms, which surpassed last year's numbers. The observed choke points in our food supply chains and in the logistics sectors are now being removed.
And at the same time, the identified gaps are being filled in to make them efficient, interconnected, and seamless, saving precious time and cost. The approval of energy projects is moving towards complete virtual integration of its required procedures. The expedited processing of our infrastructure flagship projects under the Build Better More program shall also follow suit.
Our digital infrastructure was substantially strengthened, courtesy of common towers that more than tripled in number since last year, owing to streamlining of permitting requirements. Air transport and tourism have been made more convenient because of the shift to paperless immigration and customs forms, thanks to the e-travel system. And soon, the piloted e-gates will be standard fixtures at airports to further facilitate ease of mobility during departures and arrivals. And with all this said, the implementation of the Philippine e-visa will be next in our digital transformation agenda. Let us now go to tourism, because we in the Philippines have no less than 7,641 beautiful reasons to tap the potential of our tourism sector, for which our archipelagic nation is internationally renowned and from which many Filipinos derive their livelihood.
While a resurgence in this all-important sector is being observed, pre-pandemic data presents to us a great challenge that we must surpass. It is a challenge that is well within our grasp. Our infrastructure and digital reforms to development of tourism sites and the enhancement of the overall tourist experience are all calculated to boost the productivity of the tourism sector. While doing so, we shall interpose the wholesome and hospitable Filipino brand in all the key tourism touchpoints, from tourist arrival all the way to departure. But the tourism challenge has already evolved.
and now requires a multifaceted strategy. The focus now is on experiential tourism. Food, culture, heritage, the arts, education, halal, Islamic traditions, dive, cruise, farm and ecotourism, even sports, have now become potent subjects and products of a nation's tourism. This is an imperative, and that we must elevate and expand our understanding of the one town, one product, or auto concept.
It must not inhibit, but rather it must inspire. We must not rest content to have just one, rather We must seek the optimal number of high-quality products and services which at the same time showcase our community's distinctive history, traditions, and talents. Filipino creativity and ingenuity will enliven and unlock the as-yet-untapped potential of these new facets of Philippine tourism.
To our OFWs, according to the data of Banco Central, more than 30,000 people have been billion dollars were invested in the country by our OFWs last year. This is a great help to our growing economy. So, we are not only grateful, but we are also proud to be able to reach all of our OFWs.
I hope they are able to watch this. I feel that your sacrifice is here in our country. Through vital partnerships with like-minded states, we have been able to promote our mutual interests, resulting not only in investments here and our strengthened national security, but also in quality jobs for our nationals seeking foreign employment.
Through intense Philippine lobbying, the United Nations has adopted the resolution on promoting and protecting the enjoyment of human rights of seafarers. This will ensure their safe and decent living and working conditions at sea, a human rights imperative. Our help to the OFWs will continue. It will not end with their departure from the country. We opened up more special facilities and services for them, such as the OFW Lounge in Naya and the Seafarer's Hub in Manila.
Our OFWs, which were affected by various disturbances such as Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon, and Yemen, were helped and saved by the country. We have also helped our fellow countrymen who are in the midst of calamities and crises such as in Taiwan and New Zealand. Until they return home, we will be with them with our hearts and hearts. Those who return home, including their families, we will support them well so that they can start a new start here in the country to get a good job. or else the business will not be able to be established.
In line with what I have been reporting, last year, Saudi Arabia already started giving checks to our workers who lost their jobs. Slowly, our affected OFWs are now being paid. For this, we convey our sincerest gratitude to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Lessons from history and current events teach us that peace and order is an essential ingredient of genuine prosperity and social development. This is the path that we choose to take. Despite difficulties, despite our diversity and differences as a people, we are joined together by a unique history and have constantly invested our energies and resources in strengthening the pillars of peace. Our police, military, and Coast Guard undergo continuous capacity building and asset upgrading so that they are better able to preserve the peace and defend our territory.
We have noted an overall decrease in crime rate. and an improvement in crime solution efficiency. But this is not enough.
This is not enough. Our law enforcement needs to continue to earn the trust of our people. The strong pillars of our criminal justice system, especially in light of the new rules on criminal investigation and our independent judiciary, function in unison. In tandem with the justice system, COA's audit mechanism works in harmony with our transparency, streamlining, and open government initiatives. All in all, these successfully foster a culture of accountability that curbs corruption in government.
With the newly enacted Republican... Public Act number 12009 that I signed just last Saturday, government procurement will be modern and innovative, more streamlined and efficient and truly at par with global best practices. We sincerely thank Congress for its timely and decisive action in amending the 20-year-old law.
We have come a long way in our quest for a lasting and inclusive peace. No guerrilla fronts remain active across our country today. Only seven weakened groups remain to be dismantled, and they are the subject of focused operations.
But along with the assertion of government might, we also offer peace, community development, and reintegration programs for those who have returned to the fold of the law. Through a comprehensive and transformative approach, we have rebuilt not only lives, but also conflict-affected communities. The implementation of peace agreements is now in its concluding phase. Former combatants now live peaceful and productive lives in their respective communities. Some of our former rebels are now absorbed into the AFP, serving in the defense of the Republic, while others are now part of the PNP Barm.
Government will honor and fully comply with its remaining deliverables and commitments under these agreements. In November last year, we signed proclamations granting amnesty to former rebels. A month later, and then in June of this year, the House of Representatives and the Senate issued their respective resolutions concurring with these amnesty proclamations. That Congress is one with us is a testament to the whole nation's sincere desire. for peace.
In such a short period, the BARM has impressively established a strong foundation for its progressive autonomous social development. Investments continue to pour into the BARM. Last year, investments in the region increased by 140 percent year on year.
The improved peace and order situation, good governance, not to mention high hopes and confidence amongst its people, all contribute to the reasons why BARM's poverty index has significantly decreased since 2018. In Marawi, the rehabilitation and rebuilding continue under the supervision now of the Office of the President. Our focus remains on restoring energy, water, and livable communities. As of today, All seven intergovernmental mechanisms of the BARM, as mandated under the Organic Law, have been organized and activated.
These will guarantee effective and constant consultation between the Bangsamoro and national governments in the fundamental aspects of governance. Five out of the seven essential laws for the BARM have already been enacted by the BTA Parliament. Now it has its own administrative code. It has its own local government code, its own election code, and those for education and the civil service as well. So with these inspiring developments, the BAM appears primed and ready for its regular elections, the first ones that they will have in the coming year.
On the fight against dangerous drugs. Our bloodless war on dangerous drugs adheres and will continue to adhere to the established eight E's of an effective anti-illegal drug strategy. Extermination was never one of them. And yet, and yet, in more than 71,500 operations, it has resulted in the seizure of more than 44 billion pesos worth of illegal drugs and the arrest of more than 97,000 drug personalities.
More than 6,000 of those arrested were high-value targets. 440 of them were government employees, of whom 42 were uniformed personnel. Seventy-seven were elected officials.
To penalize their operations, dirty money and assets worth more than 500 million pesos have been frozen and preserved. With strong case build-up and efficient prosecution, the drug conviction rate is at a high of 79%. Together with this, we welcome the report that the number of drug-affected barangays in our country has been reduced. by 32 percent.
In our international relations, we have faced challenges to our territorial sovereignty, and we will assert our rights and interests in the same fair and pacific way that we have always done. Proper diplomatic channels and mechanisms under the rules-based international order remain the only acceptable means of settling disputes. Peace and community building will always be our clarion call, especially when the country serves as chair and the host of ASEAN Summit in 2026. We continuously try to find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas with our counterparts without compromising our position and our principles.
I know that our neighbors, too, are doing their best to make this work. The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver. We are now more conscious as a people and strategic in heightening our aerial and maritime domain awareness. We are continuing to strengthen our defensive posture, both through developing self-reliance and through partnerships with like-minded states.
The West Philippine Sea is not just our own mind. It is ours. It is ours. We will remain until the day the life of our beloved country, the Philippines, is born. We will strengthen and establish the wisdom and knowledge of the entire country and we will be firm.
that we will pass it on to our children and our next generations. Laws on our maritime zones and archipelagic sea lanes make sure that this intergenerational mandate, this duty, will firmly take root in the hearts and minds of all our people. To the entire Coast Guard, to our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, to all of you. the heartfelt gratitude of the whole country for your hard work and sacrifice. Let us now turn to our economic status and our prospects.
In spite of headwinds that we have faced, we have stayed the course. The country exhibits healthy signs of post-pandemic resilience comparable to strong economies in our region. Our poverty rate has significantly dropped to 15.5% down from 18% in 2021. This present figure is even lower than the pre-pandemic level of 16.7% in 2018. Ang katumbas nito ay halos dalawat kalahating milyong Pilipino ang naiangat natin mula sa kahirapan.
At the same time, the number of Filipinos who do not have enough to buy food has been reduced by more than 1,700,000. We will continue to strive to get more from poverty. To sustain the country's economic gains, we are promoting investment-led growth.
We have set in motion policies and programs to create an environment conducive for business to thrive, like reforms in the capital markets and implementation of green lanes. As a result, we have green lanes certified around 100 projects with a total investment of about P3 trillion across the sectors of renewable energy, digital infrastructure, food security, and manufacturing. The Philippine financial system remains robust and resilient. Tax and non-tax revenue collection has also become more efficient in pace with our rejuvenated economy. Notably, for the past two years, our GOCCs have remitted dividends to the national government with a combined tally exceeding their contributions in 2022. To build on these, and guided by strong fiscal discipline, our proposed government budget for this year was crafted with utmost care, diligence, and meticulous attention.
We look to the cooperation of our colleagues in the legislature, not only that our proposed national budget be approved in your usual timely manner, but it be adhered to as closely as possible. We expect all agencies to ensure that every centavo allocated will be judiciously spent for our urgent priorities and socially impactful programs. Mga kababayan, sa lahat ng ginagawa natin ito at mga gagawin pa, mataas ang aking kumpiyansa na malalampasan din natin ang hamon ng ating pinagdadaanan.
Dahil ito ang pangunahing hinain ng taong bayan. We will not stop fighting poverty and looking for a solution to return to normal the price of food, especially rice. And now, we hear the loud cry of the people of the country against the pogos.
Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder. The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop. This mess must stop in our society and the destruction of our country.
Effective today. All Pogos are banned. I hereby instruct Pagcorp to wind down and cease the operations of BOGOs by the end of the year. The Dole, in coordination with our economic managers, shall use the time between now and then to find new jobs for our countrymen who will be displaced.
This will solve many of the problems that we are encountering. It will solve many of the problems that we have been encountering, but it will not solve all of them. To solve all the problems that we have been suffering under, all officials, law enforcers, workers in government, and most of all the citizenry must always be vigilant, principled, and think.
of the health of the nation. So, ladies and gentlemen, let me end by recalling the words of a great man. Let not anyone pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part and forms no opinion.
Bad men need nothing more. to compass their ends, then that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name. My beloved countrymen, We always fight the wrong and the bad.
We always fight for the right and the good. We always love the Philippines. We always love the Filipinos. Long live to you and long live to the new Filipinos.
Thank you very much. And that's where the third zone of the President ends, the 527 of yesterday, in the National Law. And like we expected, Pia, the third zone of the President is longer compared to his first two. And he talked about a lot of topics.
But he saved the best for last. That he did. And this is probably the surprise that Congressman Sandra Marcos is saying because of his closing of his State of the Nation address. On the part of the Senate, the joint session is hereby adjourned. On the part of the House of Representatives, the joint session is adjourned.
One of the most important parts of the President's speech is that he said that from today, effective today, the prevention of Pogo is prohibited in our country. He also ordered the PagCorp to start the cease operations of Pogo and they gave up until... Pagtatapos ng taong ito ang mga pogo dito sa ating bansa. Ito yung marahil nga na binabanggit at inaasahan natin kanina na unexpected part ng talumpati ng Pangulong.
Bagamat sa nakaraang mga linggo, narinig na rin natin ng ilang mga opisyal ng gobyerno na sinasabing ito ng kanilang rekomendasyon sa Pangulong. So in a way, hindi siya nakagugulat. Of course, for the President to mention his zone, he will definitely say that he will order the cease of operations, the wind down of operations, until the end of the year, is another thing that is a highlight of this zone.
And according to the words of President Bongbong Marcos, he said, the grave abuse of these POGOs, of our laws, must stop. And this is the reason he said, because he said that he saw that the... He called them disguised as legitimate entities, but they have ventured into illegal activities here in our country. And the President's order is also different. He said that it is important to look for new jobs for our fellowmen who will be affected by this.
Of course, one of the parts of the President's speech is what he said, that drug war. We also had a big standing ovation and applause from the audience because the President said that extermination was never one of the strategies of his so-called bloodless war. He also shared that there was a reduction of 32% of drug-affected barangays. as a way to show that his approach, which he calls bloodless war, is effective.
And this is a warning, rather, because the administration that passed through was known for their very aggressive and bloody war on drugs, as they call it. And perhaps this is one of the things that really became a point of resistance. ng dalawang grupo na minsan naging bahagi ng isang ticket itong eleksyon under their team unity. So this will be very interesting kung paano rin magre-react yung kampo ni dating Pangulongng Rodrigo.
Duterte dito sa sinabi ni Pangulongng Bongbong Marcos. Sinabi rin ni Pangulongng Marcos kaakibat nito na efektibo sabi niya ang kanilang strategiya pagdating sa kanilang laban kontra droga at sinabi nga niya 44 billion pesos worth of illegal drugs ang na-recover 79% na ang drug conviction rate. Pero Atom, isa rin sa mga talagang...
The President's speech at the West Philippine Sea was accompanied by a loud applause and standing ovation. First of all, he thanked our strong soldiers, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the fishermen who continue to monitor our territory in the West Philippine Sea. And the President also said that our West Philippine Sea is not just a thought, it is ours.
And at this point, the people in the plenary were already standing up to support what President Bongbong Marcos said. Like what we mentioned earlier, this is the first time that the President has mentioned the West Philippine Sea in his State of the Nation address. And he said that the Philippines cannot yield and cannot waver. in his position here in the West Philippine Sea. Of course, like what you mentioned, Pia, this is also one of the strongest evokes of strong reactions from those watching here in the Plenary Hall of the National Law.
And it's also important to note that he stressed the importance of using diplomatic channels. He said, this will always be what we will use, the only acceptable way of settling disputes for our country. And the President also said that It is important that we pass on to the youth the love for our country and the knowledge about what is happening in our country so that we can continue to protect our territory. President Bongbong Marcos mentioned many more things.
Of course, he mentioned the economy, the importance of education in our country, his orders. So, the new Education Secretary Sunny Angara is the problem that is making our education better in a much easier time. Actually, in the past hour of the President's visit, he was very strict because he covered a lot of topics like education, inflation.
I noticed that they used more of a mix of Filipino and English compared to the earlier Zonas, perhaps also as a way. that the people listening to their homes understand what the President is saying. So of course, in the next few hours, in the coming days, we will one by one, the President's announcements, of achievements and promises that he will fulfill in the coming years of his administration.
We saw that until now, President Bongbong Marcos is still in the plenary. He is the highest official of our country, visitors, and dignitaries. We saw former President Josephph Estrada earlier in the plenary, former House Speaker Joseph de Venecia was also present to listen to the speech of President Bongbong Marcos.
So, we talked about a lot of things, but like you said earlier, Atom, he saved the best for last. That's right. Our biggest takeaway here is his strong words in defending the West Philippine Sea. But of course, the diplomatic channels are still stressing as a way of de-escalating tensions without compromising our position.
And of course, towards the end of his speech, he officially banned the Pogo and told the Pag Corps to wind down. and to cease operations of Pogo by the end of the year and of course to find new jobs for our fellow countrymen who are employed under these Pogos. Our President mentioned a lot about the administration's work and there are also many obstacles and orders.
So we need to watch out for what will be the task of all the government agencies under the orders of President Bongbong Marcos. My dear friends, While President Bongbong Marcos is out of the plenary session, we would like to thank you for your attention here at the third State of the Nation address of President Bongbong Marcos. And of course, let's look at other details related to the President's 24-hour and success zone. Just like on GTV, Super Radio, DCWB, GMA Regional TV, and GMA News Online.
Thank you very much for your trust.