President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to fast-track the activation and operation of the remaining 45 out of 48 Dalian trains—procured over a decade ago— for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) line along EDSA.

In a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum in San Juan City on Wednesday, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said the President was disappointed over the long period that the Dalian trains have remained unused, despite their potential to ease commuter woes.

“‘Yun ang utos ng Pangulo, dalian na natin ‘yung Dalian,” Dizon said.

“Masyado nang matagal ‘yung sampung taon, na binayaran ‘yan ng partially ng gobyerno. Dapat ‘yan ang pangako niyan magamit para lalong bumilis ang pagbiyahe sa MRT para hindi na masyadong naghihintay ng matagal ‘yung ating mga kababayan,” Dizon said, echoing the President’s sentiments.

Dizon said the first three Dalian trains were successfully deployed and have been operational for the past three weeks.

He said many passengers enjoyed looking at the Dalian trains for their unique appearance.

“Pagka nakikita nila ‘yung Dalian, talagang pini-picture-an at bini-video nila kasi nga nakakatuwa kasi bago siya. Iba ang kulay, matingkad ‘yung kulay,” Dizon said.

“Kaya ang utos ng ating Pangulo ay dapat magamit na natin lahat once and for all,” Dizon stressed.

Dizon said that six more Dalian trains are set to be operational within the year. The remaining 39 units are slated for activation next year.

“So ang commitment natin ngayong taong ito, madagdagan pa natin ng anim pa kasi ‘yun ang sa kasalukuyang inaayos at tini-test. Pero ang pipilitin natin, next year, ‘yung 39 na matitirang tren ay lahat magagamit na natin next year,” Dizon said.

Named after the city in China where they were manufactured, the Dalian trains were left unused due to technical compatibility issues with local rail systems. | PND

The Department of Education (DepEd) is currently delivering laptops and other learning items to around 46,000 public schools nationwide to help students fully benefit from technology in learning, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said on Wednesday.

“Habang nag didiskasyon po tayo dito, ginagawa na po natin. Nagdi-deliver na po tayo sa 46,000 public schools nationwide,” Angara said during the 2025 Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) discussion among Cabinet officials held at the Makabagong San Juan National Government Center in San Juan City.

Angara said President Ferdinand R. Marcos has directed the Department of Education (DepEd) to resolve the immediate concerns of teachers and learners.

As an example, Angara noted that many students performed poorly in computerized examinations simply because they did not know how to use a computer mouse, highlighting the urgent need to improve digital literacy in schools.

“Isa sa mga rason kung bakit lagpak ho tayo sa international assessment exams, unang beses makahawak ng examinee o ng estudyante yung mouse ng computer. Kaya isang oras hindi nya masagot iyong mga questions,” Angara said.

He said DepEd has provided all students who took the last Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams with laptops.

“Alam naman natin, we are living in the age of artificial intelligence. Kailangan po natin ng makabagong gadgets at magandang datos. Otherwise, hindi natin ma-realize itong benefits of technology,” Angara said.

Aside from laptops, Angara said DepEd is distributing a total of two million learning materials, including books and classroom furniture, which have not been delivered to public schools under the previous DepEd leadership.

“Sa nakaraang mga nakaupo kasi, hiniwalay nila iyong pagbili at iyong pagdeliver. Dapat siguro pag nangontrata ka ng mga kagamitan kasama ang delivery. Doon nakatengga two million items, iyong mga laptops,” Angara said.

“In fact, takot ilabas. Noong bago ako umupo, sabi ko gamitin na natin iyan,” he added.

Angara said he had asked for the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to deliver the items to the public schools.

“Naniniwala ang publiko na kaya natin gawin ang grand visions natin kapag na-reresolba natin ang day-to-day problems like delivering things on time. Kapag nakita nilang nagagawa natin iyan, maniniwala sila doon sa mga grandeng bisyon natin,” Angara said. ǀ PND

After completing the rollout in schools and learning institutions, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to expand the Free Wi-Fi for All program to include barangay halls and health centers in the latter part of 2026.

“Kasi ang priority po namin ngayon is lahat ng eskuwelahan ng DepEd, so ‘yan tatapusin po natin ‘yan,” DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said during the 2025 Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Discussions in San Juan City on Wednesday.

“Tapos next year, aarangkada tayo sa mga health services at mga barangay halls. Para pag pumunta po kayo sa mga barangay halls ay nakakagamit kayo ng hindi lang libre pero maayos na WiFi,” Aguda added.

Aguda also said the DICT is having discussions with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to standardize the Service Set Identifier (SSID) mandated by the government to secure public internet connections.

In the future, the government will require the use of a national ID to enable users to access the system, he noted.

“Para ma-track namin kung sino ‘yung mga gumagamit. Ngayon kasi nagkakalituhan. ‘Yun iba nagpapanggap na free WiFi pero kinukuha ‘yung data niyo. Ii-standardize po natin ‘yan in the coming weeks,” said Aguda.

Recognizing the importance of visibility and accessibility, the Free Wi-Fi for All program currently provides free public internet access across a wide range of key locations. | PND

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has expanded its services to better assist students in their career paths and help them land quality jobs.

In discussions following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez, TESDA director general, said the assistance would make career progression clearer and easier for students.

“Simula pa lang sa senior high school hanggang kolehiyo, dapat malinaw ang mga options nila. Wala ho sanang pangarap ng batang Pilipino na hindi mahahanapan ng paraan,” Benitez said Wednesday.

In his SONA on Monday, President Marcos announced that TESDA’s technical vocational education and training programs will be introduced in senior high school to give students the choice which field to enter after graduation.

Benitez said TESDA is also implementing continuous assessment, where senior high school students can be granted certifications for their skills and knowledge.

In the past year, some 175,000 high school graduates were given National Certification Levels II (NC2) and III (NC3) certificates, Benitez said.

Four out of five companies are willing to hire senior high school students with such credentials, Benitez said, citing recent business and industry surveys.

TESDA is also creating higher-level NCs for more evident career progression, Benitez said.

TESDA is also converging its registry and training with the Department of Labor and Employment’s web-based job-matching portal, PhilJobNet, Benitez said.

On President Marcos’ orders, TESDA’s services will also be incorporated into the eGovPH super app soon, Benitez said. | PND

The Department of Education (DepEd) assured on Wednesday a continuous investigation into the irregularities in the implementation of the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) under the previous DepEd leadership.

In a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum in San Juan City on Wednesday, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the department has undertaken system reforms to prevent a repeat of the irregularities.

Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro commended the effort of the DepEd in recovering around PhP65 million from 40 of the 54 private schools flagged for irregularities in the SHS-VP for school years 2021–2022 and 2022–2023.

Angara replied, “Hindi lang 65 (million pesos), parang mas malaki pa yata. Parang nasa 100 (million pesos) na yata eh. So, talagang kami continuous ang ating investigation diyan at paano palakasin ‘yung sistema para wala ng makakadaya nito.”

Angara said legal actions have been initiated not only to recover misused funds through civil cases, but to hold perpetrators criminally liable.

“Nag-file na ho kami ng mga kaso. Hindi lamang civil para ma-recover po ‘yung bayad pati criminal para maturuan na rin ng leksyon na ‘yung sistema hindi dapat pinaglalaruan,” Angara said.

Angara said the irregularities in voucher program affected intended student beneficiaries who depend on these subsidies to gain access to quality education.

“Mataas ang halaga ng pinag-uusapan dito, hindi lang ‘yung halaga ng pera, pero ‘yung halaga na nawawala sa nakararapat na dapat tumanggap na voucher na ito,” Angara said.

“Ito ay future ng mga kabataan natin. At ‘yung voucher system natin halos 50 billion pesos na at hindi lang sa mga public schools ‘yan. Itong vouchers ay para sa ating pribadong eskuwelahan,” Angara said.

The DepEd official thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s unwavering support for education.

“Salamat na mayroon tayong Pangulo na nagpapahalaga sa edukasyon. Lahat po kami ay united diyan sa aming sentimiyento,” Angara said. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. pledged on Tuesday to continue providing assistance to families and communities displaced by recent flashfloods until their lives return to normal.

“Sa ating mga kababayan na dumanas ng pagbaha, pagkasira ng kabuhayan, pagkawala ng tahanan, at mahal sa buhay, patuloy po kaming maghahatid ng tulong upang muli tayong makabangon at makapagsimula,” President Marcos said.

The President made the remarks during the launch and turnover in Malacañang of the World Bank Group Philippines Country Partnership Framework for 2025-2031.

“Together, we are shaping a Bagong Pilipinas that is stronger, that is more inclusive, and that is more sustainable. A future where every Filipino has countless opportunities to live with courage, with confidence, and freedom,” the Chief Executive continued.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, President Marcos ordered a full audit and public disclosure of flood control projects nationwide as he denounced the misuse of public funds meant to protect communities vulnerable to flooding.

“Huwag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkaka-racket sa mga proyekto. Mga kickback, mga initiative, errata, SOP, for the boys,” President Marcos said, using terms related to corrupt practices.

“Kaya sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino!” continued the President in the part of his speech that earned the loudest and longest applause and cheers.

President Marcos called for holding implementing agencies as well as contractors accountable for unfinished, failed, or non-existent flood mitigation works that continue to put lives and livelihoods at risk.

The Chief Executive directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to submit a complete inventory of all flood control projects from every region that were started or completed within the last three years.

The President instructed the Regional Project Monitoring Committee to determine projects that have failed, been unfinished, or are supposedly ghost projects.

The President pledged full public transparency by publishing the audit results. | PND

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is projecting to distribute 300,000 to 400,000 certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) and e-titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries throughout 2025.

During a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) discussion with Cabinet members in San Juan City on Tuesday, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wanted to empower more farmers through land ownership.

“Itong taon na ito, sa palagay ko, ang aming trajectory will be about 300,000 to 400,000 na mga titulo na ang tagal-tagal pong hinintay ng ating mga magsasaka,” said Estrella.

Estrella said many agrarian reform beneficiaries have been waiting 15 to 30 years for their land titles to be issued. The CLOA serves as legal proof of ownership for land granted under the agrarian reform program and can be used as collateral for agricultural loans or other financial assistance.

According to Estrella, the number of distributed land titles significantly increased under the leadership of President Marcos.

From July to December 2022, DAR distributed more than 26,000 land titles, which was the number of land titles that the previous administration had taken a year and a half to distribute.

Under President Marcos’ orders, DAR distributed over 50,000 land titles in 2023. In 2024, the DAR figure doubled to 100,000 land titles.

Estrella said the President wanted Filipinos to feel the government’s effort to uplift their lives and ordered DAR to ramp up their efforts in ensuring that Filipino farmers will receive rightful land ownership. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Tourism (DOT) to create more tourism industry-related jobs given the increasing number of foreign and local tourists in the country.

During a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum on Tuesday, DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said local and international tourists have spent an estimated PhP3.86 trillion last year.

“Kaya naman po, direktiba ng ating Presidente na mas dagdagan pa natin ‘yung opportunities for tourism employment,” Frasco said during the forum among Cabinet officials and agency heads held at the Makabagong San Juan National Government Center in San Juan City.

Frasco thanked President Marcos for recognizing the contributions of the tourism industry to the economy in his fourth State of the Nation Address delivered on Monday.

“Pinapasalamatan natin si Presidente Marcos dahil sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pahayag, napapakita natin kung gaano ka importante ‘yung turismo sa ating ekonomiya, dahil nakakapagbigay po ito ng trabaho sa ating mga kababayan,” Frasco said.

Quoting the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Frasco said around 6.75 million Filipinos have tourism-related jobs.

Nearly 10 million more Filipinos have indirect jobs and job opportunities related to local tourism, according to Frasco.

As a result, in 2024 the tourism industry contributed 8.9 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

Frasco said the DOT continues to hold training in human capital development in cooperation with agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Frasco said the DOT has already trained more than 322,000 individuals under the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) program. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the World Bank Group’s Philippines Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2025-2031 for supporting the administration’s development agenda, particularly in healthcare, education, and job creation.

During the launch and turnover ceremony at Malacañang, President Marcos said the CPF outlines a clear and strategic path for the next six years that is aligned with the government’s priorities highlighted in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“The Philippines has accomplished much over these past two decades … However, we are well cognizant of the fact that much more needs to be done to ensure that the progress is truly felt by every Filipino, wherever they may be,” President Marcos said on Tuesday.

“This is why we are looking forward to the launch of the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework—or CPF—for the Philippines for 2025 to 2031,” the President added.

During his SONA delivered on Monday, the President pushed for better access to healthcare, more substantial support for students, more jobs and livelihood opportunities for all Filipinos, as well as better disaster preparedness.

In parallel, President Marcos pointed out, the CPF has three key outcome areas that support the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028: education and health; private sector job generation; and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

For healthcare, the President said the government is improving the delivery of public health services, particularly in underserved areas, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The government is also promoting the more innovative use of quality health services while building the capacity to prevent and respond to health emergencies through Phase 1 of the “Philippines: Health System Resilience Project.”

To create more jobs, the President said the government continues to deepen its efforts to simplify business regulations, establish stronger infrastructure, and entice more investments.

Meanwhile, to strengthen climate change mitigation and adaptation, President Marcos said the government is modernizing its data systems, expanding social protection, and delivering faster and more effective responses in times of crisis.

The President thanked the World Bank Group for providing not only financial assistance but technical expertise, championing best practices and reigniting a “collaborative spirit that pushes us to deliver real, lasting impact for Filipinos.” | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government will go after water districts and their partner private companies responsible for the poor water delivery service to more than 6 million households nationwide.

During his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, President Marcos expressed dismay at the extent of the water problem experienced by households outside Metro Manila, based on the report by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

“Marami kaming natatanggap na reklamo na hindi man lang daw umaabot ang tubig sa kanilang mga gripo,” President Marcos said.

“Sa lawak ng reklamo, lampas anim na milyong konsyumer sa buong bansa ang kasalukuyang naapektuhan. Nakita ko na ang report,” the President added.

While the Marcos administration has embarked on major projects to ensure a clean water supply, including filtration systems for island residents, water supply remains a challenge for many.

“Kaya’t ginagawa ng LWUA ngayon ang mga mabisang hakbang laban sa palpak na serbisyo ng mga water districts at kanilang mga joint venture partners,” President Marcos said.

“Higit sa lahat, titiyakin nating mapapanagot ang mga nagpabaya at nagkulang sa mahalagang serbisyong-publiko na ito,” the President continued, drawing applause and cheers.

After discovering a lack of water supply in some schools during his school opening inspection on June 9, President Marcos ordered the LWUA to restore the water supply in affected schools immediately.

Upon the President’s orders, LWUA also instructed all the 532 water districts outside Metro Manila under its jurisdiction to report the status of water supply in their respective areas.

President Marcos said that the LWUA is currently undertaking efforts to improve the poor service of water districts and their joint venture partners from the private sector.

“Titiyakin ng LWUA na mailalagay na sa ayos ang serbisyo ng tubig ng milyon-milyon nating kababayan at gawing mas abot-kaya rin ang presyo,” said the President. | PND