Expressing deep concern over the hardships faced by commuters due to long travel hours, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. found the initial plan to close EDSA for two years to undergo repairs simply unacceptable.

“Two years ng pagdudusa. Hindi mo naman puwedeng gawin sa tao ‘yun,” President Marcos said in his latest podcast interview aired on Friday.

“Hindi ko matanggal-tanggal sa pag-iisip ko iyong nasa kotse ka, nasa EDSA, makikita mo alas-dose na ng gabi, ang haba pa ng pila naghihintay ng bus. Tapos pag uwi nun, gigising ng alas-kuwatro ‘yon. Maghihintay na naman ng bus para makapasok ng alas syete, alas otso. Sinasabi ko hindi puwedeng ganyan. Napakahirap na, tapos daragdagan pa natin ng kahirapan,” the President said.

President Marcos has ordered concerned government agencies to thoroughly and carefully study plans to rehabilitate EDSA as well as to mitigate the impact of the main thoroughfare’s closure.

The Chief Executive reiterated his order to make use of technological advancements to fast-track the EDSA rehabilitation.

“Siguro naman may mga bagong sistema diyan na hindi nating kailangan isara o kung ‘yung gagawin ay hindi dalawang taon. So sabi ko, itigil muna natin. Pag-isipan natin mabuti. Hanap tayo ng bagong technology. There are new technologies,” the President said.

“I am very happy with the decision. Mukhang kakayanin na hindi dalawang taon,” said the President.

On June 1, the President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Transportation to suspend the EDSA rehabilitation project which was scheduled to begin this month.

President Marcos has stated that the EDSA rehabilitation will not commence until solid rerouting plans are in place. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed support for the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) being implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), saying the program promotes discipline on the road and helps curb corruption among traffic enforcers.

“In principle, agree ako diyan sa No Contact (Apprehension Policy), agreed ako diyan. Maganda ang layunin niyan,” President Marcos said in the third part of his BBM Podcast Episode 2 aired on Friday.

The President said the policy aims to discourage motorists from committing traffic violations and from bribing traffic enforcers.

Under NCAP which resumed on May 26, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed around Metro Manila monitor traffic violations and impose fines on motorists without physical interaction with traffic enforcers.

“Ang layunin niyan is masundan ang rules of the road na hindi tayo kung ano-ano ‘yung ginagawa natin,” President Marcos added.

On fears that NCAP would promote corruption since the MMDA may indiscriminately impose fines on motorists, the President said the opposite is true.

“Bawas ‘yan sa korapsyon,” the Chief Executive said, pointing out that NCAP would prevent enforcers from receiving bribes from traffic violators. At the same time, the policy would discourage erring motorists from bribing enforcers.

“Magsabi na tayo ng totoo. ‘Pag hinuli ka ng pulis, ‘Lisensya mo.’ May nakasiksik na doon sa lisensya mo mga dalawang daan, limang daan. Baka malaki na. ‘Mag-ingat ka, huwag mo nang uulitin.’ Pero nasuhulan mo na,” President Marcos said.

“Ito, it will be based solely kung ano ‘yung nasa picture. Magbabayad siya ng multa. Hindi binibigay sa kahit na anong tao. It’s straight to the system,” the President added. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with key Japanese tourism stakeholders on the second day of his working visit to Osaka, Japan, reaffirming the Philippines’ commitment to enhancing infrastructure and connectivity to boost tourism and improve the travel experience of Japanese tourists.

“Today I met with Japanese tourism leaders who are helping us welcome more visitors than ever before, with 214 weekly flights connecting Japan and the Philippines,” the President shared in a post on Instagram.

“We are working to create more jobs for our people, help more businesses grow, and ensure more communities feel the impact of a strong tourism sector,” President Marcos added.

President Marcos expressed gratitude for Japan’s continued support as a vital partner in Philippine tourism.

The meeting brought together major players in Japan’s travel and tourism sector as well as the Philippines, including the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) Kansai / JTB West Japan Area Representative, Japan Philippines Tourism Council (JPTC), Kansai Regional Division, HIS Co., Ltd., Nippon Travel Agency, Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd., Kansai Airports, Philippine Airlines (PAL), and Cebu Pacific.

In an interview with Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, who accompanied the President during his trip, she underscored the importance of the meeting citing the “very instrumental” role of the Japanese tourism stakeholders in maintaining Japan as being one of the country’s top inbound markets. Japan is currently ranked third, according to Frasco.

Frasco said the President assured stakeholders of continued infrastructure development, including the ongoing privatization and enhancement of key airports like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and regional hubs, with the goal of increasing direct access for international visitors.

“This was received very well by our Japanese stakeholders, especially considering that our data shows that the Japanese travelers favor Cebu, Palawan, Boracay, Bohol. And are also very interested in other emerging island destinations across the country,” she said.

Frasco said in addition to expanding over 700 kilometers of tourism roads, the Philippines is aggressively restoring and enhancing air connectivity.

She stressed that since connectivity between Japan and the Philippines “has now fully recovered,” the DOT will undertake steps to further deepen partnerships with tourism stakeholders to encourage Japanese tourists to stay longer and visit the country more frequently.

Meanwhile, Frasco said that the President also highlighted the growing demand for experiential tourism during the meeting.

She expressed gratitude to the President for citing the DOT’s Philippine Experience: Heritage, Culture, and Arts Caravans being a key initiative in showcasing the country’s diverse offerings—from beaches and mountains to rich festivals, cuisine, music, and indigenous cultures.

“All of these unique components of Philippine tourism that are emerging as strong value propositions for travel from the Japanese market to the Philippines,” she said.

The President’s meeting with Japanese tourism stakeholders reaffirms the Marcos administration’s prioritization of tourism as a driver of inclusive growth, with Japan remaining a key partner in the Philippines’ economic recovery and development. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has given agencies working on the rehabilitation of San Juanico Bridge to reopen the bridge by December to heavy vehicles weighing up to 12 tons.

“Ang schedule namin dapat by December, before the end of the year, ang puwede nang gamitin ng sasakyan hanggang 12 tons,” the President said in his latest podcast interview aired on Friday.

“That’s a test. Sabi ko ‘pag hindi niyo natapos ‘yan, tatanggapin ko ‘yung resignation niyo,” added the President.

Since May, San Juanico Bridge was closed to all vehicles exceeding 3 tons while the rehabilitation is ongoing.

President Marcos acknowledged the hardships caused on residents and businesses by decades of neglect and lack of proper maintenance of the vital bridge linking Leyte and Samar.

“Nagulat ang aming mga engineers. Sabi nila, ‘malala na pala ito.’ Dahil ‘yung maintenance sa nakaraang ilang dekada hindi naman ginawa. Sabi ko, bakit? Wala bang record ‘yan? May record naman. Lahat nung job order completed. Pero tingnan mo, puro kalawang. Hindi nila ginawa,” said the President.

The residents themselves confirmed that the bridge did not undergo maintenance work.

President Marcos himself talked to affected residents, truck drivers and suppliers during his visit to Samar port on June 11. As an emergency measure, the President ordered a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) cargo ferry system to reroute heavy vehicles, giving priority to trucks transporting perishable goods.

“Sorry na nangyari ito at alam ko ang nararanasan ninyo, nararanasan ng mga transport operators, ang nararanasan ng ating mga negosyante. Kaya’t aasahan ninyo talagang minamadali namin na maayos kaagad ito. And we’ll make sure that you will be safe. We will bring the services of San Juanico back to normal,” said the President. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said that rather than assigning blame, his guiding principle is to focus on solving the problem first, stressing that immediate action should always take precedence over finger-pointing.

President Marcos’ decisive approach was evident in his response to the power crisis in Siquijor, where residents endured prolonged blackouts before swift government intervention was initiated under his leadership.

“I’ve always approached ‘yung mga problemang ganito, mayroon lang ako laging in my head na sinasabi, ang una mong reaksyon: Fix the problem, not the blame,” President Marcos said in the third part of the BBM Podcast Episode 2 aired on Friday.

“Kasi nga sabi, ‘sinong dapat mananagot diyan? sinong ganyan?’ O sige, that will – pero ayusin muna natin ‘yung problema,” the President noted.

President Marcos visited Siquijor Island province on June 11 to personally oversee measures aimed at addressing the power blackouts and achieving concrete results.

A day after the visit, two generator sets arrived from the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) to augment the power supply.

In compliance with the directive of President Marcos, by June 14, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) successfully restored stable electricity in Siquijor, ending several days of rotating brownouts that affected thousands of families, businesses, and schools.

The President also gave authorities six months to permanently resolve the power supply issue, which included a review of the contract with the private power generation company, Siquijor Island Power Corporation (SIPCOR).

“The way we fixed the problem, we brought two generators from Palawan. They are now in Siquijor. They’re already functioning, maayos na. We even have to provide the fuel. In-advance pa ng gobyerno ‘yung fuel dahil hindi naman kami dapat ang gagastos niyan eh,” President Marcos said.

“Ang mahalaga rito, hindi mo pinaparusahan ‘yung tao. So kahit na kung sino ang nagkamali, hindi ‘yan ang priority natin. Ang priority natin eh makapag-deliver ng kuryente sa bawat bahay. And that’s what we did,” the President stressed.

The President said the review of SIPCOR’s compliance with the terms of the contract is underway.

“Nire-review na namin. Alam mo like any contract, kung non-compliant ka, that breaks the contract,” said President Marcos. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s laser focus on cutting poverty incidence to a single digit of 9 percent before the end of his term is bearing fruit.

Two surveys have shown that the number of Filipinos rating themselves as “hindi mahirap” has increased since President Marcos assumed office on June 30, 2022.

President Marcos has emphasized the improvement of food availability and affordability, education, and social welfare while addressing bottleneck issues including those that affect small-scale businesses, public utilities, transportation services, and safety in the streets.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Family Income and Expenditure Survey showed that in 2006, one in every five families or 21 percent had incomes below the poverty line. In 2015, 18.9 percent of families earned below the poverty level.

Family incomes improved under the Marcos administration as the PSA reported that in 2023, only one in every 10 Filipino families or 10.9 percent reported incomes below the poverty level.

Likewise, data from the independent firm Social Weather Stations (SWS) through its Self-Rated Poverty survey in April this year showed that the number of respondents who felt poor decreased, from 57 percent in 2024 to 50 percent this year.

While the 2025 figure may be higher than those recorded during the 2016-2023 period, SWS chairman emeritus Dr. Mahar Mangahas pointed out that respondents who identified themselves as “hindi mahirap” are at a new high of 42 percent.

In his June 14, 2025 column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mangahas called it “the most remarkable new development” in the survey.

He also underscored the significant decline in the number of respondents who identified themselves as borderline poor – from 39 percent recorded in 2021 the record-low 8 percent this year.

Meanwhile, data from the PSA showed a steady unemployment rate of 4 percent since 2023. The unemployment figure is lower than when President Marcos took office in June 2022. | PND

While no case has been reported in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) is closely monitoring the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant known as Nimbus or NB.1.8.1, which has reportedly been spreading in several parts of the world, including Asia.

In a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday, Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa confirmed that there are no reported cases of the variant in the country so far.

However, Teodoro said the DOH remains vigilant especially with the onset of the flu season.

“Wala naman tayong increase pa rin dito. We are monitoring our COVID cases kasi nga season natin ng influenza-like illnesses, and COVID is one of those influenza-like illnesses. Mino-monitor po ng ating Epidemiology Bureau itong cases na ito,” Herbosa said.

The Nimbus variant, identified as an Omicron sub-lineage, was first detected in Asia in January and has been associated with recent case surges in some Southeast Asian countries.

Despite its emergence, Herbosa assured the public that existing COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer protection against the new variant.

“It seems ‘yung vaccines na ibinigay before are still effective on them. So if you were vaccinated during the previous COVID pandemic, you are still protected,” Teodoro said.

When asked about reports of a distinct symptom described as a “razor blade throat” linked to the Nimbus variant, Herbosa stressed the importance of global cooperation in tracking and reporting new symptoms and developments about the new COVID variant.

“We will be monitoring that now that it’s reported. Iyan ‘yung importance na nagre-report ‘yung ibang countries what their variant is,” Teodoro said.

“So that means magsu-surveillance kami, we will select samples, at pagagawa namin sa RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) ‘yung genome sequencing para malaman namin kung ‘yung variant na ‘yan ay lumalabas na dito,” Teodor added.

The DOH continues to encourage the public to stay informed about health advisories and to practice standard health precautions at all times to prevent diseases. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departed for Osaka, Japan on Thursday to attend the World Expo 2025 where he is expected to promote the country’s rich cultural heritage by visiting the Philippine Pavilion.

The Philippine Pavilion is the country’s exhibit at the expo, which proudly showcases the nation’s vibrant culture, diverse traditions, and stunning natural landscapes. It is said to be one of the crowd favorites at the World Expo, which draws millions of international visitors and potential investors.

Also known as the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, the World Expo 2025 is located at Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka Bay. Organizers describe the expo as “a space where eight billion people from around the world will not only view exhibits but will co-create future society.”

Osaka had hosted the World Expo in 1970 and 1990.

“Ang pagpunta po ng Pangulo doon ay para po pasinayaan, puntahan, at ipagmalaki ang Pavillion ng Pilipinas sa nasabing World Expo sa Osaka 2025,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a Palace press briefing on Thursday.

“Nagtatampok po ito ng mga mayayaman nating kultura at ang magaganda nating landscapes,” Castro said.

The Pavilion is also designed to attract global interest in Philippine tourism, Castro added.

During the official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to the country last April, he invited President Marcos to visit the World Expo, which will run from April to October.

Aside from participating in the World Expo, Castro said the President’s itinerary will also include several business meetings.

In addition, President Marcos is scheduled to meet with members of the Filipino community while in Japan.

While the President is abroad, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, and Education Secretary Sonny Angara will serve as caretakers and oversee executive operations in his stead.

A lean official delegation accompanies the President during his trip, Castro said. | PND

Christian Karl Jarse, 30, of Batasan, Quezon City, felt relieved after learning that PhilHealth, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, is now offering new benefits for post-kidney transplant care.

PhilHealth now provides care for adult and child kidney transplant patients, including immunosuppressive medications, drug prophylaxis, drug level monitoring, laboratory tests, diagnostic tests, and living donor monitoring.

Jarse, who will undergo kidney transplant on July 10, said he cried after being told by a parent of a pediatric transplantation patient that the post-operation medication will be lifelong.

He has been undergoing dialysis for four years, and doctors have recommended his kidney replacement. He was grateful to have a very close friend willing to donate the organ.

Jarse said he was so happy to learn about PhilHealth’s new benefit package for post-kidney transplant care since this would be of great help to patients like him who need medication for life.

“Sobrang nakakagaan po ng loob. Malaking tulong po talaga sa amin ‘yun (benefit package),” Jarse said.

He relayed the difficulties of suffering from renal disorder, especially the very costly medical care that is not within reach of ordinary people.

To support his medical needs, he and his family have to endure long queues at the offices of lawmakers and government agencies for assistance.

“Sobrang nagpapasalamat po talaga ako kay President Marcos dahil ‘yun nga po sa pangalawang buhay ko mas gagaan na dahil nga po sa mga gamutan ko, libre na dahil sa project niya,” Jarse said. “Nakakagaan ng loob dahil nalaman ko po na libre na po at ito ‘yung project niya po para sa amin.”

President Marcos assured his continued support for renal disease patients as he led the launching of PhilHealth’s new benefits at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City.

PhilHealth developed a comprehensive benefits package for post-kidney transplantation for both adult and pediatric patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease.

With the additional benefits, PhilHealth aims to alleviate the financial burden on patients and their families, enhance long-term health outcomes, and promote equitable access to quality healthcare, aligning with the goals of Universal Health Care. | PND

For nine-year-old renal patient Kehn Zachary Aquino, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to assist him and other people with medical problems is more than just a glimmer of hope—it’s a lifeline to a brighter future.

A resident of Orani, Bataan, Aquino successfully underwent a kidney transplant last February 12. But behind his recovery is the quiet struggle of his parents who worked tirelessly and sacrificed deeply to cover the cost of his life-saving operation.

“Maraming salamat po sa inyo mahal na Pangulo sa libreng gamot at laboratory (tests), dahil po dito, mas makaka-focus po ang aking mga magulang sa ibang pangangailangan, lalo na ang edukasyon,” Aquino said in a handwritten letter addressed to the President.

“Maganda po ang aking mga laboratory results at umaasang lalaki na po akong malakas at malusog. Pangako ko pong maging isang chef sa hinaharap,” he added.

The burden didn’t end with the surgery. Ongoing expenses for postoperative medication and laboratory tests threatened to shatter Aquino’s dream of becoming a chef.

“Hindi po naging madali ang paghanap namin ng pera at donor pero sa awa ng Diyos ako po ay isa nang kidney transplant recipient,” Aquino wrote.

Just when hope seemed out of reach for Aquino and his family, fate intervened.

President Marcos launched free post-transplant services through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), a lifeline that came just in time for the young boy.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Aquino wrote a heartfelt letter to the President, thanking him for the support that gave him a renewed chance at life—and at chasing his dream.

The nine-year old kidney transplant patient personally handed his letter to President Marcos at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) on Thursday during the President’s visit. I PND