After more than a decade in storage, the Dalian trains purchased from China in 2014 have finally entered service, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday, marking a realization of the commitment to improve commuter services, especially for students and persons with disabilities.

President Marcos led the first batch of passengers on the inaugural trip of the newly Dalian-serviced train at the Santolan–Anapolis MRT station, expressing satisfaction over the long-overdue progress.

“Nakabili po tayo sa China ng Dalian train. Tawag Dalian dahil ginawa po sa lungsod ng Dalian doon sa China,” the President recalled. “‘Yun lamang, noong ininspeksyon, hindi daw kaya na paandarin at patakbuhin at gamitin itong mga tren na ito, itong mga karwahe na ito.”

The President was assisted by Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez, and several other transport officials.

The Dalian trains—named after the city in China where they were manufactured—were initially left unused due to technical compatibility issues with local rail systems.

For years, the train cars sat unused, drawing criticism and concerns over wasted government funds. However, President Marcos noted that under his administration, efforts were made to revisit the issue and put the train sets to use.

“Kaya ang ginawa natin ay binalikan natin itong mga ito at tiniyak natin na kung anuman ang kailangang gawin para magamit ang Dalian train na ito ay gawin na natin,” the President said. “Kaya itong tren na nakikita natin sa harap natin ito, naayos na ito, puwede nang gamitin.”

The restored unit, composed of three operational cars, is now ready for deployment. More train cars will undergo the same process in the coming months as part of a broader rehabilitation program.

“Sampung taon nakaparada ito eh, hindi nagamit. Ngunit ngayon ay nagagamit na natin at iyan ang ite-testing natin ngayong araw,” President Marcos added.

The President emphasized that bringing the Dalian trains into service not only utilizes previously idle assets but also improves the daily commute of Filipinos.

“Kaya nakakatuwa naman. Hindi naman nasayang ang ating pondo. Kaya maging maginhawa ang pagbiyahe ng ating mga kababayan, lalo na ang mga senior citizen, lalo na ang PWD, at saka ‘yung mga estudyante natin,” President Marcos said.

The initiative is part of the government’s broader agenda to modernize the country’s railway system and promote efficient, inclusive, and sustainable public transport. | PND

The Philippines is prepared for the outcome of the ongoing Malampaya drilling, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is committed to ensuring the country has a steady and reliable energy supply by utilizing a mix of gas, coal, renewable sources, and new technologies.

In a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin assured the public that the country is prepared in case drilling at the Malampaya gas field yields minimal results. The DOE, she said, is focused on energy resilience, drawing from multiple sources, including gas, coal, renewables, and emerging technologies.

“We will continue, and I think ayaw kong isipin na wala, but we plan to have a good energy mix. It’s not just purely gas,” Garin said.

Garin said that while the government remains optimistic about ongoing exploration at Camago, Malampaya East, and Bagong Pag-asa, backup options are in place, including gas importation through newly completed regasification terminals.

“If we want more gas, then we can also import. That doesn’t make us energy secure, pero at least that will ensure that we have” supply, Garin said.

“On this term of the President, there are two new regasification facilities that have been completed—so kaya nating mag-import na ngayon,” the energy secretary said.

Garin pointed out the country’s expanding renewable energy portfolio, which has become the prime spot for foreign direct investment.

“There is so much interest in the Philippines in renewable energy. As you know, already 85 percent of the foreign direct investment is in renewable energy,” Garin said.

With a flexible energy mix, the DOE is well-positioned to recalibrate its targets as needed, based on the results of ongoing drilling and global market trends.

“We need to recalibrate our targets if we find out this year that medyo kaunti siya,” Garin added.

The Marcos administration continues to prioritize long-term energy stability and sustainability by advancing key infrastructure, enabling policies, and welcoming international partners focused on clean and secure energy development. | PND

Ongoing deep-sea drilling operations near the Malampaya gas field are part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administration’s intensified efforts to boost the country’s energy security and ensure a stable power supply for the next decade.

In a Palace press briefing, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharin Garin said that the drillship Noble Viking began operations a few weeks ago and is currently working on three new wells: Camago, Malampaya East, and a third promising prospect named Bagong Pag-asa.

“Balik lang ako doon sa exploration natin. Nagdi-drill sila today. Within the year, we will know kung mayroon nga o wala, especially the two—Camago and Malampaya East. Ang isa we’re hoping, and I think we are quite optimistic about it—itong Bagong Pag-asa,” Garin said.

Garin recognized the importance of indigenous energy sources in insulating the country from global fluctuations in fuel prices.

“Kahit maggiyera man kung saan-saan na part ng mundo, safe tayo. Mapuproteksiyunan natin kasi atin iyon and the prices we can maintain and the supply we can maintain,” Garin said.

Garin said that relying on local sources like Malampaya—especially for electricity generation—would stabilize energy costs.

If viable, Garin said the new wells could begin contributing power by late 2026.

“By next year, late next year, we will have electricity from the new wells already,” Garin said.

The energy secretary recalled that the original Malampaya contract was awarded in 1989 and took more than 10 years to develop before operations began in 2001. Over the years, however, the number of energy exploration contracts declined significantly—from 158 under President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to just six under the previous administration.

“We should have done the Malampaya extension ten years ago,” Garin said.

Garin credited President Marcos Jr. for taking decisive action to extend the Malampaya Service Contract until 2037, helping secure the country’s energy future.

“He wants this to secure the future of our next generation,” Garin said. | PND

The groundbreaking of the new passenger terminal building at Caticlan Airport marks not only a significant leap for the country’s air transport infrastructure but also a major boost for the local economy and community development in Aklan, particularly in the municipality of Nabas.

Nabas, Aklan Mayor James V. Solanoy expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for personally leading the groundbreaking ceremony of the PTB and showing strong support for the project spearheaded by San Miguel Corporation.

Solanoy emphasized that the project will immediately generate local employment opportunities, especially as preferential hiring will be given to residents of Nabas.

“Marami pong Nabasnon ang makikinabang. Isa po ito sa mga konkreto at agarang benepisyo ng proyektong ito,” Solanoy said.

Beyond employment, Solanoy expressed hope that the President’s visit signals more comprehensive support for the municipality, encompassing infrastructure, education, and health services.

“Hinihiling po namin kay Mr. President na sana patuloy niyang tulungan ang aming bayan. Hindi lang po sa proyektong ito kundi sa iba pang aspeto ng kabuhayan at kinabukasan ng aming mga kababayan,” Solanoy said.

The PTB project, once completed, is expected to strengthen Aklan’s position as a tourism hub and a vital economic gateway in the Visayas, providing sustained growth and improved quality of life for its people.

“This is a historic moment for Nabas and the entire province. We are honored that the President is standing with us in this journey,” Solanoy said. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s swift yet effective decision-making has set in motion the resumption of mothballed major government projects that could ultimately benefit Filipinos, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon announced on Tuesday.

Dizon was referring to the construction of the new passenger terminal building (PTB) at Godofredo P. Ramos Airport in Caticlan, Aklan, and the drilling of the Malampaya gas field to check possible gas reserves off the coast of Palawan.

President Marcos led the groundbreaking ceremony of the PTB, after which he made a flyby at the Malampaya in Palawan.

The DOTr secretary said the Malampaya exploration and the Caticlan airport projects have been on the back burner for years and have not received much attention from previous administrations.

“Ang importante ngayon ay nagdesisyon ang Pangulo. Sinabi ng Pangulo ‘Tapusin na ‘yan para sa kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan’, sa electricity at ngayon dito sa Boracay-Caticlan,” Dizon said.

“I think it’s the President’s decisiveness, his boldness, and his quick actions to finally put things into motion, and ang Caticlan ay matatapos na sa 2027, ang bagong terminal,” Dizon said.

On Monday, President Marcos led the groundbreaking ceremony for the new PTB of the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport in Caticlan, Aklan, and visited the Malampaya gas field to inspect the drilling ship currently exploring possible gas reserves off Palawan.

The construction of the PhP2.5-billion PTB will be implemented by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) through its subsidiary Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp., in partnership with the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The new terminal is designed to handle up to seven million passengers annually and will replace the existing facility.

Once operational, the government expects to open up the Philippines to more global investors and international tourists by providing direct international access to key destinations beyond Manila.

As to the Malampaya drilling, Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said experts will determine within the year if there is a gas reserve, as well as the pressure, particularly in the Camago and Malampaya East wells.

“This provides energy also to the country and its indigenous. Kahit maggiyera man kung saan-saan na part ng mundo eh safe tayo. Mapuproteksiyunan natin kasi atin iyon, and the prices we can maintain and the supply we can maintain,” Garin said, referring to the importance of the Malampaya exploration.

Malampaya was awarded in 1989 and started operation in 2001. Operating for the past 23 years, the gas field initially supplied 40 percent of Luzon’s energy requirement.

It is now down to 20 percent as a result of a much-reduced reserve. | PND

The Philippines’ energy sector continues to draw strong interest from global investors, with potential investments reaching up to USD43 billion, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced Tuesday.

In a Palace press briefing, DOE Secretary Sharon Garin said several countries including Australia, Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates have expressed interest in investing in the Philippines’ upstream energy exploration sector.

“We have many possible investors. For example, we have a company from Australia, from Israel, from the US, UAE—so different companies, different countries,” Garin said.

Garin said that investor confidence is driven not just by resource potential, but also by the country’s current investment climate.

“I think nakita nila iyong magandang investment opportunity, not just the opportunity, pero iyong climate natin na it’s time for them to come in. So nakita nila na we have the right policies and leadership para mag-invest ng $43 billion,” the energy secretary said.

Asked about the prospects of joint oil and gas exploration with other countries, including China, Garin clarified that the DOE is open to foreign partners, but emphasized the importance of practicality and risk management.

“It’s not about who is exploring or where we are exploring. Mahirap kang mag-explore, mag-invest ka ng USD1 billion kung medyo disputed ang area. So, on the safe side, we focus on areas that are not contested,” Garin said.

On the issue of the Reed Bank and other areas in the West Philippine Sea, Garin confirmed that the government has made offers, but no investors have taken them up due to geopolitical uncertainties.

“We have offered those areas, but there are no takers. So, I don’t think the investors would risk it also. Mayroon nga tayong existing din na contract na nandoon na, on that line, but it hasn’t been explored yet because there are still uncertainties,” Garin said.

Garin said that while the Philippines remains open to joint ventures, it is prioritizing safe, stable, and uncontested areas to ensure the viability of energy projects and protect long-term investments. | PND

The government is optimistic that all new wells of the Malampaya gas field would yield fuel and could be tapped to generate electricity even beyond President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s term, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin said on Tuesday.

Garin said that awarding drilling contracts for the three wells showed that President Marcos wanted to secure the country’s energy sources well beyond his term.

“I think the President is not just concerned about your needs today or until 2028. I think he is concerned about the long-term needs of our country,” Garin said in a Malacañang press briefing.

If the drillings yield gas, the wells could supply electricity for 10 years.

“Ito, ten years pa ito, alam niya ten years pa ang epekto into, pero he wants this to secure the future of the next generation. That’s why he went there,” Garin added, referring to President Marcos’ aerial inspection of the Malampaya drilling off Palawan on Monday.

Garin said that two wells – Camago-3 and Malampaya East – are showing excellent prospects, while the government is also optimistic that the third, Bagong Pagasa, will become an additional source.

“And once we know na meron nga, siguro ang kailangan lang ay isang taon para i-connect ‘yan sa Malampaya (platform) natin, and then by late next year, we will have electricity from the new wells already,” the energy chief added.

During the aerial inspection on Monday, President Marcos flew over the platform where workers waved at his passing helicopter, and the drilling ship Noble Viking, which is now engaged in boring through at least three kilometers of seabed at Camago-3, Malampaya East, and Bagong Pagasa.

Garin commended the Marcos administration for awarding drilling contracts for the three sites, saying past administrations had issued fewer and fewer contracts for Malampaya over the years.

“Kung di ito ginawa ngayon, mauubusan tayo ng gas,” Garin explained.

Malampaya, the country’s first and only indigenous gas resource, currently supplies about 20 percent of Luzon’s electricity needs. It started commercial production in January 2002.

Meanwhile, Garin revealed that the Marcos administration plans to award eight more gas exploration contracts, including two of the first hydrogen contracts in the world and two of the first contracts for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. | PND

Following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to safeguard the country’s maritime zones, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) intensified the monitoring of Chinese vessels spotted around 69 nautical miles off Cabra Island, Occidental Mindoro, within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro said the latest sighting, which coincided with the ninth anniversary of the Philippines’ legal victory in the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, has heightened concern in the government.

“Sa ninth anniversary ng 2016 South China Sea Arbitral award, nababahala si Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro sa patuloy na hindi pagkilala ng China sa nasabing ruling at sa illegal, coercive at aggressive actions nito,” Castro said.

“Naniniwala si Secretary Lazaro na ang pagpapatatag ng kaayusang nakabatay sa mga alituntunin at ang pagsulong ng arbitral award ay nakasalalay sa diplomasya,” Castro added.

On Saturday, authorities spotted two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warships and a China Coast Guard vessel in Occidental Mindoro which clearly falls within the country’s EEZ.

On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its EEZ in the West Philippine Sea and rejected as without legal basis China’s claim over most of the South China Sea.

Castro also presented the position of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro that defending Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction is not an act of provocation but a sacred and fundamental duty of the state.

The Palace Press Officer also noted that National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has maintained that no threats or misinformation can undermine the final and legally binding nature of the arbitral ruling.

“Sa ilalim ng Marcos administration, kasama ang kapangyarihan ng international law, hindi aatras ang Pilipinas para sa laban sa soberanya sa West Philippine Sea,” Castro said. | PND

Malacañang said on Tuesday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. continues to enjoy strong public support, as indicated in recent survey results, with growing public recognition of the administration’s efforts and accomplishments.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro welcomed the recent rise in President Marcos’ trust rating, which was described as a reflection of his strong leadership and the public’s continued confidence in his administration.

Castro said the President’s trust rating grew by 10 percentage points despite political noise and attempts to discredit the administration.

“Kahit na sobrang panggigiba sa kanya ng mga obstructionists na ito na walang magawa kundi manira nang manira at hindi makita ang magagandang trabaho ng Pangulo, sa ating palagay ‘yung mga taong mga respondents dito na siyang naging parte ng survey na ito ay nakita nila kung ano ba ang ginagawa ng Pangulo at ng administrasyon,” Castro said.

Castro emphasized that the public clearly recognized the administration’s initiatives and programs aimed at improving the lives of Filipinos.

“Masaya na nakikita na po ng taumbayan ang ginagawa ng administrasyon,” she added.

Castro, however, emphasized that the administration will not be complacent and the survey numbers will not affect the President’s commitment to serve.

“Uulitin po natin ang numero po ay hindi po magiging factor para sa Pangulo na magpakampante dahil kahit ano pa pong numero ang lumabas sa survey, tuloy-tuloy lang po ang ating Pangulo at ang administrasyon na ito na magsilbi at magtrabaho,” she said.

A Social Weather Stations survey released Monday showed that the President’s trust rating went up from 38 percent in May to 48 percent in June.

The survey, conducted among 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide from June 25 to 29, showed that 48 percent expressed a great deal of trust in Marcos, 30 percent had little trust, and 21 percent were undecided.

This marks the second straight month of improvement in the President’s trust rating, from 36 percent in April to 38 percent in May.

To sustain the President’s good ratings, Acting Communications Secretary Dave Gomez had earlier committed to strengthening the administration’s communication strategies and promoting press freedom and digital transformation to build public trust further. | PND

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, the government will continue to assert the Philippines’ sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea through diplomatic and peaceful means, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

The Philippines joined the international community in marking the ninth anniversary of the landmark July 12, 2016, Arbitral Award on the South China Sea that upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea and declared China’s claim to historic rights to be without legal basis.

“Sang-ayon sa paninindigan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., patuloy na ipinaglalaban ng pamahalaan ang soberanya ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea sa pamamagitan ng diplomacy, capability-building, international partnerships, at mapayapang pamamaraan,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.

Malacañang rallied Filipinos to continue supporting the 2016 Arbitral Award, emphasizing its importance as a foundation for the Philippines’ maritime rights and sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.

Castro cited the Pulse Asia survey, conducted from June 26 to June 30, which showed that 73 percent of respondents want the government to continue asserting the country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Castro said the international commemoration of the ninth anniversary of the Arbitral Award affirmed the Philippines’ commitment to the rule of law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“Naninindigan ang Marcos administration na nanatiling legally binding at nagsisilbing cornerstone ng international maritime law ang arbitral ruling na siya ring nagsilbing gabay sa national policy, kabilang na ang Philippine Maritime Zones Act, at nagpapalakas sa legal at operational posture ng bansa,” Castro stressed. | PND