President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he looked forward to bolstering diplomatic relations with Mongolia, as he received Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh at Malacañan Palace on Monday.

“I hope that your visit will spark more interactions between our two countries,” President Marcos told the Mongolian Foreign Minister.

Battsetseg’s visit marks the first official visit by a Mongolian Foreign Minister to the Philippines in 41 years. The last visit was made by then Foreign Minister TS Gombosuren in 1984, during the administration of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.

The Philippines and Mongolia established diplomatic relations on October 11, 1973. This year marks the 52nd anniversary of those ties.

Around 500 Filipinos are currently residing in Mongolia, working as teachers, representatives in international organizations, and members of the clergy. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the administration had to first crack down on corrupt rice importers and smuggling syndicates before implementing the P20-per-kilo rice program, which was not yet feasible during the early years of his term.

During the BBM Podcast, which aired on Monday, President Marcos responded to the question of why the P20-per-kilo rice was only implemented halfway through his term.

“Noong 2022, 2023, hindi pa namin kayang gawin,“ admitted the President, who said a significant factor in keeping rice prices high is the rampant importation and smuggling.

“Ang katotohanan, ang nakita namin ang pang-control doon sa presyo ng bigas ay ang smuggled na bigas. Kaya nagho-hoard,” said the President, citing the raids in various warehouses that revealed hoarded rice.

The Chief Executive admitted that rice importation has become excessive due to connivance by public officials.

“Dahil ang nag-i-i-smuggle mga opisyal din ng gobyerno. Kumikita sila. O ‘di bakit nila papalitan? Sige, pasok lang sila nang pasok,” the President said.

“Hindi nila iniintindi ang production. Hindi nila iniintindi ‘yung sistema. Hindi nila iniintindi ang presyo ng palay, ang presyo ng bigas, ang kikitain ng magsasaka. Wala, walang ganoon,” President Marcos continued.

Aside from addressing rice smuggling and hoarding, the President said his government also had to undertake bureaucratic and legislative reforms and boost rice production infrastructure and support.

“So ngayon lang namin nabuo lahat,” he said.

Last week, low-income residents began to have access to the PhP20 per kilo of rice in Kadiwa Metro Manila and Calabarzon centers. | PND

Usually described as a kind person or “mabait,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he prefers to be a respected leader but is also ready to be fierce or “mabagsik.”

In the maiden episode of the BBM Podcast on Monday, the President responded to a question that he is “too kind” by saying, “Anong gagawin ko? Maging masamang tao? Siguro dapat nga talaga maging mas mabagsik talaga.”

“I want to be respected, but maybe fear is better,” President Marcos.

The President expressed frustration at the delay in major national projects and widespread illegal activities and corruption.

President Marcos suggested he needed to be stricter to push through bureaucratic delays on long-term projects.

“Maraming nagsasabi sa akin niyan. Eh anong gagawin ko? Maging masamang tao? Hindi ko na mababago ‘yung ugali ko,” the Chief Executive said.

“Pero alam mo siguro, dapat nga talaga maging mas mabagsik talaga dahil wala eh, eh kailangan talagang maging mas efficient ang ano, mas mabilis ang pagdating,” President Marcos acknowledged.

“Kasama na siguro ‘yan sa leksyon namin dito sa naging eleksyon nung nakaraan,” President added.

The President said he has fired several appointed officials based on validated reports of corruption without announcing their dismissal.

“Marami na. Marami na talagang- Pero hindi na namin pinag-uusapan kasi gulo na naman eh. Basta umalis ka na, kung hindi kakasuhan ka namin. Ikukulong kita. Umalis ka na lang,” said the President. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has called for increased police visibility to deter crime and implement a unified emergency hotline for faster crisis response.

During the maiden episode of the BBM Podcast on Monday, the President tasked the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to ensure the police are closer to the people.

“So ang una naming ginawa, inutusan ko silang – ng DILG at saka Chief PNP – sinabi ko sa kanila, dapat laging may nakikita na pulis na naglalakad. Kasi pagtagal ng panahon, nakikilala mo na ‘yun,” President Marcos said.

“O, ‘di – maging kaibigan ‘yung pulis para ‘pag nakita, safe kami rito. Nandiyan si Sergeant ganito, ganyan. Kailangan ang pakiramdam ng tao, laging may pulis dito,” he added.

The President said he wanted the police to respond more quickly, noting the police officers must be at the scene in less than five minutes.

The President noted that several current emergency numbers could add to confusion, so the government would implement a single crisis hotline for emergency hotlines during the crisis.

“Di ba mayroon tayong iba-iba eh – 119, 911, 999, kung ano-ano. Gagawin naming isa,” the President said. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the recent May 2025 election results show that Filipinos are “tired of politics” and want more actions from their leaders, acknowledging public disappointment over slow government services in addressing immediate, day-to-day needs.

“Ito talagang narealize ko na hindi natin nabigyan nang sapat na attention ‘yung mas maliit na bagay para maging mas maginhawa ang pang araw-araw ng buhay ng tao. Yung mga ganyang klase, para naman mas maginhawa ang buhay ng tao,” the President noted.

In the first episode of BBM Podcast, President Marcos shared his reflections on the recent election results, underscoring the need to shift away from politics and a focus on governance that directly benefits the public.

The President reiterated his resolve to break free from the “business as usual” mentality from the moment he took office.

President Marcos also emphasized the growing frustration among Filipinos with the cycle of politics. He observed that the electorate’s message is clear that they are “sick and tired” of political maneuvering and call for a government that prioritizes effective leadership and action over politics.

“Para sa akin, I have two conclusions dito sa eleksyon. Una, nagsawa na ang Pilipino sa pulitika. Sawang-sawa na sa pulitika. Ang mensahe, sa amin lahat – hindi lamang sa akin, kung hindi sa aming lahat – tama na ‘yung pamumulitika ninyo at kami naman ang asikasuhin ninyo,” President Marcos stated.

“Tama na ‘yung pulitika. Magtrabaho – gawin na natin lahat ng kailangang gawin,” the President added.

President Marcos also acknowledged the public’s dissatisfaction with the pace and tangible impact of government services.

The Chief Executive recognized that many Filipinos feel disconnected from government projects and have yet to see the real benefits of these initiatives in their everyday lives.

“Disappointed ang tao sa serbisyo ng gobyerno. Hindi nila nararamdaman at masyadong mabagal ang galaw nang pagbubuo ng mga project na hindi pa nila maramdaman,” the President noted.

President Marcos assured the public that, “Asahan nila na tayo naman, kahit nasa matatas na posisyon, asahan nila, lagi kaming nakikinig. Lagi kaming nakikinig sa kanilang hinaing, sa kanilang nagiging problema. At hahanapan natin ng long-term solutions. At ngayon, talagang mamadaliin na namin yung immediate solutions na pwedeng gawin, gawain na kaagad. At yun ang mararamdaman ng taong bayan.”

The first episode of the BBM Podcast offers listeners a deeper understanding of President Marcos’ perspective on the current political climate and his vision for a future driven by real action, effective governance, and lasting progress for the Filipino people. | PND

Following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure affordable rice for Filipinos, the government has announced that one million sacks of milled rice are readily available for distribution through the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program.

“Ang total natin, we have one million sacks available na milled rice na iyon, merely milled rice,” Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel announced in a briefing in Malacañang on Monday.

Tiu Laurel said shipments from Mindoro have already reached Cebu, while Bohol is scheduled to receive its supply this week.

According to Tiu Laurel, there are already 37 participating local government units (LGUs) in Cebu alone. They sold nearly 12,000 sacks this week. Tiu Laurel said 34 Kadiwa stores have already begun operations, noting that people are happy with the program.

The DA said they will address the queuing process during distribution to improve the experience further. This includes adding chairs, electric fans, and tents for shade.

“Alam ninyo naman mainit ngayon kaya ia-address natin iyan para maging mas maganda iyong experience ng ating mga mamimili,” Laurel said.

The DA is also preparing to launch Phase 2 of the Kadiwa program this July, focusing on high-poverty areas in Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan, Maguindanao Del Norte, Maguindanao Del Sur, Cotabato City, Tawi-Tawi, Davao Oriental, and Sorsogon.

By next month, the number of Kadiwa outlets will increase to 55.

Laurel also clarified that the rice sold is part of the National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stock acquired through the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

He said the government has not yet spent additional funds for the program besides logistics costs.

“Sa ngayon ang stocks natin ngayon ng palay is noong nagsasabi ako 300,000 tons na, ngayon nasa 400 plus thousand na,” Laurel said.

“So, lahat iyan is iyong NFA na bigas na binili galing sa GAA namin… Iyan pa rin iyong bigas na binibenta natin so technically except for the logistics of it wala pang nilalabas na dagdag pera ang gobyerno natin while selling this rice,” he added.

The DA aims to serve 15 million families or about 60 million Filipinos by 2028. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration vowed to intensify its efforts to support local farmers by ensuring fair prices for their rice harvests and addressing concerns over trader exploitation.

In a Malacañang press briefing on Monday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. addressed concerns that some traders exploit local farmers by buying palay at unreasonably low prices.

He said the Department of Agriculture has identified 32 areas where such practices occur in Luzon and has begun investigating the traders involved.

“We have a list of areas where traders buy rice at very low prices, as low as P13, P14, and P15 per kilo. We are investigating these traders and will send our mobile marketing and procurement teams to these areas during the next harvest season to ensure that farmers are paid fair prices,” Tiu Laurel said.

In response to these issues, the DA is exploring implementing a “floor price” for palay to protect farmers from being underpaid.

“The goal of the floor price is to ensure that farmers are not at risk of losing money. If they are not losing money, they can break even and be encouraged to plant again,” Tiu Laurel explained.

Tiu Laurel also said the DA is investigating reports that some individuals are attempting to exploit the Kadiwa program by falsely claiming to represent senior citizens or other vulnerable groups.

He said that appropriate actions are being taken to improve the integrity of the Kadiwa rice distribution program and ensure the staple reaches the vulnerable sectors as intended.

“We are listing down iyong mga ganoong nagki-claim and we will be counterchecking siguro sa kanilang tahanan at bisitahin sila para makita lang talaga,” Laurel said.

“We really need to dispose and move out our stocks… Maganda ang quality ng bigas para tuluy-tuloy na at least makinabang din ang iba,” he added. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday his “dream” is to fully digitalize all government services—especially in the health sector—to ensure faster and more efficient delivery.

“Talaga ang dream ko na lahat ng serbisyo ng gobyerno hangga’t maari, pati payment ng gobyerno … gagawin natin by computer para hindi na mahirapan ang tao. Hindi na kailangan bumiyahi ng kalayo-layo,” President Marcos said during the first episode of the BBM Podcast.

The Chief Executive particularly cited the case of state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), where he saw around 200 patients lined up to have the agency’s documents processed in a hospital, which took around two hours to finish.

“Digitalization lang ang sagot diyan,“ the Chief Executive said, citing the PhilHealth membership is being expanded.

The President said he was saddened by a survey result about PhilHealth, which showed respondents hoped the government would prioritize addressing the country’s top 10 diseases.

“Alam mo kung bakit ako nalungkot?” the President asked. “Ginagawa na namin—hindi lang alam ng tao. Kagaya ng sinabi mo.”

The President said the government also created “e-gov apps” and expanded internet coverage nationwide.

When asked about other agencies that fund health services, the President said agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office should also go digital. Hence, patients or their families no longer need to leave their homes to receive assistance.

President Marcos said the administration has already started digitalizing PhilHealth’s records; however, many people are still unaware that this has already been done by the government. The President had earlier expressed full support for PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dr. Edwin Mercado’s plan to go digital.

President Marcos also noted that by making the processes easier and faster, the government would be able to help lower or even fully cover the costs of the public’s health and hospital services, which is now nearing this goal.

“Malapit na tayo doon,” the President said. “Pinaparami na talaga yung binibigyan ng benepisyo. Hindi na pwedeng kinakamay. Kailangan talaga nasa computer na.”

President Marcos also said the government has expanded PhilHealth’s health coverage.

Another service the administration has started is the Bagong Urgent Care Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers, a 24-hour health center that addresses the ambulatory medical and surgical care needs of Filipinos.

“Para hindi na kailangan pumunta sa malalaking hospital,” the President also said. | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government is pursuing both primary and small-scale drug dealers while strictly upholding due process and carrying out the anti-drug campaign without resorting to killings.

In the maiden episode of the BBM Podcast on Monday, President Marcos assured the public of the government’s renewed focus on addressing the country’s illegal drug problem.

“So ngayon, in the same vein, part of the lesson of this election, let’s go back to ‘yung sa grassroots level. Kung inaalala ng tao, sinasabi, nagbabalikan (ang drugs) dito, sige, tuloy natin ‘yung malalaking drug bust,” President Marcos said during the podcast’s first episode.

“Tuloy natin… ikukulong natin ‘yung mga sangkot diyan sa drugs. Pero tingnan na muna natin ‘yung mas small offender,” the President said.

President Marcos said the renewed anti-narcotics efforts is part of the campaign, in which policemen conduct daily street patrols.

He noted that while anti-drug agencies focus on small drug dealers, due process is observed.

“Kasi talaga, iniwasan ko, ‘yung basta may suspect siya o may hinala o may sumbong, basta kung huli, papatayin na lang, di ba? Ah, wala. ‘Yun, doon kami lumayo,” the President pointed out.

The President also acknowledged the difficulty of neutralizing drug syndicates in the country, considering the large amount of grease money involved.

“Ang sindikato kasama na diyan ‘yung police, kasama na diyan ‘yung local government. Laking pera eh,” he pointed out.

“Ang dami nilang pera. Kaya kahit sa ‘yung mga judge, kaya nilang bilhin lahat. Para sa prosecutor, kaya nilang bilhin lahat. Walang panama ‘yung sweldo nila sa gobyerno dun sa binibigay ng mga sindikato. Kaya ‘yun ang binubuwag namin.” | PND

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday that underperforming and corrupt officials may face removal or charges, as the administration conducts a thorough performance review of cabinet members and government agencies to address inefficiencies and improve public service delivery.

In the first episode of “BBM Podcast,” President Marcos emphasized that the review aims to assess whether government targets are being met, and identify issues hindering public service delivery.

“Maganda naman ang takbo, pero performance review. Ito yung target natin, ba’t ’di natin naabot? O ito, nakuha natin. Ito, overpriced na naman. All of these things—performance review,” President Marcos said.

The President added that the review seeks to answer key questions: “Bakit mabagal ang baba ng serbisyo? Ano yung iba? Anong gagawin natin para pabilisin? ‘Yun ang importante.”

When asked whether any Cabinet officials would be dismissed soon—amid a public clamor for accountability—Marcos acknowledged that it could happen, depending on the evaluation outcome.

“Baka mangyari ’yan. Dito nga sa ginagawa naming performance review, ’yun ang warning ko sa kanila. Kung talagang may nagkukulang o corrupt, eh kung talagang masyadong mabigat ‘yung kanilang kasalanan, eh kakasuhan namin,” he said.

The President’s remarks came in response to questions about whether officials are being given a “graceful exit” through resignations often attributed to health reasons, which some believe fails to deter misconduct or poor performance.

President Marcos instructed government officials, “Don’t explain it to us anymore. Just do it. Tama na yung mga magagandang paliwanag with the good statistics at yung drawing. Basta gawin na lang ninyo.”

As the performance review continued, Marcos assured the public that the government was serious about accountability and improving efficiency across all agencies. | PND