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PBBM: All quake-displaced families in Cebu now have shelter

17 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said that all families who lost their homes in the recent 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu now have temporary shelters, with the government beginning to replace tents with sturdier modular housing units for affected residents.

President Marcos returned to the province to assess and ensure the good condition of families and communities affected by the devastating earthquake that struck on September 30.

“I’m happy to report na mayroon ng – talaga lahat, everybody, lahat ng nasiraan ng bahay ay mayroon ng tinitirahan kahit na tent lang muna,” the President said at the Bogo Tent City in Barangay Cogon in Bogo City.

The President said modular shelter units are being installed to replace the tents, providing better accommodations for the evacuees.

“Kung makita ninyo, ‘yung dinaanan nating na Tent City, pinapalitan na natin ‘yung tent at nilalagay na natin ‘yung mas maganda, mas matibay na housing, ating tinatawag na modular shelter na ating bagong binibigay pagka magkakaganito,” the President added.

President Marcos said all evacuees are provided with water, food, and other basic services.

“Maayos, lahat ng tao na naging biktima ay mayroon na sinisilungan, mayroon silang kinakain, mayroon silang kinukuhanan ng tubig, mayroon silang ginagamit na toilet facilities na maayos. At lahat pa, kung ano pa ang pangangailangan, going forward ay nakapagbigay na rin,” the Chief Executive noted.

President Marcos said the visit aimed to ensure that assistance had been fully delivered to families displaced by the recent earthquake and to assess the progress of ongoing recovery efforts.

“Kaya kami nandito at maganda naman makita na malaki ang progreso,” the President said.

President Marcos assured that the government would continue to extend assistance for post-earthquake recovery.

“Basta’t may pangangailangan, nandyan ang pamahalaan. Kagaya ng nasabi ko noong last time ako nandito, hindi ito naman minsanan lang. Patuloy pa ito kung ano pa ang pangangailangan,” the Chief Executive said. | PND

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PBBM visits Bayanihan Village modular homes for earthquake evacuees

17 October 2025


President Marcos visited the first-ever Bayanihan Village in Cebu, where modular shelter units (MSUs) have been set up for families displaced by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on September 30.

In Barangay Poblacion, San Remigio municipality, President Marcos inspected the 45 modular houses deployed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), fulfilling the Administration’s commitment to provide safer and more dignified temporary housing for displaced families.

The Bayanihan Village was completed in just a week, through the concerted efforts of various government agencies led by the DHSUD.

The DHSUD worked closely with government agencies including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), as well as at least two private companies, to establish the Bayanihan Village in San Remigio.

Evacuees are presently accommodated in nearby tents in the area.

These families primarily come from areas classified as totally damaged and designated as no-build zones.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed financial assistance of PhP10,125 each to families with totally damaged homes, and PhP5,250.00 each to families with partially damaged homes.

In compliance with President Marcos’ directive, the DHSUD is providing at least 150 modular shelter units for earthquake-displaced families in the three hardest-hit areas in Cebu, namely Daanbantayan, San Remigio, and Bogo City. | PND

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PBBM revisits earthquake-hit areas in Cebu, follows through on gov’t relief efforts

17 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. returned to Cebu on Friday to assess the condition of families and communities affected by the devastating magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on September 30.

The follow-up visit builds on President Marcos’ October 2 visit, reaffirming his administration’s steadfast commitment to the welfare and recovery of the affected residents.

The President visited the Bayanihan Village in Barangay Poblacion, San Remigio municipality, where modular shelter units (MSUs) have been put up by the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) within a short time to provide more comfortable temporary homes for families displaced by the earthquake.

Then, President Marcos visited the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Barangay Taytayan, Bogo City, which was severely damaged by the earthquake.

The President checked on the ongoing repairs in the hospital by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The President proceeded to the Tent City put up in Bogo City, another area hardest hit by the massive earthquake.

The President ensured that the evacuees are provided with basic services including electricity, water, portable toilets, mobile bathing stations, and mobile kitchen.

President Marcos immediately mobilized key government agencies for a whole-of-government disaster response following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter located near Bogo City off the coast of Cebu Province.

During his visit on October 2, the President ordered the release of over PhP200 million in assistance from the Office of the President to local government units in Cebu that were devastated by the earthquake.

This includes PhP50 million to the Cebu provincial government: PhP20 million each to Bogo City, Sogod, and San Remigio, and PhP10 million each to the municipalities of Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Madridejos, Medellin, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan.

President Marcos also ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) to the Cebu provincial government and affected local government units. | PND

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President Marcos swears in former PNP chief Acorda as PAOCC undersecretary

16 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday led the swearing-in rites for former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, retired General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., who took his oath as undersecretary of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in Malacañan Palace.

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1991, Acorda served as the 29th PNP chief from April 2023 to April 2024.

Acorda held the position of PNP Director of Intelligence from August 2022 to April 2023, and Regional Director for the Police Regional Office X (Northern Mindanao) from November 2021 to August 2022.

A pioneer of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, Acorda held multiple key positions in the police force, including Deputy Regional Director for the National Capital Region Police Office, Director of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, Chief of Staff of the Civil Security Group, and Chief of the Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Division.

The PAOCC, established under Executive Order No. 295 series of 2000, is mandated to investigate and prosecute criminal syndicates and corrupt officials.

Its functions include conducting intelligence operations and developing anti-crime action plans.

Acorda replaced Gilbert Cruz who took office in January 2023. | PND

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President Marcos launches REFUEL food assistance for Walang Gutom Program members

16 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday launched the Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project, an initiative aimed at expanding the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom Program (WGP).

Marking World Food Day, President Marcos attended a “Kamustahan” event at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila, where he met with around 200 beneficiaries of WGP and witnessed firsthand the DSWD’s ongoing efforts to improve the food assistance program.

“Sa programang ito, magkasama po ang food assistance, ‘yung pagbigay po ng mura na pagkain; nutrition education, na nakakaunawa kung ano ang mga kailangan na kainin na iba’t ibang klaseng pagkain para maging malakas po ang ating katawan, matibay po ang ating kalusugan,” President Marcos said.

The REFUEL Project aims to expand WGP coverage to 750,000 food-poor households by 2026 – more than double its current coverage of 300,000 beneficiaries.

The WGP provides PhP3,000 monthly electronic food credits to each beneficiary through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which can be used at accredited partner retailers to purchase essential food items.

President Marcos also inspected the program’s automated system, which allows beneficiaries to track their balances, view past purchases, and plan future meals.

“Dati nagsimula ito mayroon pa tayong kaunting notebook…Ngayon, high-tech na po tayo ngayon. Diyan na lang po sa computer… Tuturuan po kayo namin kung papaano gawin. Napakasimple lang po,” the President said.

President Marcos highlighted the program’s success, citing a Social Weather Stations survey commissioned by Globe and Monde Nissin in March 2025, which showed a steady decline in hunger rates among WGP beneficiaries — from 48.7 percent in October 2024, to 44.6 percent in December 2024, and further down to 41.5 percent in March 2025.

With such promising results, President Marcos shared the government’s goal of enrolling up to one million beneficiaries in the program.

“Maganda naman ang naging resulta. Kaya patuloy natin ang ating pagbigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan na nangangailangan ng tulong,” the President said.

President Marcos also expressed his gratitude to the Asian Development Bank, the Agence Française de Développement and the OPEC Fund for their support in financing the REFUEL Project.

The WGP is a flagship initiative of the Marcos administration, combining food assistance, technology, and education to combat hunger in a sustainable and inclusive way. | PND

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PBBM confident of continued public support as admin vows to keep working hard

15 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed confidence on Wednesday that key sectors of society are supportive of his administration’s advocacies and programs.

President Marcos nevertheless said his administration would continue to “work very hard” on advancing the national development agenda and addressing the needs of the people.

“Politics is a very variable, very volatile exercise. And so, what I can say is that we are confident that the important sectors of society, the power centers of society and of the administration are very supportive still of the advocacies of the administration, the programs of the administration,” President Marcos told reporters in an interview in Malacañan Palace.

“And we will continue to work very hard to make sure that we are doing what the people want. And that’s the most important thing,” the President stressed.

Asked for comment on reported attempts to call on the military to withdraw support, President Marcos said the administration is “still very much on solid ground in terms of support from the different sectors of society.”

The President, however, acknowledged that the administration has to be “very careful to keep everyone as part of the administration and in support of the administration.”

“And so, we are constantly talking to everyone… we are very open in our discussions,” said the President.

“Whoever has any kind of grievance or have any kind of complaints, and who might be thinking of saying that this is not, we no longer agree with the administration, we always go to them and say, ‘What can we do to accommodate your advocacy?’ Or some of the things that they would like the national government to do. And so that’s what we are doing,” President Marcos explained. | PND

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Let the ICI do its job, follow the evidence — PBBM

15 October 2025


“I am confident because I know what we did or did not do.”

Thus declared President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who expressed confidence that investigations into irregularities in flood control and other infrastructure projects will reveal no wrongdoing on his part.

President Marcos emphasized that the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) must be allowed to conduct its investigation into anomalous infrastructure projects without interference.

“If we investigate, we investigate everybody. We’ll follow the evidence. And wherever that leads is not something that we try to direct or influence. That’s why we have the ICI,” the President said in an interview with Malacañang reporters in Malacañan Palace on Wednesday.

The President dismissed attempts to link him to the flood control corruption issue as politically motivated.

“I know that there are several — the opposition would love to bring me into this – to include me in all of this. But that’s politics. That is not to do about corruption. That is to do about politics,” the Chief Executive said.

“Gusto nila akong tanggalin. Sige, Kaya nila gagawin lahat ‘yung mga gagawin nila.”

President Marcos reiterated his confidence that the ICI, composed of individuals with unquestionable reputations, will handle the investigation fairly.

“Kaya nandiyan ang ICI para sila ang gagawa ng pag-aaral, ng paghabol ng ebidensya, pag-verify sa mga kuwento, sa mga sumbong, sa mga impormasyon na natatanggap nila,” the President said.

“On this, I am confident that whatever mud might be slung at the administration, that we will be able to show that these are politically motivated and do not actually have any validation in fact,” President Marcos emphasized. | PND

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PBBM: My administration is working hard to keep public trust

15 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said his administration continues to work hard to maintain public trust and support, and to focus on what matters most to Filipinos.

The President emphasized that public support must continually be earned through performance and responsiveness to citizens’ needs.

“Kung may reklamo, bukas naman kami. Sige magreklamo kayo sabihin ninyo sa amin. If it’s something that we have to attend to… Because we try to listen to everyone,” President Marcos told reporters in an interview in Malacañan Palace.

“And so, that’s the only way. That’s the only real way that we can keep the support of people in different sectors.”

President Marcos said he remains confident that key sectors of society continue to back his administration’s advocacies and programs.

“However, we work very hard to continue to earn that support from them,” said the President, acknowledging that political support is a “very variable, very volatile exercise.”

“And we will continue to work very hard to make sure that we are doing what people want—and that’s the most important thing,” the President stressed. | PND

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Bicameral meetings on nat’l budget bill will be livestreamed – PBBM

15 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday that the bicameral conference committee meeting for the 2026 national budget will be livestreamed to promote transparency.

President Marcos said he had an agreement with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Faustino Dy III to open the bicameral meetings for the 2026 General Appropriations Act to the public.

The President said this initiative would provide the Filipino public a clearer understanding of the budget process and the opportunity to monitor any questionable insertions or additions in the proposed budget.

“To further encourage transparency, I intend to livestream the bicam. So, that’s what I told them already,” President Marcos said in an interview following the oathtaking of the newly elected officers of media groups covering Malacañang.

“I have the agreement of the Senate President and the Speaker na ganoon ang gagawin natin. We will livestream the entire process so that if there are questionable, shall we say, insertions or additions or all that, it will also be clear who moved – who made those changes or who proposed those changes so that people will know,” the President added.

The Chief Executive also said that there will be no “small committee” involved in the budget deliberations.

“There is no more small committee. Iyong dating ginagawa that they have a bicam, then they suspend, and then there’s a small committee. Wala ng small committee,” said the President.

President Marcos noted that the version of the 2026 national budget passed by the House of Representatives remains consistent with the administration’s socio-economic development plan.

“From the last time that I saw the last version of the budget, wala naman akong nakita na humihiwalay doon sa plano ng national government kaya hindi siguro kailangan mag-veto,” the President said, adding that the budget bill still has to pass through the Senate and the bicameral conference. | PND

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President Marcos to make own SALN available to requesting authorities

15 October 2025


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) will be made available to any requesting body, such as the Office of the Ombudsman and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) that is investigating irregularities in flood control projects.

President Marcos said he was surprised that the policy allowing access to the SALNs of public officials was suspended under the previous administration.

“These old rules were suspended in the last administration where it was much easier to get a copy of the SALN and to examine it,” the President said following the oathtaking of the newly elected officers of media groups covering Malacañang.

“And I was quite surprised to find out when I first came into office that that was no longer the case. That it was almost impossible, in fact, to get a copy of people’s SALN. So we’re just going back to the old procedure,” President Marcos added.

Newly appointed Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has lifted the restrictions on public access to SALN, emphasizing that all government officials and employees should comply with and observe the reinstated policy.

The President said that his own SALN will be made available to the proper authorities when they request it.

“Again, my SALN… it will be available as available to whoever would like to – kung bigyan — hingin sa akin ng ICI, eh ‘di siyempre ibibigay ko. Kung hingiin sa akin ng Ombudsman, ibibigay namin,” President Marcos told the officers of the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC), Malacañang Cameramen Association (MCA), and Presidential Photojournalists Association (PPA).

The SALN is the disclosure of financial connections or business interests, as well as the identification of relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity.

Government officials and employees are mandated to submit their SALN on or before April 30 each year to promote transparency in the civil service and to establish a deterrent against government officials who are bent on enriching themselves through unlawful means. | PND