House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Speaker’s office)

A call for Filipinos to unite.

This, in a nutshell, was the message that the Marcos administration wanted to impart through its Bagong Pilipinas campaign, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Sunday, Jan. 28. 

"The Bagong Pilipinas campaign is a call for unity, a rallying cry for every Filipino to come together, transcending differences and working hand in hand for a brighter and more prosperous tomorrow," Romualdez said. 

"Unity has always been the bedrock of any successful endeavor, and in the pursuit of a better future for our country, it becomes even more crucial," noted the House leader. 

It can be recalled that "unity" was Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s famous battlecry when he ran for president in May 2022. He won the Palace race via historic majority vote. 

Romualdez said President Marcos has underscored the significance of individual resolutions in contributing to the broader goals of the "Bagong Pilipinas" campaign. 

"Let us stand united in the pursuit of a Bagong Pilipinas — a Philippines that we can proudly turn over to the generations that will follow," the Speaker said. 

For his part, administration lawmaker Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda says Bagong Pilipinas "is more than a slogan". 

"It is a program of government reflecting the Marcos administration’s modernizing direction. This is reflected in the kind of policies he has prioritized," the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means said in a separate statement Sunday. 

"We need this modernizing spirit as we confront pressing challenges, foremost of which is a global food price crisis. This will require the very best efforts from this administration to— from a modernized and climate-resilient domestic agriculture sector, to new diplomatic arrangements with our food trade partners," Salceda said. 

"I am confident that President Marcos has what it takes to act both as a bridge between this country’s past and its future, and as a bulwark against global challenges affecting our  people," he further said. 

The Bagong Pilipinas kickoff rally was held Sunday at Quirino Grandstand in Manila.