President Marcos vowed to implement educational reforms and feeding programs under the “Bagong Pilipinas” to prioritize the welfare of the youth, who he sees as the country’s future nation-builders.
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. delivers his speech during the kick off rally of Bagong Pilipinas on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024 at Quirino Grandstand, Manila. (PPA POOL / Noel Pabalate)
Marcos said this in a speech during the “Bagong Pilipinas” kickoff rally held on Sunday night, Jan. 28, at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
“Sa Bagong Pilipinas, una ang kabataan dahil prayoridad ang kanilang kinabukasan. Pangangalaga sa kalikasan ang pangunahin nilang pagkakaabalahan (Under the Bagong Pilipinas, the youth’s future will be the priority. They will be preoccupied with environmental protection),” he said.
“The reforms that we envision for our educational system should be showcased in our classrooms,” the Chief Executive added.
Under this national reform program that aims to deliver quality government services to Filipinos, Marcos said students would be provided with books, well-trained, highly-motivated, well paid teachers, and carefully curated teaching curriculum online.
The government will also implement a feeding program to address the hunger among young learners and ensure that they would be able to absorb the lessons being taught in classrooms.
“Through Bagong Pilipinas, we will meet our greatest obligation to our youth, to mold them into critical thinkers, problem solvers, and brave visionaries for their country,” the President said.
Meanwhile, Marcos also vowed agricultural programs for the country’s farmers and fisherfolk, especially amid the looming El Niño phenomenon.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na hindi malulunod ang mga pinagpaguran ng ating mga kababayan sa kanayunan (We will make sure that our fellowmen’s hard work in the provinces will not go to waste),” he said, while promising to expand irrigable lands and increase farm support for all crops.
“We are incentivizing urban gardening, including turning idle lands into vegetable plots. We will not tolerate smuggled food that impoverishes our domestic producers and puts our consumers at risk,” he said.
The kickoff rally signals the beginning of the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign, which refers to Marcos’ brand of governance and leadership that aims to bring the Philippines to progress.