(Left) President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and (Center) Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte (Villafuerte’s Facebook page)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte said Filipinos should expect 2025 to be a “finer year” as a result of President Marcos’ pro-people reforms and initiatives that focus on expanding social protection, ensuring cheaper rice, and strengthening the economy.

Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party (NUP), said 2025 would show progress toward Marcos’ promise of improving the lives to all Filipinos, under the vision of a “prosperous and peaceful Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines)”.

In a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 7, the veteran solon highlighted the higher allocation and additional social protection programs for underprivileged and marginalized sectors to help them cope with the rising cost of living.

“The President has also carried out other initiatives and signed laws to further tune up the domestic economy and make it more conducive to investments from the private sector, which, in turn, will spell a lot more jobs and livelihood opportunities for our people this 2025 onwards,” he added.

Among Marcos’ initiatives, he said, was the anticipated cut-back on rice prices this year.

Villafuerte noted that the President earlier issued Executive Order (EO) No. 62 that slashed import tariffs on the staple from 35 to just 15 percent, as well as signing Republic Act (RA) No. 12078, which restored certain government powers to intervene in the market in times of emergencies.

“These initiatives are expected to ensure that cheaper imports lead in 2025 to a per-kilo price drop to below P40 for well-milled or quality rice from the  2024 range of P50 to P60 a kilo,” he said.

In support of this, the lawmaker pointed out that the House of Representatives launched the quinta-committee (quinta-comm) last year. The special House panel is tasked to investigate the unusually high rice prices and the alleged hoarding and profiteering by certain traders.

“Making the staple more affordable for Filipinos, which is an overriding goal of the President, is crucial to fighting inflation—and improving the economy—because a lion’s share of the income of most households goes to their expenses on food, especially rice,” he explained. 

On the business front, Villafuerte said the administration’s investment and business policies will help sustain the Philippine economy as one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.

Citing the latest Consumer Expectations Survey (BES) of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), he noted the improvement in Filipino consumer confidence, particularly in expectations of higher household income.

“Steadily improving consumer confidence is a good economic sign for the country as household or domestic consumption is our main growth engine, accounting for two-thirds of our economy,” he explained.

Villafuerte said the “bold and decisive reforms and initiatives” by Marcos have boosted investor confidence and kept the country on its post-pandemic upward trajectory “against all odds”.

“It is thus my wish that our country remains on its post-Covid high and sustainable growth path in the second half of the Marcos presidency as this alone will enable our people [to] reap the fruits of the President's vision of a Bagong Pilipinas where no Filipino will be left behind in the national quest for peace and prosperity,” the CamSur solon said.

“My second wish is for our people to support the programs and projects of the President that are aligned with his Bagong Pilipinas vision of better lives for all Filipinos,” he continued.