SONA TRANSPORT STRIKE TO PUSH THROUGH: MANIBELA

MANILA — Transport group Manibela said it would go ahead with a 3-day transport strike from Monday, which would coincide with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address.

Around 200,000 jeepney drivers nationwide will take part in the strike, including 40,000 to 45,000 drivers from Metro Manila, to protest guidelines under the government's public utility vehicle modernization program, Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena said.

MANILA — Transport group Manibela said it would go ahead with a 3-day transport strike from Monday, which would coincide with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address.

Around 200,000 jeepney drivers nationwide will take part in the strike, including 40,000 to 45,000 drivers from Metro Manila, to protest guidelines under the government's public utility vehicle modernization program, Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena said.

Some 50 drivers are expected to join a short program at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman in Quezon City before circling around Commonwealth Avenue and Elliptical Road to signal the start of the strike at 8 a.m.

Most PUV drivers were still picking up commuters in the area as of 7 a.m. Police officers meanwhile were deployed to ensure safety and manage traffic near UP Diliman.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. suspended government work and classes in public schools at all levels in Metro Manila on Monday, July 24, 2023, due to the the transport strike and the expected inclement weather.

PBBM REPORTS TO NATION TODAY

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) today —a progress report after a year in power in which he says the country made significant strides as he acknowledged that his governance has a long way to go.

“That’s what I want to explain to people — that we have made significant progress. We can see the difference now, not only in terms of how the systems work, how the government works. It is also how we are seen or judged in the international community. That’s equally important,” Mr. Marcos said on the eve of his address to Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

“We have done a lot of growth (and) we are beginning to see thesystemic changes that are going to be part of the new bureaucracy, but there is still a long way to go,” he added

Mr. Marcos, who swept to power with a landslide victory in the May 2022 elections, stressed that his administration is working hard to reinvigorate the economy, putting a premium on the agriculture sector which plays a vital role in the country’s development.

His first State of the Nation Address, which lasted an hour on July 25, 2022, started on time, flowed without departure from his script, and was free from the expletives that marked his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s SONA speeches.

But Mr. Marcos also presented himself as a leader who would continue at least some of the programs and policies of Duterte, who will be present in today’s SONA along with former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the VIP box of the Batasang Pambansa.

BEYOND THE FIRST YEAR: EXPECTATIONS FOR MARCOS’ SECOND SONA

MANILA — All eyes and ears are on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as he is set to deliver his second State of the Nation Address on Monday.

One year after Marcos took office, Filipinos have various expectations from the president for his upcoming SONA.

Depending on who is asked, these expectations range from assessing his accomplishments to outlining his plans and priorities for the nation.

Further support for Marcos’ priority bills

For Dennis Coronacion, head of the University of Santo Tomas Political Science Department, his expectations include Marcos requesting Congress for the second time to support his legislative agenda, including the priority bills he mentioned during his first SONA.

In his first year, Marcos signed six pieces of legislation and days before his second SONA, he enacted into law the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund.

ECONOMIC PLANS

Coronacion also anticipates that Marcos will provide further insights into his plans for the economy.

“We are still recovering from the bad effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and I expect him to come up with more ideas, more solutions especially when it comes to the economic problems brought about by the pandemic,” the political analyst said.

“Many are still struggling,” he added.

P20/KILO RICE

Coronacion also looks forward to hearing Marcos discuss his campaign promise of lowering the price of rice, a commitment that holds great significance for many Filipinos who have been anticipating its fulfillment.

“What are his plans about this? Will it remain an empty promise or will he be able to address it?” the political analyst asked.

FOOD SECURITY

In connection with the P20 per kilo rice promise, the political analyst anticipates that Marcos will talk more about food security, a concern that Coronacion identified as a weakness of the administration.

During the first months of the Marcos presidency, the Philippines faced several food shortages, including onion, garlic and sugar. Although there were measures taken to address this problem, Coronacion expects the president to provide more solutions to combat the country’s food security issues.

WEST PHILIPPINE SEA

The political analyst also expects that Marcos will address matters concerning foreign policy.

“Many are concerned that a war might break out in the South China Sea, particularly between China and the US. So what are our president’s plans about this? Where are we headed in terms of foreign policy?” Coronacion asked.

SUPPORT FOR FARMERS

In interviews with Philstar.com, ordinary Filipinos shared their expectations for Marcos' second SONA.

Marlon Cabrera, a corn farmer from Isabela, is hopeful that Marcos will extend increased support to farmers, as he emphasized the challenges of high agricultural input costs, coupled with minimal returns when taking their harvests to market.

Filipino farmers are facing more difficulties today, including those related to climate change, market access and innovation.

“Na-encounter naming mga farmer ngayon, maraming kumakain dun sa mga mais namin. Tapos 'yung mga damo, dati madali naming mapuksa. Ngayon, mahirap,” Cabrera shared, expressing his frustration that despite using insecticides and herbicides, the pests keep coming back, posing a persistent threat to their yields.

“So du’n sana magfocus – sa mga farmer talaga (So I hope the president will focus on the farmers),” said Cabrera, who hails from Ilagan city, the corn capital of the Philippines.

YOUTH

From the perspective of the youth, Far Eastern University student Steph Mangantulao has high hopes that Marcos will address progress on critical issues such as climate change, the red-tagging of activists and the pursuit of quality education, among other pressing concerns.

“Safe na balik-eskwela especially ngayon na nagfu-full face-to-face na ang mga schools, and transparency din for the Filipino people (I hope for a safe return to school, especially now that we have shifted to face-to-face learning and also transparency in government actions for the benefit of the Filipino people),” Mangantulao said.

CONGRESS TO APPROVE P5.768-B 2024 BUDGET BY OCT.—SPEAKER

Congress aims to approve the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024 before it goes on recess in October.

Speaker Martin Romualdez said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. plans tosubmit to the House of Representatives his budget proposal immediately after his second State of the Nation Address today (Monday).

The proposed national expenditure is Equivalent to 21.8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and is 9.5 percent higher than this year’s P5.268 trillion budget.

“Should that happen, surely we will pass the budget before our October break. We average five weeks of solid work on budget deliberations, consideration, review, and approval through the third reading. So we are confident with the processes and protocols and procedures that we have that we can finish the national 2024 budget. That is the most important piece of legislation,” he said.

The budget, Romualdez said, “aims to sustain the country’s economic growth, create more income and job opportunities for the people and improve their quality of life through the timely delivery of basic social services like education, health care, and infrastructure.”

DOTR LIFTS MASK, DISTANCING RULES IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT

MANILA — Anti-COVID masks and physical distancing are no longer mandatory in public utility vehicles, the Department of Transportation said on Monday.

The pronouncement came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ended the country's public health emergency declaration due to the pandemic.

"Sa Department of Transportation, pinapaalis na rin namin yung mga mask pagdating sa loob ng mga public utility vehicle, sa mga eroplano, train, sa buses, sa jeep. Wala na rin po yung tinatawag nating social distancing," Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

            "Sa mga trains po, ang isa sa mga directives dati ay bawal magsalita, bawal gumamit ng telepono. Pero ngayon po ay gagawin na nating normal operations. Kung ano po yung mga ating ginagawa pre-pandemic ay ibabalik na po natin ‘yan… Back to normal," he added.

PH 'BETTER THAN ON TRACK' TO MEET MEDIUM TERM FISCAL FRAMEWORK: DIOKNO

MANILA — The Philippines is "better than on track" to meet its medium-term fiscal framework (MTFF) goals, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Monday, a few hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address.

Under the MTFF, the government aims for economic growth of 6.5 percent to 8 percent annually from 2023 to 2028.

The Philippines' gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 7.6 percent in 2022, exceeding expectations.

"At this time, we compare ourselves to our medium-term fiscal framework, which we prepared 1 month after the President was elected. I can say we are on track, in fact better than on track," Diokno told ANC.

Diokno said the country's debt-to-GDP ratio stood at about 60 to 61 percent, which was "not bad" compared to other countries, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MTFF aims to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio to less than 60 percent by 2025.

"In our medium-term fiscal framework, our target debt-to-GDP ratio is around 62.3 percent and it was much lower than that, we're on track even in our debt-to-GDP ratio," he said.

The country's P14.1 trillion debt recorded in May is also "manageable", Diokno said.

He said the government is also pushing for additional and rationalized taxes for digital transactions, junk food and motor vehicles to increase revenue collection.

"If we get all these taxes including mining tax, we'd be able to collect P1 trillion," he said.

HOUSE TO PUSH 9 LEDAC MEASURES, P120-B KITTY FOR MILITARY PENSIONS

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to expeditiously approve the remaining nine of the 44 urgent measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

“We have walked the talk on helping the President legislate his priorities. We have delivered on our promise,” he said.

The nine remaining LEDAC bills are the Natural Gas Industry Enabling Law, Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System Bill, National Employment Action Plan, Department of Water Services and

Resources, amendments to the Electric Power Industry Act, Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, Budget Modernization, National Defense Act and Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension for Uniformed Personnel.

LEDAC’s priority bills now number 44, with the addition of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and the bill amending the Bank Secrecy Law, which are among the 20 measures the President wants approved before the end of the year.

Before the first regular session of the 19th Congress ended in June, the House approved 33 out of the 42 priority measures identified by LEDAC.

Meanwhile, Romualdez assured the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) that the P120 billion needed for the pension fund of soldiers, policemen, and other uniformed personnel will be resolved this year.

He directed the members of the committees on appropriation, and ways and means to find ways to raise P120 billion for the MUP pension fund.

The government needs P120 billion annually or P3.6 trillion for the next three decades, but the President wants the fund to be sustainable beyond 30 years.

DUTERTE TO SKIP MARCOS JR.'S SECOND SONA: GO

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa, his ally Sen. Bong Go said on Monday.

Despite his absence, Duterte will continue to monitor Marcos' SONA "as a former president", Go said.

"I'm sure, as former president, nag-mo-monitor naman po si dating pangulo, not only sa SONA but sa kalagayan ng ating bayan," he told reporters after the 19th Congress convened for its second regular session.

Go also said he continues to talk to Duterte "from time to time."

Last week, Duterte traveled to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with whom he had sought warmer ties during his administration from 2016 to 2022.

No details were disclosed on what Duterte and Xi discussed in the meeting held in Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, but Chinese officials said they hoped Duterte would "continue to play an important role in the friendly cooperation" between the Philippines and China.

THE REST

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MANILA SUBWAY MAY BE COMPLETED BEFORE MARCOS STEPS DOWN: DOTR

Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Monday the administration would try its best to make the country's first subway system at least partly operational by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration.

The government eyes full operation by 2029.

In an interview with ANC, Bautista said the tunnel from Valenzuela to Quirino Avenue could be completed by the end of the year.

"We're taking delivery of more tunnel boring machines which operate simultaneously so that we will be able to finish the project by 2028 or maybe 2029. But we will try our best to make it partly operational by 2028," Bautista said.

He said the 33-kilometer underground rail would use Japanese technology and conform to global standards.

The country's first subway will have 17 stations.

NEW BULACAN AIRPORT MAY BE PARTIALLY OPERATIONAL BY END OF MARCOS TERM: BAUTISTA

MANILA — The New Manila International Airport in Bulacan may be partly operational by the end of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a Cabinet official said on Monday.

The airport, being developed by San Miguel Corp, is currently undergoing land development which is about 70 to 75 percent complete, Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista told ANC.

"The Bulacan airport is ongoing land development... We're expecting it would be completed by the end of this year or first quarter of next year and after, that the group of Mr. Ramon Ang can start construction of runways and the passenger terminal buildings," Bautista said.

"I had a meeting with Mr. Ramon Ang, he said all the plans are on track, financing is available, their technical people are working on it... We are very optimistic that the Bulacan airport may be even partly before the end of the term of President Marcos," he added.

The new airport is expected to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

NEW WAVE OF PETROL HIKES EXPECTED ON JULY 25

Gasoline prices are expected to increase by more than P1 per liter in the latest wave of petroleum price hikes set for next week, July 25.

Gasoline prices will take the largest hike at P1.35 to P1.65 per liter.

Meanwhile, diesel will have a P0.25 to P.55 per liter increase, while kerosene will increase by P0.40 to P0.60 per liter.

TYPHOON EGAY RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES; MORE AREAS UNDER STORM SIGNALS

MANILA — Typhoon Egay rapidly intensified as it moved over the Philippine Sea on Monday morning, the state weather bureau said, as it raised storm warning signals over more areas in Luzon and Visayas.

Egay was last spotted 525 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and 185 kph gusts, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

The typhoon may enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which will bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas in the next three days, PAGASA warned.

Egay could further strengthen into a super typhoon on Tuesday or Wednesday. It may directly hit or come close to the Batanes-Babuyan area, PAGASA weather specialist Obet Badrina said.

"Posible po na yung track nitong bagyo ay pumunta pa or mag-southward pa, mas lumapit sa kalupaan," he said.

"Kaya po itong area nitong Cagayan Valley, partikular na yung probinsya ng Cagayan, gayundin sa Apayao at sa Ilocos Norte, kailangan po talagang mag-ingat at maghanda yung mga kababayan natin d’yan dahil bukas ng gabi hanggang afternoon o tanghali ng Miyerkoles pinakamararanasan yung impact nitong bagyong Egay."

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

'BARBENHEIMER' SWEEPS N.AMERICAN BOX OFFICES IN HISTORIC WEEKEND

LOS ANGELES, United States - Warner Bros.' "Barbie" conquered North American box offices in its debut weekend as it raked in a stunning $155 million, while the other half of the movie-going event of the summer, the dark biopic "Oppenheimer," also scored big with $80.5 million in revenue, industry estimates reported Sunday.

Legions of pink-clad moviegoers swarmed theaters to give "Barbie" the biggest opening weekend of any film this year -- and the biggest ever for a female director -- said industry monitor Exhibitor Relations.

The much-anticipated "Barbenheimer" cinematic weekend, during which "Barbie" and Universal's "Oppenheimer" were both released, spurred hundreds of thousands of people to take in both flicks, organizing their own double features.

The coincidental same-day release of the two starkly different but highly anticipated films -- one following an iconic doll ready to paint the world pink and the other about the scientist who helped invent the atomic bomb -- created a bottom-up pop-culture phenomenon that transcended the individual marketing for either.

Together, they also provided a shot in the arm for theaters hit hard by the pandemic as well as the rise of streaming services.

"The subtext of the joke of 'Barbenheimer' is that these couldn't be two more different movies," David A. Gross, of Franchise Entertainment Research, told AFP.

At the same time, he added, "The movie industry has a very healthy record of accommodating two big pictures. Moviegoers go when there are hot movies."

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence. - Henri Frederic Amiel