Marcos cutting gov’t red tape

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aims to eliminate bureaucratic red tape to speed up government services and projects and have a turbo-charged government in 2024.

In his New Year's Message on Monday, Marcos said he wants to get rid of government rules that make it hard for Filipinos to avail themselves of essential services.

He said the pesky rules make projects and services take longer than planned, which is unfair to the people.

"We will continue to purge government of rules that slow the delivery of public services because when projects get delayed, progress is denied our people," the President said.

"And this commitment to efficiency and service will extend to documents and licenses because service delayed is service denied," he said.

Marcos also vowed to continue providing quality service to the people, which is the key to uplifting the lives of everyone this year.

"Let us not forget that great things are always possible — so long as we keep faith in each other, our nation, and God. (A)s long as values that bind us keep us united in our collective pursuit of shared progress, we will succeed," he said.

Looking back at the big steps he took in 2023, the President said he is excited "to build better and more" this year.

He said the "hard-fought" wins in 2023 have prepared the Filipino people and the country for any problems that 2024 may bring.

In concrete terms, he said the government has built 33 more specialty centers, over 2,000 classrooms, and seven more cold chain facilities.

He said the government could make investing in renewable energy easier by giving out contracts for renewable energy with a total capacity of 121,000 megawatts.

He said the government completed eight water supply projects. Likewise, 147 more water projects will be started in 2024.

In addition, he said the government would continue to help all Filipinos through job-generation programs that serve as safety nets.

Marcos said these programs are ways the government can help bright and skilled Filipino workers reach their goals.

"This is the reason we continue to give support to our farmers, from seedlings to fertilizer to fuel, because their sweat alone should not be nurturing the crops they grow to feed the nation," Marcos said.