PBBM signs bills to boost Filipino products, support senior citizens

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed two significant bills into law on Tuesday to empower Filipino products and honor the country's senior citizens.

The Chief Executive ceremoniously signed the Tatak Pinoy Act (Republic Act No. 11981) and the amendment of the Centenarian Act (Republic Act No. 11982) in Malacañan.

During the formal signing of the laws, legislators from both Houses, led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, were present.

The Tatak Pinoy Act, which Marcos Jr. previously marked the legislative measure as urgent, aims to get more Filipino goods and services made and sold.

"The Tatak Pinoy Act is about investing in Filipino competence and talent— that genius and gift must be supported not by exhortation alone but by true, tangible support," Marcos Jr. said in his speech.

"It is about creating products and services of the highest quality because 'Tatak Pinoy' is also about excellence, and as a seal of great workmanship, it must only be applied to those that meet these high standards, and as such, we shall give preference and priority to our products," Marcos Jr. added.

On the other hand, Marcos Jr. signed the measure amending the Republic Act No. 11982 or the Centenarian Law to give P10,000 to Filipinos who reach the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95 years old.

The Centenarian Law only applied to Filipinos who reached 100 years old before Marcos signed the amendment of RA No. 11983. Recipients earn P100,000 once they reach 100 years old.

The President joked that the growing-older lawmakers in government might be to blame for the law amendment.

"We might be suspected of having passed this bill for ourselves in preparation for our dotage," said Marcos.

Marcos then emphasized the need for a comprehensive support system beyond financial aid, highlighting the growing elderly population and the societal responsibility to cater to their needs.

"The expansion of the coverage of the Centenarians Act is a homage to the Filipino trait of compassion, and in our culture, none are showered with more kind and loving care than our elderly," Marcos Jr. said in the same speech.

"We do, after all, stand on the shoulders of these giants. But they deserve more than cash in an envelope. What they should get is a support infrastructure that every society owes to its greying population," Marcos Jr. added.

Marcos delays signing of Magna Carta for Seafarers into law

Marcos Jr. appears to have retracted from a plan to codify the rights of Filipino sailors just before he was set to sign it into law on Monday.

The Magna Carta for Seafarers aims to uphold seafarers' rights to fair terms and conditions of employment, standardize their employment contracts, and create policies that guarantee them high-quality training.

Based on the publicity materials (pubmats) aired on state-run broadcaster Radio Television Malacañang on Monday, Marcos Jr. was supposed to sign the Magna Carta for Seafarers alongside RA No. 11981 and RA No. 11982.

However, the Chief Executive only signed the Tatak Pinoy Act and the amendment of the Centenarian Act.

Sought for clarification, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the bill is "under further review."