It is worth repeating that TIME magazine cited President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as being among the world’s best and brightest and among the most influential, a fitting tribute to his dynamic leadership as Head of State.

Filipinos of this decade will be lucky to see and enjoy during their lifetime the truly magnificent sight of a country, an archipelago that comprises 7,641 islands, interconnected by work-of-art bridges spanning the seas, along the coastlines, kilometers long, spectacular and beautiful for travelers at day and most especially at night in colored lights.

More splendidly would it be for every Filipino to know that the Philippines shall become an economic power in this part of Asia after the completion, among others, of the following high-impact infrastructure flagship projects: Metro Manila Subway; Metro Manila Railway Transport (MRT 3); The New Manila International Airport; Laoag International Airport; Davao City International Airport Expansion Project; North-South Commuter Railway; Mindanao Railway Project; Davao City Bypass Construction Project; Central Luzon Link Expressway; Davao City River Bridge; San Ramon Newport Project; and General Santos Residential Project.

The bulk of the Build, Better, More (BBM) program consists of projects that promote physical connectivity involving infrastructure flagship projects with an indicative investment requirement of P7.053 trillion.

The term of President Marcos is for only six years, but it is too short for his accomplishments that would be unsurpassable by the next generation of leaders.

With food security foremost in his mind, after only one and a half years of his administration, he completed building 67,328.92 kilometers of farm-to-market roads, or 51 percent of the target 131,410.66, because President Marcos wanted to connect immediately the producers and the markets in the agricultural sector.

Marcos’ foreign trips generated $72 billion in investments, with $14 billion already actualized in investment pledges across 148 projects.

Huge investments internationally and domestically, plus tax revenues, will provide sufficient funding for the massive infrastructure demand to improve physical and digital connectivity throughout the country.

Infrastructure development through private-public partnerships is a flagship program of President Marcos that is strategically and scientifically defined as a major program of the government symbolic of the main thrust of the nation’s development policy.

Marcos, after two years in office, has stabilized the Philippine economy as it emerged from Covid-19.

“Bongbong has stood steadfast against Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea and bolstered his nation’s alliance with the US in the face of rising tension in the region and the world as he said last May,” read Marcos’s short profile as written by TIME correspondent Charlie Campbell.

The inclusion of President Marcos Jr. in TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People of 2024” is a remarkable recognition of his relentless drive to advance the interests of the country and secure a brighter future for all Filipinos.

Marcos’ efforts to attract foreign investments have bolstered the Philippine economy, driving jobs creation, stimulating growth and fostering prosperity among his people in the cities and the countryside.

His comprehensive economic plan has yielded gains in addressing unemployment and underemployment. His economic agenda has prioritized development and pursued inclusive growth across the country.

TIME’s recognition is an inspiration to Bongbong as he starts his third year in office this July.

The recognition accorded by TIME magazine to President Marcos Jr. in the category of leaders is a tribute to his amazing drive for infrastructure development by prioritizing the expansion and upgrading of roads, bridges, ports, and airports, to facilitate better transportation, stimulate commerce and attract investments. This development is expected to create jobs, reduce travel time, and improve the overall quality of life, particularly in rural and underdeveloped areas.