President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. made like Solomon when he attempted to defuse the tension stemming from the vitriolic attack of Vice President Sara Duterte after an aide was detained by the House following a hearing on her confidential and intelligence funds.

Marcos indicated to members of the House that starting an impeachment process against Duterte would be unproductive amid the problems confronting the nation.

The President’s busy schedule from 25 to 30 November included a one-day trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to strengthen ties and secure new deals for the benefit of Filipinos.

25 November

Rule of law must prevail

President Marcos vowed to uphold the rule of law following Vice President Sara Duterte’s threat against him, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Vice President said in a virtual press conference that she had instructed an assassin to kill the President, First Lady and House Speaker should she herself be killed.

Marcos said the political drama could have been avoided if the parties concerned had answered the lawmakers’ legitimate queries.

He said he hoped the recent events would end peacefully and bring everybody to the truth.

26 November

‘Shocking, selfish’ call to AFP

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in a statement lamented former President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to the military to overthrow the current leadership.

Bersamin said the administration will not shirk its duty to the Filipino people amid the political attacks against President Marcos.

He urged Duterte to respect the Constitution and “desist from being as irresponsible as he has become.”

PH credit outlook upgraded

The Department of Finance (DoF) said Standard & Poor’s (S&P) recent affirmation of the country’s BBB+ credit rating and outlook upgrade from stable to positive were powerful endorsements of the President’s leadership.

In its announcement, S&P said the upgrade was driven by the country’s above-average growth potential, effective policymaking, fiscal reforms, improved infrastructure and policy environment, and solid external position.

It expects the Philippines’ economic growth to remain strong in 2024 at 5.5 percent and to continue to grow at a rate of 6.2 percent a year over the next three years, supported by private consumption and improving external demand.

Stronger Phl, UAE ties

President Marcos and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan committed to deepen their cooperation in various areas, including the economy, trade, and sustainability.

In their meeting in Abu Dhabi, the two leaders emphasized their dedication to boosting bilateral ties and delivering lasting benefits to their people, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of friendship and collaboration between both nations.

The President expressed his gratitude to the UAE for pardoning 143 Filipinos during this year’s Eid al-Adha and for its humanitarian aid to victims of recent flooding in the Philippines.

Bilateral deals with UAE inked

Mr. Marcos forged several bilateral agreements with the UAE during his one-day working visit.

Upon his return from the UAE a day later, the President said he was looking forward to implementing several bilateral agreements in culture, energy transition, legal cooperation, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy, the improvement in government activities, a visa waiver for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, and investment cooperation.

The visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and UAE.

28 November

Food security pledge stays strong

The President remained steadfast in his commitment to enhance food security and make rice more affordable and accessible to all Filipinos.

This was the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) assurance to the public during a Malacañang press briefing.

There are efforts to bring down the retail price of rice, which is currently at around P50 per kilo, and the government is closely monitoring market trends to achieve this goal.

Funds properly allocated — NEDA

The NEDA, chaired by the President, confirmed that funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Government Service Insurance System, and Social Security System were adequately allocated to infrastructure and other long-term projects.

It said that all projects and funding had undergone rigorous review by economic managers, implementing agencies, and Congress.

Regarding the use of funds from these agencies, NEDA said the government adopts a long-term perspective on public spending. It reflects a balanced approach to addressing short- and long-term national development goals.

Funding assured for 2025 priority projects

President Marcos directed the economic managers to ensure funding for next year’s priority projects to achieve the medium-term goals of the administration.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan assured that the administration and Congress will remain in sync on the funding and implementation of key projects in the succeeding years.

Likewise, Balisacan, also the NEDA chief, clarified that there was no need to impose a new tax on the initiatives, though the DoF had identified some new measures.

29 November

Quezon farmers get land titles

President Marcos led the distribution of E-Titles and Certificates of Condonation with the Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) in Lucena City.

The initiative is part of the administration’s commitment to uplift the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) by easing their financial burdens and enabling them to focus on agricultural productivity.

The President expects Quezon farmers to boost their agricultural production, particularly of the province’s major crops such as coconut, banana, corn, pineapple and coffee.

Ignore political noise, military told

The President called on the Southern Luzon Command to avoid the distraction caused by the current political noise.

He told the soldiers to remain focused and keep their mission clear: to defend the people and the Republic.

The President also lauded the troops for their fight against the communist insurgency and their response to the recent calamities.

Additionally, he reminded them of the transition from internal to external defense because of the current geopolitical situation.

Shelve impeach VP Inday calls

The President said he did not support the calls to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte. This despite Duterte’s tirades against his administration.

On the sidelines of the distribution of e-titles and certificates of condonation in Quezon province, the President said an impeachment would not benefit the country.

Asked if their relationship had reached the point of no return, he replied, “Never say never.”

Support food, beverage makers

In his address during the inauguration of Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) flour milling plant in Sariaya, Quezon, President Marcos emphasized the administration’s relentless support for local manufacturers and producers in the food and beverage sector.

Marcos said the government acknowledges the critical roles that local manufacturers and producers play in advancing the country’s socio-economic growth, including boosting farm productivity, supporting micro, small and medium-size enterprises and ensuring food security.

The Chief Executive vowed to foster a supportive role for the private sector through policies and agreements that would benefit manufacturers and consumers equally.

FTA with SoKor promising

During the ceremonial turnover of the Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA) Greenhouse and Postharvest Facilities in Lucban, Quezon, Mr. Marcos lauded South Korea (SoKor) for its unwavering support for the Philippines and the recent ratification of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

The FTA, ratified on 14 November, will open new opportunities for Philippine tropical fruits like bananas and pineapples to enter the Korean market. This is expected to bolster trade between the two nations.

The President said the agreement is a milestone in strengthening the ties between South Korea and the Philippines and fostering mutual economic growth.

Seed facilities boost food output

The government is working on developing community- and university-based seed production facilities to enhance food production.

During the ceremonial turnover of the Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA) Greenhouses and Postharvest Facilities in Quezon on 29 November, President Marcos said the food production facility will sustain the needs of the country’s agricultural sector.

He said the Department of Agriculture will spearhead the creation of a food production facility in cooperation with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Commission on Higher Education, and state universities and colleges.

Solcom visit honors soldiers

President Marcos led on Friday the conferment of decorations on soldiers from the Southern Luzon Command (SolCom) for their accomplishments in the anti-insurgency campaign and disaster response.

The President received a briefing from the SolCom commander on the general situation in the command’s area of operation. He told the SolCom troops they were tasked with handling the territorial defense amid the changing geopolitical situation.

The President said Solcom must reduce the insurgency threat to the barest minimum for the command to fully focus on territorial defense.

30 November

Aid comes to Tondo fire victims

Mr. Marcos led the distribution of food, cash assistance, and medical services to about 2,100 families displaced by a recent fire in Tondo, Manila.

At a ceremony held at the Rosauro Almario Elementary School, Marcos emphasized the need to prioritize the health of the fire victims currently staying at the Del Pan evacuation center.

“Ang inaalala ko kasi dahil ang sikip-sikip doon sa Del Pan, inaalala ko ‘yung mga maliliit na bata baka magkasakit, kaya tiniyak natin na mayroon tayong medical team na manggagaling sa Department of Health na pupunta. Tuluy-tuloy po yan. Hindi na sila aalis (What I’m worried about is it is very crowded in Del Pan. I’m worried about the small children getting sick, so we made sure that we have a medical team from the Department of Health. That’s continuous. They won’t leave),” he said.