(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said he agrees with the “incomplete” grade given him and his Cabinet by economic experts as he wraps up his first year in office.
“I saw a report earlier this morning where one of the economists said the grade that I will give for the President is incomplete. I agree with him. We are not done,” the President said at the sidelines of the launch of the Kanegosyo Center of Cebuana Lhuillier in Parañaque City.
“There are many, many things that we still need to do. We have to undo 30, 35, almost 40 years of neglect when it comes to the agricultural sector,” he said.
“We have done a lot of growth, [and] we are beginning to see the systemic changes that are going to be part of the new bureaucracy, but there is still a long way to go,” Marcos said.
He also said his campaign promises are still “a work in progress.” The President said that under his watch, the government will continue to improve the economy and address the “biggest problem” that is inflation.
He said that while his administration has achieved significant changes in its first year, more needs to be done before his term ends in 2028.
“So, it’s never enough. Whatever it is that we have managed to do, there is still a great deal more to do. We have to work smart, and we have to work well, and we have to be very conscious,” he said.
He said he plans to gradually introduce structural changes in the Department of Agriculture (DA) before stepping down as its secretary. “The problem [is] during the beginning of this year there had been some sort of crisis: food supply, food prices, fertilizer prices, etcetera,” Marcos said.
He said the goal for the DA is first, guarantee an adequate food supply; second, that the prices are affordable; and third, that the farmers “make a good living.” As far as House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is concerned, Marcos did well in his first year as president.
Marcos, who is his cousin, “has a genuine concern, compassion and empathy for the poor,” he said.
“The economy grew by 7.6 percent and 7.2 percent in the third and fourth quarters of 2022, and 6.4 percent in the first quarter of this year. Those growth periods were the first nine months of the Marcos administration. I sincerely hope we can sustain it,” Romualdez said.
During his trips abroad, the President promoted the country as an investment destination, he said.
Marcos “has cultivated our ties with our old, reliable ally and partner, the US, and renewed bilateral discussions with China to uphold our interests in the West Philippine Sea and our exclusive economic zone,” Romualdez said.
Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo gave Marcos an outstanding mark in his first year as president.
Marcos “has delivered on his promise of uniting the Filipino people. The President has worked to mend the divide caused by the past election, which is an outstanding feat by itself, considering it was very divisive,” Salo said.
The congressman also credited the President for bringing down the unemployment rate to 4.5 percent in April 2023 from 5.2 percent in July 2022.
“I also commend the President for his efforts to ensure that our seafarers will continue to get the best opportunities in the maritime industry,” Salo said.
“With still five years remaining on his term, it is admirable that the President recognizes that more work needs to be done and many issues are yet to be addressed in order for his administration to fully realize his promises to the people,” he said.
“Through the President’s strong and decisive political will, Congress has followed his lead to craft relevant and responsive policies that will enable the government in delivering the services and programs needed by the public. As a lawmaker, I pledge to continually support the President and his programs so we can achieve an inclusive progress for all Filipinos,” Salo said.
