Bagong Pilipinas: Driving transformation with renewed hope, stability and resilience

MALACAÑANG has officially signed Memorandum Circular (MC) 24 on July 3, 2023, declaring the launch of the Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) campaign as the current administration's brand of governance and leadership. The memorandum circular states that Bagong Pilipinas serves as an all-embracing theme of Marcos' administration that calls for "deep and fundamental transformations" across all facets of society and government while also fostering its commitment to attaining full economic recovery and comprehensive policy reforms. It further adds that Bagong Pilipinas is marked by a "principled, accountable and dependable government," strengthened by the unity of society and institutions, sharing the same goals and reflecting the aspirations of every Filipino.Under MC 24, all national government agencies and instrumentalities — including government-owned and controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges — must incorporate and adopt the Bagong Pilipinas logo, principles, strategies and objectives into their programs, activities, projects and official documents.While President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. emphasized during the kickoff rally at Quirino Grandstand in Manila on January 28 that Bagong PIlipinas was not a slogan that was simply spoken nor a bumper sticker that was attached everywhere or embroidered on clothes, he says its purpose is to lay down ambitious yet achievable goals to propel the country toward its targeted economic and social transformation."Bagong Pilipinas is not a political game plan that caters to a privileged few; it is a master plan for genuine development that benefits [all] our people." Marcos continues, "It is a call for transformation. The transformation of our idea of being a Filipino, and the transformation of our economy, of governance, of society."In order for this transformation to come about, the President stresses the importance of everyone coming together, saying: "The sweeping vision that [Bagong Pilipinas] presents will not automatically come to fruition. It will require all of us to work very hard. Such is not the assigned task of [the] government alone but it is the duty of every Filipino."President Marcos also underlines the need for timely completion of projects and deadlines, noting that red tape must be replaced with a red carpet among all government offices. He points out that complex requirements and processing time must be reduced for a more efficient system in the government. Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledgeTo further instill the Bagong Pilipinas principles among Filipinos, the Chief Executive has recently ordered all national government agencies and instrumentalities, and encouraged local government units to observe the recital of the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge during their weekly flag ceremonies. The Bagong Pilipinas hymn, titled "Panahon na ng pagbabago," and the "Bagong Pilipinas" pledge, titled "Panata sa Bagong Pilipinas," have been appended to the five-page Memorandum Circular 52, issued on June 4, 2024. The directive requires heads of all national government agencies and instrumentalities to ensure the Bagong Pilipinas hymn and pledge are properly disseminated within their respective institutions and offices.The memo also designates the Presidential Communications Office to oversee the implementation of the order and dissemination of the said materials to all government offices and the public. Status of Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino program Among the priority programs of the Marcos administration is the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH).To meet the increasing demand for affordable, quality housing and maximize the potential impact of the housing sector, President Marcos has issued Executive Order (EO) 34 on July 2023, announcing the 4PH as a flagship program of his administration. In the Philippine Development Plan for 2023 to 2028, it has been projected that the country's housing needs have reached an estimated 6.8 million from 2017 to 2022.Through the 4PH program, the President hopes to address the country's 6.5-million housing backlog by building 1 million affordable housing units annually throughout his term while also creating around 1.7 million job opportunities for Filipinos. EO 34 tasks the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to identify suitable national and local government lands for housing and human settlements, including new townships and estates development.Meanwhile, all national government agencies are mandated to submit a comprehensive list of all available and suitable lands that they own and administer to the DHSUD with the assistance of the Land Registration Authority.The DHSUD is responsible for the acquisition and development of these identified lands for housing and human settlement purposes subject to constraints under applicable laws, rules and regulations.An article published on DHSUD's website on June 16, 2024 discusses the recent status of the 4PH Program. It states that approximately 40 projects are currently underway and are in various stages of development and construction. These projects are primarily high-rise condominium developments located throughout the Philippines. Among these 4PH projects is an ongoing development in San Mateo, Rizal that aims to construct 4,000 condominium-type housing units. DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino "Jerry" Acuzar and House Speaker Martin Romualdez have personally inspected the site earlier this month.Romualdez has expressed satisfaction with the project during the inspection, stating: "I'm pleased because we're not just building a home for Filipino families here. There are also amenities such as a basketball court, swimming pool, clubhouse and other amenities that are traditionally found only in subdivisions and condominiums."The House Speaker adds that the 4PH program fulfills President Marcos' dream to provide Filipinos with decent housing and the right to live with dignity as well as ensure that every Filipino resides in a peaceful and safe community.The 4PH program has expanded its reach to Mindanao with the introduction of a themed-park inspired housing project, the Valley View Township, in Misamis Oriental.This project features commercial establishments within multiple 12-story buildings that are said to accommodate over 10,000 families upon completion.Acuzar together with other officials from DHSUD and the Social Housing Finance Corp. have recently visited the township to check its progress and implementation.The DHSUD chief says, "This will be our model township Pambansang Pabahay project here in Mindanao. It has a nice, theme-park look [and] open park with green and mountain scenery around."In the pursuit of providing a healthy environment, Acuzar strongly advocates the allotment of green and wide open spaces for parks, playgrounds and other recreational amenities in the 4PH projects.Meanwhile, Acuzar also highlights a growing interest from private contractors and developers in the 4PH program.THE DHSUD acknowledges the participation of Megawide Construction Corp. into the 4PH program through its development in Imus City, Cavite. Last May, Megawide, through its real estate arm PH1 World Developers (PH1WD), and the DHSUD have broken ground on this 4PH project, which will be composed of five mid-rise condominium buildings with 1,100 units each. PH1WD General Manager for Horizontal Development Eric Gregor Tan says during the groundbreaking event: "Public-private sector collaboration of these kinds is very encouraging, especially those focusing on underserved segments such as housing. We believe that this residential development will benefit both Imuseños in the immediate locality, and potential residents from Southern Tagalog and Metro Manila."Acuzar expresses confidence in the increasing participation of private partners and foresees continued and expanded projects for the 4PH program. The Housing chief views these public-private sector partnerships as a key for effectively addressing the housing backlog without the need to depend solely on the national budget.Boosting infrastructure projectsPresident Marcos is also fulfilling his promise to build infrastructure projects with the groundbreaking of the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) - Cavite-Laguna Expressway link and Cavitex C5 Link Segment 3B as well as the inauguration of the Cavitex C5 Link Sucat Interchange. "These three milestone projects bring to reality our promise to transform the lives of millions of Filipinos, by systematically easing traffic flow in the greater Metro Manila," says President Marcos during the groundbreaking event.These projects are designed to bring travel efficiency and ease daily commutes for thousands of Filipinos. President Marcos also mentions that the public can take advantage of the suspension of toll fee collection for all types of vehicles passing through the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway in Taguig, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Bacoor and Kawit for 30 days.All these aforementioned initiatives and projects are all aligned with the goals and principles of the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance under the Marcos administration. President Marcos' vision emphasizes inclusivity, as he promises that no one will be left behind in the journey toward transformation. The government aims for continuous progress through its flagship projects, focusing on renewing stability, prosperity and fostering unity across various sectors of society.