Marcos: Gov't acted swiftly to ease Middle East crisis impact

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday asserted that his administration “did everything necessary” to lessen the impact of the recent crisis in the Middle East on Filipinos, highlighting the government’s swift response. Speaking at his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of Congress, Marcos noted that five months have passed since the conflict in the Middle East erupted, and its effects are still being felt in the country. The government has pledged to allocate over P60 billion for support until the end of the year to assist those affected by the crisis. "Mga kababayan, sa ating pagbalik-tanaw, kaya ko kayong harapin, at sabihin na ginawa natin ang lahat ng nararapat upang malunasan ang mga epekto ng krisis. Agarang kumilos ang buong pamahalaan upang tumulong sa mamamayan. Sa katunayan, tayo pa ay hinangaan dahil sa bilis, liksi, at pagiging aktibo ng ating pagtugon,” Marcos said. (My fellow Filipinos, as we look back, I can face you and say that we did everything necessary to address the effects of the crisis. The entire government acted swiftly to help our people. In fact, we were even admired for the speed, agility, and proactiveness of our response.) Marcos said that while five months had passed since the conflict erupted, Filipinos continued to feel its effects. “Limang buwan mula sumiklab ang digmaan, ramdam pa rin natin ang bigat ng mga epekto nito sa ating bansa. Hanggang kailangan, asahan ninyo na hindi titigil ang pagsuporta ng pamahalaan. Naglaan tayo ng mahigit animnapung bilyong piso para dito, hanggang katapusan ng taon,” he said. (Five months since the war broke out, our country continues to feel its heavy effects. For as long as necessary, you can expect the government to continue extending support. We have allocated more than P60 billion for this until the end of the year.) The President said funds recovered from corruption cases would be redirected to programs for Filipinos most in need. “Ang pondo na naisalba natin na balak ibulsa ng mga tiwaling opisyal, ay sa taumbayan natin ibubuhos. Ngayon, ipipihit natin ang mga programa sa mas nangangailangan nating kapwa-Pilipino, para naman mas malawak at mas marami ang maaabot ng tulong,” Marcos said. (The funds we saved from being pocketed by corrupt officials will instead be poured back to the people. We will now redirect our programs toward our fellow Filipinos who need them most so that assistance can reach more beneficiaries.) According to Marcos, the government’s assistance will prioritize 3.5 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Walang Gutom Program, 1.5 million minimum wage earners who are members of the Social Security System (SSS), and 2.5 million poor Filipinos who have yet to receive government aid. He added that support would also continue for the transport, agriculture, and overseas Filipino worker (OFW) sectors affected by the crisis. Overall, Marcos said more than 7.5 million families in need are expected to benefit from the government’s assistance. The President also said the administration would pursue tax relief measures for the middle class while continuing support for small businesses affected by the lingering effects of the crisis. — RSJ, GMA News