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By Cao Xiaolin, Chinese Ambassador to State of Qatar
The Chinese economy delivered a sound performance in the first half of 2024, with the gross domestic product (GDP) reaching around RMB 61.68 trillion (about US$8.5 trillion), up by 5 percent year on year at constant price. In the same period, China’s imports and exports exceeded RMB 21 trillion, up 6.1 percent. The International Monetary Fund revised up its 2024 Chinese GDP growth forecast to 5 percent in the latest update to its World Economic Outlook.
This growth rate is not easy to achieve as the momentum of world economic growth has been sluggish, and effective domestic demand in the Chinese market has remained insufficient since the beginning of this year.
But China's GDP growth rate outpaced that of the United States, the Eurozone and Japan in the first quarter of this year. As global economy faced extensive challenges in the second quarter, it is expected that China's economic growth rate will maintain its leading position in the first half of the year, and China will continue to be an important engine and stabilizer for the world economy.
The trends of China's stable economic operation and sustainable improvement remain unchanged from a medium-term to long-term perspective, as the transformation toward high-end, intelligent and green manufacturing is progressing solidly, nurturing new industries and new growth drivers.
The key to the long-term economic growth that China has maintained over the past forty yeas is reforms on China’s economic structure. The spirit of reform and opening up defines the Chinese people both in history and in modern days.
Over the past decade, major measures have been taken in the economic reforms. For example, the negative list for market entry has been shortened, supply-side structural reforms have been implemented and high-level opening up has been promoted. All these efforts have led to significant improvements in China’s market-based and law-based business environment.
Important progress has been made in China’s economic reform recently with the conclusion of the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on 18th July, 2024. The session adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization.
The resolution has laid out a blueprint for a new round of strategic and pace-setting reforms, with economic structural reform as the spearhead. Some highlights of the economic reforms include:
First, China will accelerate efforts to build a high standard market system, which is a major reform task. Efforts will be made to build a unified national market, including the development of a unified urban-rural construction land market, a nationwide integrated technology and data market, and a unified national electricity market.
Second, China will improve the market system and rules for production factors such as labor, capital, land, knowledge, technology, management and data. The systems underpinning the market economy will be refined, including optimizing the systems for property rights protection, information disclosure, market access, bankruptcy exit and credit supervision.
Third, China will strengthen its macroeconomic governance by improving the fiscal relations between central and local governments. Measures will be taken to make the tax system compatible with new business models.
Fourth, China will remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Based on its own enormous market, China will enhance its capacity for opening up while expanding cooperation with other countries and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. China will steadily expand institutional opening up, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
In short, China’s new reform efforts will not only provide an institutional guarantee for Chinese modernization but also serve as a driving force for stable growth in the short, medium and long terms. These reforms will help create a unified domestic market, foster new quality productive forces, and achieve major scientific and technological breakthroughs. As China opens wider to the rest of the world its goods, service, capital and labor markets in an orderly way, the international community will benefit more from China’s development.
China is the biggest trading partner of Qatar. There exist strong complementarity and cooperation potentials, especially energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, big data and AI, for bilateral trade between the two countries.
Qatar is a small country, but a big market with great potentials for development. China, on its part, has a super-sized market of 1.4 billion people, and we have every reason to be optimistic about China’s economic outlook. China and Qatar can turn our complementarity into a robust momentum of development for more win-win results.
Salalah, Oman, 27 July 2024 (NHRC)
The Regional Forum on Monitoring the Implementation of National Visions on the Human Rights concluded in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman with a number of recommendations.
Over 170 participants attended the meeting including the representatives of more than 50 institutions and organizations like United Nations, international and regional organizations, stakeholders, national human rights institutions, government agencies, and civil society organizations.
Recommendations suggested on concluding include enhancing cooperation between national human rights institutions; exchanging experiences in the field of planning and monitoring the implementation of national visions, in cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations; expanding the scope of consultations to include civil society organizations and institutions, especially the most vulnerable groups, and involving them in all stages of planning and implementation related to national visions.
The forum also recommended the need to enhance and unify efforts in the field of capacity building and collecting and analyzing data related to human rights and sustainable development to ensure the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation of the process of implementing national strategies related to human rights in cooperation with relevant parties.
Mrs. Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah, Chairperson, National Human Rights Committee of Qatar in her address on the occasion, said that 'Our participation in the third edition of the regional forum reflects the distinguished cooperation with the Omani Human Rights Committee, nationally, regionally and internationally, and the rest of the partners in the field of protecting and promoting human rights.
She stressed the importance of reviewing the role of national human rights institutions in planning and following up on the implementation of national visions in the areas of human rights, especially since many countries have drafted national human rights plans and national visions for development.
She said that these plans are not only to fulfill international obligations, as is the case in the recommendations of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action 1993, or in response to the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan, but also to devise consistent and integrated responses to national and global human rights challenges and concerns, as well as to devise free, innovative, effective and sustainable solutions that everyone contributes to without exception, including the most marginalized, vulnerable and affected groups, so that we can all, as stakeholders, follow up on the progress made, and enable rights holders to demand their rights and duty holders to fulfill their obligations.
Al-Attiyah said that over the past three decades, a global trend has grown regarding human rights-based planning; in addition to a large number of sectoral plans concerned with specific rights such as work or health.
She added that anyone looking at the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review or the recommendations of international and regional human rights bodies will hardly find a document without a recommendation related to human rights-based planning at its overall or partial levels, especially in national visions for development; pointing out that the world has moved beyond the traditional concept of development based on charity and purely economic dimensions to the rights-based concept that views development as an expansion of human choices, freedom and rights and liberation from the scourges of ignorance, disease and poverty.
The Regional Forum of National Human Rights Institutions on its second day discussed a number of topics, including: human rights in Oman Vision 2040, sustainable development goals in national visions, ensuring transparency and follow-up when implementing national visions, as well as indicators for monitoring and following up on progress made in the field of human rights when implementing national visions.
Vientiane, Laos, 27 July 2024 (Lao News Agency)
The 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting reviewed the progress in building the ASEAN Community, including the advancements made under Laos' ASEAN Chairmanship with the theme "Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience." The meeting focused on the development of strategic plans to implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which includes political-security, economic, socio-cultural community strategies, and connectivity strategies.
The meeting also discussed applications for membership in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and expressed satisfaction that Algeria, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, and Mexico will sign the treaty soon.
On July 25, 2024, at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith presided over the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the Tripartite Meeting between Laos, the ASEAN Secretariat, and Norway.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also reviewed the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus of ASEAN leaders, ASEAN's external relations, and reiterated the importance of ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation frameworks. They exchanged views on prominent regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Saleumxay Kommasith also chaired the Tripartite Meeting between Laos, the ASEAN Secretariat, and Norway. The meeting highlighted the progress of ASEAN-Norway sectoral partnership since its establishment in 2015, focusing on the appendix of the ASEAN-Norway Plan of Action (2021-2025). Future cooperation directions were also discussed.
He held bilateral meetings with several ASEAN member states and ASEAN dialogue partners to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Today on Saturday, 27th July in Vientiane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith, chaired the 25th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 14th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum.
He also led the delegation to participate in the ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
The 25th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (China, Japan, and Republic of Korea) reviewed past cooperation under the ASEAN Plus Three framework and encouraged the establishment of the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan for 2023-2027. The meeting highly valued the cooperation under the ASEAN Plus Three framework as an important regional cooperation platform to address various challenges, such as pandemics, financial crises, food security, and others. The meeting supported the proposal of the Lao PDR to issue a statement of the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders on strengthening regional supply chain connectivity for endorsement at the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Vientiane in October 2024.
The 14th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed past cooperation and the establishment of the EAS Plan of Action for 2024-2028.
The meeting endorsed enhancing cooperation with a focus on priority areas such as energy and food security, education, climate change, and environmental protection, health, among others.
The meeting reaffirmed the centrality of ASEAN and its role in leading the East Asia Summit as a strategic dialogue and cooperation forum on political, economic, and security issues that benefit the region, promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world in line with ASEAN’s fundamental principles.
The ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed ASEAN-U.S. relations and cooperation and set directions to strengthen future ASEAN-U.S. cooperation, focusing on new areas such as digital transformation, technology, and innovation.
The meeting also discussed preparations for the 12th ASEAN-U.S. Summit to be held in October 2024, including the progress in drafting the ASEAN-U.S. Leaders’ Statement on promoting safe, secure, and trustworthy innovation.
The 31st ASEAN Regional Forum reviewed the implementation of various plans and activities and future directions of the ASEAN Regional Forum. The forum considered and endorsed important documents, including: Work Plan for 2024-2025; Mid-Term Plan of Action on Combating Terrorism and Transnational Crime 2024-2026; Mid-Term Plan of Action on Disaster Relief 2024-2027; and ASEAN Regional Forum Statement on Maritime Security Cooperation.
In addition, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting also discussed promoting the role of the ASEAN Regional Forum to be more effective, ensuring ASEAN's central role in such mechanisms, and exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly challenges to stability in the Asia-Pacific region, including the situation in the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, the Middle East, and Ukraine.
Ramallah: 26 July 2024 (Xinhua News)
The signing of a declaration in Beijing by 14 Palestinian factions, aimed at ending division and strengthening unity, is widely seen as a positive step toward Palestinian national reconciliation, bringing fresh hope to the long-suffering Palestinian people.
Diplomatic envoys to China/representatives from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Türkiye as well as representatives from 14 main Palestinian factions attended the closing ceremony.
A Positive Step
The most important consensus reached at this dialogue is to achieve grand reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions, and the core outcome is to make clear that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
The dialogue also highlights the agreement to form an interim national reconciliation government focused on the post-war governance of Gaza. Meanwhile, it calls for the creation of a truly independent Palestinian state in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.
The signing of a declaration on ending division and strengthening unity by 14 Palestinian factions in Beijing is "an additional positive step" toward achieving Palestinian national unity, Hamas said on Tuesday.
This announcement came at an important time as Palestinians are facing an ongoing conflict, especially in the Gaza Strip, said Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas's political bureau, adding that the solution represents "the ideal and most appropriate national solution" for the Palestinian situation after the conflict.
The Beijing Declaration represents an important step toward achieving Palestinian unity and ending internal divisions that have negatively affected the Palestinian cause for decades, Abdulaziz Alshaabani, a researcher at Al Riyadh Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Xinhua.
China's Efforts
In a statement on Tuesday, the Palestinian presidency said that it appreciated China's support to help the State of Palestine obtain its full membership of the United Nations and to hold an international peace conference to implement the two-state solution.
It also expressed the gratitude of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership for China's extensive efforts to support the Palestinian people across all levels and in various international forums.
China has played a crucial role in facilitating this agreement through mediation and providing political and diplomatic support, Alshaabani said, underscoring China's commitment to promoting stability in the Middle East and its active contribution to resolving international conflicts.
Ding Long, a professor at Shanghai International Studies University, told Xinhua that thanks to the continued efforts of the Chinese side, the Palestinian factions came to China to participate in the talks.
China has consistently supported the just cause of the Palestinian people and China, as a responsible country, has successfully brokered an Iran-Saudi deal and gained the trust of the Palestinian factions, Ding said.
The success of negotiations in Beijing demonstrates the growing maturity of China's mediation diplomacy in the Middle East, Ding said.
Heading For Peace
The Beijing Declaration has addressed pressing issues such as the establishment of an interim national reconciliation government, carrying out reconstruction in Gaza. It has also outlined long-term objectives, including resolving the Palestinian issue through a two-state solution.
Musa Abu Marzouk, head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul and head of the Hamas delegation, voiced their readiness to implement the consensus, strengthen unity among factions, advance the reconciliation process, and work for an early solution to the question of Palestine.
The talks in Beijing involved 14 Palestinian factions with all their positions balanced, thus constituting a basis for ending the division, said Abdel Mohdy Motawe, a Cairo-based researcher and executive director of the Middle East Forum for Strategic Studies and National Security.
The prospects of internal Palestinian reconciliation after the Beijing Declaration hinge on the earnest commitment of Palestinian factions, sustained international support, and tangible improvements in economic and security conditions, Alshaabani said
"If these factors are achieved, the reconciliation can lead to improved political, economic, and social conditions in the Palestinian territories, enhancing the chances of achieving sustainable peace in the region," Alshaabani said
Islamabad, 26 July 2024
By Maryam Noureen Janjua
In a landmark moment for Pakistan, the launch of the Air Ambulance service by the government of Punjab marks a transformative step in the province's healthcare landscape.
This pioneering initiative, the first of its kind in Pakistan, was inaugurated with a historic rescue operation where a wounded woman Haleema Bibi, a resident of Mianwali, was airlifted to Rawalpindi for emergency treatment within the critical 'golden hour'. The event has set a new standard of emergency healthcare in a developing country where the overall health conditions have been critical.
On a scorching summer afternoon in Mianwali, Haleema Bibi's life took a drastic turn. The 56-year-old woman had fallen from a rooftop in Mianwali. The local medical facilities were not equipped to handle such critical cases. Her family's hopes were dwindling as every minute passed, knowing the nearest specialized hospital was hours away by road. In this dire situation, the newly introduced Air Ambulance service emerged as a beacon of hope. Within minutes of receiving the distress call, the air ambulance, equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and staffed by a team of highly trained medical professionals, was airborne. The journey from Mianwali to Rawalpindi, which would have taken hours by road, was completed in less than an hour.
The swift response and rapid transport were crucial in stabilizing Haleema Bibi’s condition. Upon arrival at the DHQ Rawalpindi, she was immediately taken into surgery. The doctors credited the air ambulance service for saving her life, emphasizing that the golden hour—the critical first hour after a medical emergency—was the decisive factor in her survival.
The healthcare system in Punjab, Pakistan, faces significant challenges. Overburdened public hospitals suffer from inadequate facilities, insufficient staffing, and limited resources, leading to long wait times and subpar patient care. Rural areas are particularly affected, with many communities lacking access to basic medical services.
The successful rescue of Haleema Bibi is a testament to the sweeping health reforms introduced by the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Since assuming office, Maryam Nawaz has prioritized healthcare, recognizing it as a fundamental right for every citizen. Her administration’s health strategy aims to overhaul the province's healthcare system, ensuring accessibility, affordability, and quality care for all.
However, the government of Punjab still requires efforts to enhance healthcare in the province. This includes increasing funding, improving rural healthcare access, upgrading hospital infrastructure, and ensuring adequate medical supplies and staffing. Comprehensive reforms are essential to address persistent challenges and provide quality care for all residents.
The Air Ambulance service represents a significant leap forward in emergency medical services in Punjab. It addresses the critical need for rapid response and transport in medical emergencies, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
This initiative ensures that patients receive timely and appropriate care, significantly improving survival rates in life-threatening situations.
Recognizing the importance of skilled healthcare professionals, the Punjab government still needs heavy investment in training and capacity building of Medical staff, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
Affordability remains a challenge for Maryam Nawaz's health reforms. The provincial government has increased the health budget by 24% but it still needs a gigantic word to meet the international standards.
Various initiatives have been launched to reduce the financial burden on patients. The Punjab Health Card scheme provides free medical treatment to low-income families, covering a wide range of medical conditions. This scheme can be a game-changer, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent people from accessing necessary healthcare services.
Public health programs have been significantly enhanced to address common health issues and promote preventive care.
Mobile hospitals in Punjab are another innovative healthcare solution bringing medical services to remote and underserved areas. Equipped with essential medical equipment and staffed by healthcare professionals, these mobile units offer diagnostics, treatment, and preventive care, significantly improving access to quality healthcare for rural and marginalized communities.
The impact of these reforms will be evident in various metrics after a year or so. As Haleema Bibi recovers from her ordeal, her story serves as a powerful reminder of the critical importance of timely and accessible healthcare. The Air Ambulance service is not just a technological advancement; it is a lifeline that embodies the government's commitment to saving lives and improving health outcomes. The Air Ambulance service is just a pinch of a salt in the broader health reforms waiting ahead for Maryam Nawaz’s.
Maryam Noureen Janjua is Undergrad student of Political Science in Women University Rawalpindi.
(Associate professor at Marmara University Institute of Middle East and Islamic Countries)
Amid the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, Israel’s extremist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington to address a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday, for the fourth time in his career, and is set to meet US President Joe Biden on Thursday. House Speaker Mike Johnson extended the invitation on March 31, 2024, “on behalf of the bipartisan leadership of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate”. However, many Democrats, including Jewish Senator Bernie Sanders, plan to boycott Netanyahu’s speech, with some considering protests from the floor. In a statement upon Netanyahu’s arrival, Sanders called him a war criminal and said he should not be welcomed into Congress.
While Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race has dominated the news cycle, which deeply inconvenienced Netanyahu, the visit itself is nonetheless a significant event as it serves to illustrate the continued contention among US lawmakers regarding ethnic cleansing in Gaza. Netanyahu appears to see this visit as political leverage against his growing number of opponents, both domestically and internationally. However, the US’s motivations are less clear. Why does the US give such credence to a warmonger and allow him to manipulate the electoral race for his own interests?
Who will stop Netanyahu?
It is a standard practice for the US government to impose sanctions on countries and leaders it deems hostile. However, despite the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s request for an arrest warrant, Netanyahu is able to travel to the US without hindrance. Moreover, on July 23 Human Rights Watch also criticized Netanyahu’s appearance before Congress as it “highlights the continued and significant US supply of weapons to Israel’s military despite credible allegations of ongoing war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza”. From the outset, Biden’s Gaza policy has been nothing short of a debacle. Since his visit to Israel on Oct. 18th, he has backed Netanyahu’s war machine, supplying vast amounts of weaponry and carte blanche to target and kill over 40,000 Palestinians and wound nearly 100,000—60% of whom are women, children, or the elderly. True, this aligns with the US's long-standing attitude toward Israeli actions. However, extending such protection to a figure who has consistently been a controversial presence in American politics raises questions. Thus far, Biden has failed to stop Netanyahu’s war in Gaza and to prevent him from whitewashing his genocidal actions before Congress.
It is notable that Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ prospective candidate for the presidency in the forthcoming elections, has declined to preside over Wednesday's meeting in Congress out of a conflict with a previously scheduled event in Indianapolis. But in fact, Netanyahu is regarded as a disturbing liability for the Democrats, who are attempting to distance themselves from him. However, this may be an insufficient response. The Israeli prime minister, who has disregarded calls and even a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, will nevertheless make an appearance on the Congress floor. Additionally, it is unlikely that he will promptly alter his strategy regarding the Gaza conflict. Instead, it is probable that he will rule out ceasefire and deliver a speech that is likely to be inflammatory in nature which may potentially exacerbate the situation further. In the meantime, American hostage families warned Netanyahu not to address Congress before a hostage deal is secured: “We view any speech that is not the announcement of the signing and closing of a hostage deal to be a total failure,” said Jon Polin in a press briefing with eight other relatives of American hostages. Also, a crowd has gathered outside the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC, where Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is staying, to protest his massacre and refusal of a ceasefire which will reportedly be followed by more protests call for Netanyahu’s arrest for his crimes against humanity. But none of these reactions is enough to stop Netanyahu’s bloodthirstiness. The distressing question is: how will this visit effect the situation in Gaza?
What is next in Gaza?
Netanyahu is adept at leveraging the US presidential election processes to advance his personal interests. He knows that he is not a popular figure among many Democrats who oppose his handling of the post October 7th developments. But he also understands that they cannot risk confronting him directly with an election looming, given Trump's unconditional support for Israel. In this way, Netanyahu has placed the Democrats in a difficult dilemma by arriving in Washington having ignored the US-backed ceasefire proposal adopted by the UN Security Council on June 10. As his next move Netanyahu will try to justify his war crimes and put the blame on other actors for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As for the Biden administration, being complicit in genocide is even worse than letting a war criminal address Congress amidst the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza.
*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu
Manila, 22 July 2024 (PNA)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that all Philippine offshore gaming operators will be banned, saying “this will solve a lot of problems.” He ordered the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to 'wind down the operations' of existing POGOs by the end of 2024.
Present on the occasion of President Marcos Jr's 3rd State of the Nation Address at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon City were former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada; former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; Senate President Chiz Escudero;; members of the Senate; House Speaker Martin Romualdez and members of House of Representatives; Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo; judges of Supreme Court; the Most Reverend Charles John Brown; members of Diplomatic Corps; Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin; members of Cabinet; First Lady, the First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos; and distinguished guests.
President Marcos Jr said that the hard lesson of this last year has made it very clear that whatever current data proudly bannering our country as among the best-performing in Asia, means nothing to a Filipino, who is confronted by the price of rice at 45 to 65 pesos per kilo. Because of compelling emergency reasons, such as illegal price manipulations by hoarders and smuggling, we were constrained to temporarily implement mandated price ceilings on rice. We also extended the reduced tariff rates to facilitate the importation of rice, corn, and pork until the end of this year.
Because of compelling emergency reasons, such as illegal price manipulations by hoarders and smuggling, we were constrained to temporarily implement mandated price ceilings on rice. We also extended the reduced tariff rates to facilitate the importation of rice, corn, and pork until the end of this year. Through modernized customs procedures and heightened enforcement efforts, more than 2.7 billion pesos worth of smuggled agri-fisheries products have been seized, preventing them from entering the market and negatively influencing prices.
Soon, we will be implementing the pre-border technical verification and cross-border electronic invoicing of import commodities. This will send a strong message that we mean serious business.
To reduce unnecessary business costs, local government units no longer collect fees and charges from motorists transporting goods and merchandise while passing through national roads. On the same principle, LGUs have been strongly urged to refrain from collecting similar fees for the use of local roads. Moving forward, irrigation dams will supplement all our other bulk water projects to ensure water security for our people, especially in the underserved areas. As we can see in all the world, weather events are, as predicted, getting more extreme, such as torrential rains that instantly shift to scorching heat waves — or vice- versa. Our country’s geographical location makes us highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Precisely because of our inherent vulnerability, we are proactive advocates for heightened climate responsibility and justice on the global stage. To this end, we have secured a seat on the Board of the Loss and Damage Fund. Further, the Philippines has also been selected as host country to that fund.
This will require an enabling law from Congress to confer the legal personality and capacity to the Board. This welcome development shall complement all our climate adaptation and mitigation measures, and give us a strong voice to access the needed financial assistance for climate-related initiatives and impacts.
Within the past two years, almost a hundred evacuation centers have already been built. While in January of this year, we started the operations of our Disaster Response Command Center, which shall serve as the central hub for the government’s disaster response efforts.
As we enter the mid-term, our infrastructure development remains sustained, strategic, and on schedule. Aside from agriculture and disaster risk, our other vital sectors and pillars — such as education, health, energy, low-cost housing, transport, information technology — they all stand to benefit from our aggressive infrastructure development, as befitting our upper middle-income economic target.
With the results that we have seen two years into this Administration, we can claim that despite challenges, we are steadily progressing towards our targets in the medium-term.
Our power and internet services are continuously being upgraded in both capacity and connectivity. As part of our internet infrastructure development, phase 1 of the National Fiber Backbone has been completed and operationalized. Phases 2 and 3 have already begun early this year, and shall be completed by 2026. This fiber backbone will give us sufficient capacity in terms of bandwidth.
As of 2022, only seventy-seven percent or 20.6 million households were connected to the Internet. This is much too low.
Together with our private sector partners, we will efficiently harness the concept of common towers to provide connectivity to Filipinos who are at the far end of the last mile. Expect full government support to ensure the successful completion of this critical project, including policy reforms and streamlined processes. [applause]
Bigger and faster IT infrastructures require stronger and more impervious cyber-defense. Our recently launched National Cybersecurity Plan lays down the blueprint for us to safeguard our systems against cyberattacks.
With this said, I have directed the agencies concerned to ensure that the speed and quality of our IT development always mirrors the pace and trajectory of our economic aspirations.
As energy projects get completed and new investments pour into the sector, we expect our nation’s power supply to increase at a steady pace to meet our growing demand in the next few years. Nonetheless, we are continuously diagnosing and urgently addressing power shortages, as well as the systemic causes of blackouts in unserved and underserved areas.
Running through Bataan, Pampanga, and Bulacan, the newly inaugurated Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose transmission line will further strengthen the reliability of the Luzon power grid.
In the Visayas, all stages of the Cebu-Negros-Panay backbone project have likewise been completed. This project shall serve to stabilize the power situation in Western and Central Visayas, and avert recurrences of power outages experienced in the past.
And just last week, the Dumanjug-Corella Line of the Cebu-Bohol Interconnection Project was energized, enabling the transfer of power between Cebu and Bohol.
With these systems currently operating at capacity, these major power lines shall contribute to the efficient power exchanges not only between Luzon and the Visayas, but also involving Mindanao. Energy sharing and transfers between, among, and within the three island groups have now been made possible with the energization last January of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection.
The energization of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection is a defining moment not only for the power sector but for the entire country. Finally, we have connected the power grids of all three major island groups.
The “unified Philippine Grid” is a fulfillment of the dream, whose seeds were planted in the 80s, through a vision bolstered by R&D, which we accomplished by applying typical Filipino persistence and dedication.
As of May this year, twelve thousand kilometers worth of roads and more than one thousand two hundred bridges have been built and upgraded across the country. Of note, we have provided the budget to upgrade three hundred sixty-seven bridges and almost one thousand six hundred kilometers of road along our country’s longest thoroughfare — the Maharlika Highway — from Luzon all the way to Mindanao.
Moreover, significant segments of major expressways, which are part of the Luzon Spine Expressway Network, have now been opened to the public.
The C-LEX, NLEX-SLEX Connector, and the Plaridel Bypass will be fully completed by the end of this year. [applause] CALAX and the C5 South Link will be fully operational by next year.
Under our Inter-Island Linkage Bridge Program, we expect two major bridges to be opened to motorists this year. One is the Panguil Bay Bridge — touted as the longest water-spanning bridge in Northern Mindanao. This bridge will connect Lanao del Norte to Misamis Occidental. The other is the Guicam Bridge in Zamboanga Sibugay, which shall connect Olutanga Island to the mainland of Mindanao.
In addition, travel to and from Clark Airport is now much faster and more convenient, with the inauguration of the twenty-kilometer Airport-New Clark City Access Road in Pampanga.
We are in the midst as well of a “railway renaissance”. The Metro Manila Subway Project has logged significant accomplishments in its tunneling works. Other railway projects, such as the MRT-7 and the North- South Commuter Railway, are likewise progressing.
We will make sure that the right of way issues are resolved in the most equitable, efficient, and expeditious manner, so that these will not get in the way of our infrastructure development. Soon, it will be capable of accommodating 48 flights per hour, servicing our ever-increasing local and international flight routes, and catering to more than 62 million passengers per year.
More than seventy airport and seaport development projects across the country have been completed, and another three hundred and fifty ongoing projects are set to be completed by 2028. [applause]
Notably, the capacities of the Passenger Terminal Buildings of the General Santos Airport and the Bicol International Airport have been expanded by three hundred and five hundred percent, now catering to two thousand and one thousand six hundred passengers, respectively. Meanwhile, the Batangas Port PTB, our popular marine gateway to MIMAROPA, the Visayas and to Mindanao, can now accommodate eight thousand travelers at any given time.
Thanks to Congress, the Public-Private Partnership, as a crucial funding mechanism for big-ticket projects, is now institutionalized by force of law. [applause] PPP is seen to facilitate strategic investments and the timely development of projects under our Build Better More program, especially since around one-fourth of our flagship projects have been envisioned to be funded through this modality.
As a perfect example, the NAIA PPP will go down in our history not only as among the largest and fastest approved PPP, but one that has set the bar in terms of openness, transparency, and competitiveness of the process.
Through this partnership, our foremost aerial gateway is now primed for a revitalization. Once considered among the worst and most stressful airports in the world, it will soon be a world-class international airport that we can be proud of. [applause]
Even before that, the UP-PGH Cancer Center is the first PPP to be approved in this Administration.
Together with the Philippine Cancer Center of the DOH, which broke ground last March, these two specialty hospitals will soon join our nation’s fight against cancer. These Centers will be a godsend to the more than four hundred thousand Filipinos who are afflicted with this deadly disease.
Aside from our aggressive hiring efforts, we have enhanced medical and allied health programs, allocated seed funds for public medical schools, and launched scholarships, and review and upskilling programs. These are to support the medical and nursing professions, with the goal to strengthen and increase our human resources for health.
As part of our recalibrated health approach towards prevention and healthy habits, we are prioritizing vaccinations, nutrition, mental well-being, and active and healthy lifestyles. Our convergent programs to stamp out hunger and malnutrition were not only successfully launched, but have yielded inspiring results thus far.
One survey confirmed that our expanded School-Based Feeding Program has had a significant impact on the physical and mental well-being of more than half of the learner-beneficiaries. Therefore, we will continue to further enhance these feeding programs in our schools and day-care centers. [applause]
The recently launched “Walang Gutom 2027” will be fully rolled out from the initial two thousand three hundred households, now all the way to three hundred thousand food-poor households across the country by the end of the year. But the program will go on until we feed the one million most food-poor families by 2027.
An important component of our strategies to address malnutrition shall be the program for the “First One Thousand Days,” or the first two years of a child’s life.
To ensure the health and nutrition of children zero to two years old from the poorest families, we have proposed in the 2025 Budget a new grant under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program for this purpose. Closely related to these, the DOST has been continuously undertaking scientific research to develop nutritious food and drinks, which can be integrated into the government’s feeding program.
Government is aware of the pressing yet delicate social issues of the day, such as the mental well-being of our people. The DOH has launched its comprehensive mental health plan and ensured sufficient supply of medications. PhilHealth has also released this year its mental health benefit package for all its members.
Grassroots and sports-for-all programs are back in the mainstream again, catering to Filipinos of all ages. We will continue to support these health-enhancing sports programs. Through these, we also set forth our youth on the same well-established path that has taken some of our national champions and renowned athletes to sporting greatness.
To the twenty-eight of our finest athletes are competing in Paris now for the glory of the Philippines. Let us wish them well and the best good luck.
In its report, the World Bank revealed that our promising economic growth is largely attributable to our people. The great bulk of the country’s wealth is being created by the skill, industry, and resourcefulness of all Filipinos.
We must harness the totality of the Filipino’s potential. Thus, for consecutive years, we have prioritized an increase in budget for the inclusive development of Filipinos. Not just in food, nutrition and health, but more so, in their education and training.
Recent assessments have revealed the poor reality that more than half of our grades 6, 10, and 12 students have failed to reach the ideal proficiency levels, faring low in information literacy, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Therefore, our national learning recovery program must proceed without the slightest disruption, especially in basic education. Our system of education must be strategically calibrated to make sure that our youth are not only taught to become literate. But, it must also consciously develop them into problem-solvers, and into critical thinkers — hungry for success; ready for the future!
Similarly, as we relentlessly address the classroom gap, the digital gap must also be bridged with equal intensity. We are working towards the day when all students will be equipped with computers, smart TVs, essential programs, digital books — and once again, access to reliable power and the Internet.
Digitalization and solar-powered electricity must now be standard features in our schools and in our classrooms. Simply put, this is educational reform through technology.
The perennial problem surrounding textbooks shall be resolved. The production of instructional materials, especially textbooks, which are up-to-date and error-free, must be ensured. The whole process, from approval of manuscript to procurement, all the way to distribution, will be cut short from its present three years to just one year.
We must harness the totality of the Filipino’s potential. Thus, for consecutive years, we have prioritized an increase in budget for the inclusive development of Filipinos. Not just in food, nutrition and health, but moreso, in their education and training.
Recent assessments have revealed the poor reality that more than half of our grades 6, 10, and 12 students have failed to reach the ideal proficiency levels, faring low in information literacy, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Therefore, our national learning recovery program must proceed without the slightest disruption, especially in basic education.
Our system of education must be strategically calibrated to make sure that our youth are not only taught to become literate. But, it must also consciously develop them into problem-solvers, and into critical thinkers — hungry for success; ready for the future!
Similarly, as we relentlessly address the classroom gap, the digital gap must also be bridged with equal intensity. We are working towards the day when all students will be equipped with computers, smart TVs, essential programs, digital books — and once again, access to reliable power and the Internet.
Digitalization and solar-powered electricity must now be standard features in our schools and in our classrooms. Simply put, this is educational reform through technology.
The perennial problem surrounding textbooks shall be resolved.
The production of instructional materials, especially textbooks, which are up-to-date and error-free, must be ensured. The whole process, from approval of manuscript to procurement, all the way to distribution, will be cut short from its present three years to just one year.
Clearly, the quality of our education rests on the quality of our teachers. Every classroom that we build will be but an empty and lifeless structure without its moving force — the teacher.
But our teachers are not just perfunctory figures in our schools; they are the very foundation of our educational system. And so, as we build and upgrade schools, so too must we uplift and upskill our teachers, whose competence and trademark Filipino patience, determination, and compassion will be at the core of our national learning recovery.
Of equal significance, we have allocated funds to finally implement the expanded career progression system for our public school teachers. This will promote professional development and career advancement within their ranks. This expanded system lays out two major career paths for our teachers to pursue: the teaching and the school administration tracks, each of which shall have ample career growth opportunities.
With this system in place, we will accelerate the career growth of teachers. Last year, we reported that our system of higher education was gaining international recognition for all the right reasons. As further evidence, eighty-seven of our Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) have now made it into various world university rankings. Fifty-one of them are public universities or colleges.
Also, we witnessed this past school year a significant rise in the enrollment rate in higher education, both in public and private institutions. The same upward trend is likewise noted in technical-vocational education and training (TVET).
Statistics do not lie. Eight out of ten graduates of TVET ultimately land decent jobs. So with its high employability rate, TVET will definitely be instrumental in capacitating our people, and in maintaining our employment rate at consistently high levels.
Cognizant of its potential, the DepEd, CHED, DOLE, and TESDA have joined forces now to incorporate TVET in the Senior High School curriculum to further boost the employability of our students. [applause]
The Filipinnovation and Malikhaing Pinoy programs have been launched, both drawing vast interest and inspiring key sectors and the public to generate solutions, to share ideas, and to drive innovation forward across the country.
The IT and creative sectors are burgeoning industries, knowing no territorial bounds, and they hold great promise for our talented and hardworking people.
This is the call of our times, and we are moving to answer that call.
The schools will serve as the preeminent incubators of the innovative and creative energies of all Filipinos.
Advanced learning systems and technologies, in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, shall be made available in TVET Innovation Centers nationwide. Highly technical and professional-level training courses will soon be launched, notably in cybersecurity and in the creative industries.
Of our globally ranked HEIs, sixty-three have made it into the WURI Global Top 300 innovative universities. [applause]
In the face of tough global competition, the Mabalacat City College in Pampanga was awarded the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year. [applause] And for the second straight year, Samar State University topped the rankings for its digitally pioneering R&D project entries. [applause]
Relevant scholarships and R&D grants will continue to be available, aligned with our agenda to foster start-ups. To commercialize and mass produce R&D outputs, crucial support, such as intellectual property rights enforcement, and venture financing, have been put in place.
We are also building essential infrastructure and linkages to support the ethical development of artificial intelligence systems for high-impact practical applications.
Since the nation’s foray into space technology, our satellites in space have generated more than fifty-one thousand maps, images and space-borne data for various purposes. These now provide us with vital information that guides our country’s stratagems and decision-making in agricultural development, urban planning and environmental management, including the strengthening of our maritime domain awareness, to name but a few examples.
Along with these discoveries, we are likewise in awe of our countrymen who have carved out their niche as pioneering space scientists and engineers in this emergent field, in collaboration with local space technology companies that provide an additional impetus.
As we speak, sixteen of our space engineers are in the United Kingdom resuming work on the development of a Multi-Spectral Unit for Land Assessment, or the MULA satellite. Once completed, the MULA satellite will be our largest earth observation satellite to be launched into space so far.
May they inspire the next generation of Filipino students to follow in their footsteps and reach for the stars! [applause]
Our employment rate has increased to 95.9%. [applause] We also saw a significant increase in high-quality jobs. Underemployment too has decreased from 11.7% in May of 2023 to 9.9% today. [applause] This is our lowest since 2005.
Notably, we also saw an increase in middle-skilled employment, wage and salaried employment, and full-time jobs.
Last year, we reported that our system of higher education was gaining international recognition for all the right reasons. As further evidence, eighty-seven of our Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) have now made it into various world university rankings. Fifty-one of them are public universities or colleges.
Also, we witnessed this past school year a significant rise in the enrollment rate in higher education, both in public and private institutions. The same upward trend is likewise noted in technical-vocational education and training (TVET).
Statistics do not lie. Eight out of ten graduates of TVET ultimately land decent jobs. So with its high employability rate, TVET will definitely be instrumental in capacitating our people, and in maintaining our employment rate at consistently high levels.
Cognizant of its potential, the DepEd, CHED, DOLE, and TESDA have joined forces now to incorporate TVET in the Senior High School curriculum to further boost the employability of our students. [applause]
The Filipinnovation and Malikhaing Pinoy programs have been launched, both drawing vast interest and inspiring key sectors and the public to generate solutions, to share ideas, and to drive innovation forward across the country.
The IT and creative sectors are burgeoning industries, knowing no territorial bounds, and they hold great promise for our talented and hardworking people.
This is the call of our times, and we are moving to answer that call.
The schools will serve as the preeminent incubators of the innovative and creative energies of all Filipinos.
Advanced learning systems and technologies, in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, shall be made available in TVET Innovation Centers nationwide. Highly technical and professional-level training courses will soon be launched, notably in cybersecurity and in the creative industries.
Of our globally ranked HEIs, sixty-three have made it into the WURI Global Top 300 innovative universities. [applause]
In the face of tough global competition, the Mabalacat City College in Pampanga was awarded the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year. [applause] And for the second straight year, Samar State University topped the rankings for its digitally pioneering R&D project entries. [applause]
Relevant scholarships and R&D grants will continue to be available, aligned with our agenda to foster start-ups. To commercialize and mass produce R&D outputs, crucial support, such as intellectual property rights enforcement, and venture financing, have been put in place.
We are also building essential infrastructure and linkages to support the ethical development of artificial intelligence systems for high-impact practical applications.
Since the nation’s foray into space technology, our satellites in space have generated more than fifty-one thousand maps, images and space-borne data for various purposes. These now provide us with vital information that guides our country’s stratagems and decision-making in agricultural development, urban planning and environmental management, including the strengthening of our maritime domain awareness, to name but a few examples.
Along with these discoveries, we are likewise in awe of our countrymen who have carved out their niche as pioneering space scientists and engineers in this emergent field, in collaboration with local space technology companies that provide an additional impetus.
As we speak, sixteen of our space engineers are in the United Kingdom resuming work on the development of a Multi-Spectral Unit for Land Assessment, or the MULA satellite. Once completed, the MULA satellite will be our largest earth observation satellite to be launched into space so far.
May they inspire the next generation of Filipino students to follow in their footsteps and reach for the stars!
Our employment rate has increased to 95.9%. [applause] We also saw a significant increase in high-quality jobs. Underemployment too has decreased from 11.7% in May of 2023 to 9.9% today. [applause] This is our lowest since 2005. Notably, we also saw an increase in middle-skilled employment, wage and salaried employment, and full-time jobs.
Our adaptive and responsive social protection programs assist our countrymen in times of dire need, reaching those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. More importantly, these programs seek to develop their productive potential and bridge their capacities towards self-sufficiency.
With the noble aim of breaking the cycle of poverty across the country, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has not only consistently accomplished its annual targets- it has also proven its efficacy over the years.
Tomorrow — the birthdate of Apolinario Mabini — we cap off National Disability Rights Week. Our PWDs can rest assured of government’s effective implementation of beneficial policies and programs that will guarantee equitable opportunities, special interventions, and incentives for them.
With tripartite consensus, minimum wage levels have been increased in various sectors in all regions, including the BARMM, for workers in private establishments.
Furthermore, we have extended the services of our job order and contract of service personnel working in government. [applause] This will also afford them ample opportunity to work on their civil service eligibilities, while gaining additional relevant experience and training to upgrade their employment qualifications.
Our aggressive infrastructure development, business-friendly policies, investment and export promotions, foreign visits, and economic missions, are all aimed at generating not just jobs, but quality and competitive jobs.
A substantial number of investment pledges have already commenced operations, with many more at various stages of development. Sa bilang natin, bukod sa malaking kita para sa bansa, makakalikha ang mga ito ng mahigit dalawang-daan at dalawang libong trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan. [applause]
The rationalized incentives scheme under the CREATE Act has also made possible the generation of investments amounting to more than one trillion pesos, and more than a hundred thousand new jobs. This promising state of affairs is now beckoning us to create more — through the passage of the CREATE MORE Act. [applause]
Conscious efforts to improve the ease of doing business and delivering government services, through digitalization, integration, and streamlining of processes, have produced their intended multiplier effects. Cost savings from operations have translated to higher revenues and to more speedy transactions.
These have effectively addressed the fragmented, overlapping, and time-consuming procedures that had hindered optimal productivity in government.
Attributable to these transformative reforms, government services are becoming more efficient.
More and more systems are now digital and cashless, assimilating individuals, MSMEs, and even agricultural workers. These have expedited transactions and commercial exchanges and promoted the convenience of all parties concerned.
Furthermore, we have extended the services of our job order and contract of service personnel working in government. [applause] This will also afford them ample opportunity to work on their civil service eligibilities, while gaining additional relevant experience and training to upgrade their employment qualifications.
Our aggressive infrastructure development, business-friendly policies, investment and export promotions, foreign visits, and economic missions, are all aimed at generating not just jobs, but quality and competitive jobs.
A substantial number of investment pledges have already commenced operations, with many more at various stages of development. Sa bilang natin, bukod sa malaking kita para sa bansa, makakalikha ang mga ito ng mahigit dalawang-daan at dalawang libong trabaho para sa ating mga kababayan. [applause]
The rationalized incentives scheme under the CREATE Act has also made possible the generation of investments amounting to more than one trillion pesos, and more than a hundred thousand new jobs. This promising state of affairs is now beckoning us to create more — through the passage of the CREATE MORE Act. [applause]
Conscious efforts to improve the ease of doing business and delivering government services, through digitalization, integration, and streamlining of processes, have produced their intended multiplier effects. Cost savings from operations have translated to higher revenues and to more speedy transactions.
These have effectively addressed the fragmented, overlapping, and time-consuming procedures that had hindered optimal productivity in government.
Attributable to these transformative reforms, government services are becoming more efficient.
More and more systems are now digital and cashless, assimilating individuals, MSMEs, and even agricultural workers. These have expedited transactions and commercial exchanges and promoted the convenience of all parties concerned.
Ang Palen-QR ay isa sa mga programang unti-unting lumalakas ang hatak sa publiko at dumarami ang gumagamit.
Bolstering our Cybercrime Prevention Act, the recently passed Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act will further protect the public by heightening the responsibility and security systems of banks and financial institutions, and imposing high criminal liabilities on social engineering schemes and money mules.
Job placement also has seen significant progress, especially through our Public Employment Service Offices (or PESOs) nationwide. PESOs have harnessed IT capabilities and improved labor-industry coordination. Collectively, they boast a job placement success rate of ninety-eight percent. [applause]
Likewise, due to shortened timelines, we have recorded a significant increase in new business and corporate registrations, including foreign firms, which surpassed last year’s numbers.
The observed chokepoints in our food supply chains and in the logistics sector are now being removed. And, at the same time, the identified gaps are being filled in, to make them efficient, interconnected, and seamless, saving precious time and cost.
The approval of energy projects is moving towards complete virtual integration of its required procedures. The expedited processing of our infrastructure flagship projects under the Build Better More program shall also follow suit.
Our digital infrastructure was substantially strengthened courtesy of common towers that more than tripled in number since last year, owing to streamlining of permitting requirements.
Air transport and tourism have been made more convenient, because of the shift to paperless immigration and customs forms, thanks to the E-Travel system. Soon, the piloted E-Gates will be standard fixtures at airports, to further facilitate ease of mobility during departures and arrivals.
With all these said, the implementation of the Philippine E-Visa will be next in our digital transformation agenda. [applause]
Let us now go to tourism, because we, in the Philippines, have no less than seven thousand six hundred forty-one beautiful reasons to tap the potential of our tourism sector, for which our archipelagic nation is internationally renowned and from which many Filipinos derive their livelihood.
While a resurgence in this all-important sector is being observed, pre-pandemic data present to us a great challenge that we must surpass.
It is a challenge that is well within our grasp.
Our infrastructure and digital reforms, through development of tourism sites and the enhancement of the overall tourist experience, are all calculated to boost the productivity of the tourism sector. While doing so, we shall interpose the wholesome and hospitable Filipino brand in all the key tourism touchpoints — from tourist arrival all the way to departure.
But the tourism challenge has already evolved, and now requires a multi-faceted strategy. The focus is now on “experiential tourism”.
Food, culture, heritage and the arts, education, halal and Islamic traditions, dive, cruise, farm and eco-tourism, even sports, now have become potent subjects and products of a nation’s tourism.
This is an imperative that we elevate and expand our understanding of the “one town, one product”, or OTOP, concept. It must not inhibit, but rather, inspire. We must not rest content to have just “one”. Rather, we must seek the “optimal” number of high-quality products and services, which at the same time showcase our community’s distinctive history, traditions, and talents.
Filipino creativity and ingenuity will enliven and unlock the as yet untapped potential of these new facets of Philippine tourism.
Through vital partnerships with like-minded states, we have been able to promote our mutual interests, resulting not only in investments here and our strengthened national security, but also in quality jobs for our nationals seeking foreign employment.
Through intense Philippine lobbying, the United Nations has adopted the resolution on “Promoting and Protecting the Enjoyment of Human Rights of Seafarers.” This will ensure their safe and decent living and working conditions at sea — a human rights imperative.
For this, we convey our sincerest gratitude to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Lessons from history and current events teach us that peace and order is an essential ingredient of genuine prosperity and social development.
This is the path that we choose to take. Despite difficulties, despite our diversity and differences as a people, we are joined together by a unique history, and have constantly invested our energies and resources in strengthening the pillars of peace.
Our police, military, and coast guard undergo continuous capacity-building and asset-upgrading, so that they are better able to preserve the peace and defend our territory.
We have noted an overall decrease in crime rate and an improvement in crime-solution efficiency. [applause] But this is not enough. Our law enforcers need to earn the trust of our people.
The strong pillars of our criminal justice system, especially in light of the new rules on criminal investigation, and our independent Judiciary, function in unison.
In tandem with the justice system, COA’s audit mechanism works in harmony with our transparency, streamlining, and open government initiatives. All in all, these successfully foster a culture of accountability that curbs corruption in government.
With the newly-enacted Republic Act No. 12009 that I signed just last Saturday, government procurement will be modern and innovative, more streamlined and efficient, and truly at par with global best practices. [applause]
We sincerely thank Congress for its timely and decisive action in amending the twenty-year old law.
We have come a long way in our quest for a lasting and inclusive peace.
No guerilla fronts remain active across the country today. Only seven weakened groups remain to be dismantled, and they are the subject of focused operations. But along with the assertion of government might, we also offer peace, community development, and reintegration programs for those who have returned to the fold of the law.
Through a comprehensive and transformative approach, we have rebuilt not only lives, but also conflict-affected communities.
The implementation of peace agreements is now in its concluding phase. Former combatants now live peaceful and productive lives in their respective communities. Some of our former rebels are now absorbed into the AFP, serving in the defense of our Republic; while others are now part of the PNP BARMM.
Government will honor and fully comply with its remaining deliverables and commitments under these agreements. [applause]
In November last year, we signed proclamations granting amnesty to former rebels. A month later, and then in June of this year, the House of Representatives and the Senate issued their respective resolutions concurring with these amnesty proclamations.
That Congress is one with us, is a testament to the whole nation’s sincere desire for peace.
In such a short period, the BARMM has impressively established the strong foundation for its progressive autonomous social development.
Investments continue to pour into the BARMM. Last year, investments in the region increased by one hundred forty percent year-on-year.
The improved peace and order situation, good governance — not to mention high hopes and confidence amongst its people — all contribute to the reasons why BARMM’s poverty index has significantly decreased since 2018. [applause]
In Marawi, the rehabilitation and rebuilding continue — under the supervision now of the Office of the President. [applause] Our focus remains on restoring energy, water, and livable communities.
As of today, all seven inter-governmental mechanisms of the BARMM, as mandated under the Organic Law, have been organized and activated. These will guarantee effective and constant consultation between the Bangsamoro and the National Governments in the fundamental aspects of governance.
Five out of the seven essential laws for the BARMM have already been enacted by the BTA Parliament. Now, it has its own Administrative Code, it has its own Local Government Code, Election Code, and those for Education and the Civil Service as well.
With these inspiring developments, the BARMM appears primed and ready for its first regular elections – the first ones that they will have – in the coming year. [applause]
On the fight against dangerous drugs, our bloodless war on dangerous drugs adheres, and will continue to adhere, to the established “8 Es” of an effective anti-illegal drugs strategy. Extermination was never one of them. [applause]
Yet, in more than seventy-one thousand five hundred operations, it has resulted in the seizure of more than forty-four billion pesos worth of illegal drugs, and the arrest of more than ninety-seven thousand drug personalities.
More than six thousand of those arrested were high-value targets. Four hundred forty of them were government employees, of whom forty-two were uniformed personnel. Seventy-seven were elected officials. [applause]
So to further paralyze their operations, dirty money and assets worth more than five hundred million pesos have been frozen and preserved. With strong case build-up and efficient prosecution, the drug conviction rate is at a high of seventy-nine percent. [applause]
Together with this, we welcome the report that the number of drug-affected barangays in our country has been reduced by thirty-two percent. [applause]
In our international relations we have faced challenges to our territorial sovereignty, we will assert our rights and interests in the same fair and pacific way that we have always done. [applause] Proper diplomatic channels and mechanisms under the rules-based international order remain the only acceptable means of settling disputes.
Peace and community-building will always be our clarion call, especially when the country serves as chair and the host of the ASEAN Summit in 2026.
We continuously try to find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas with our counterparts, without compromising our position and our principles. I know that our neighbors too are doing their very best to make this work.
The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver. [applause]
We are now more conscious as a people, and strategic in heightening our aerial and maritime domain awareness. We are continuing to strengthen our defense in posture, both through developing self-reliance and through partnerships with like-minded states.
Laws on our Maritime Zones and Archipelagic Sea Lanes make sure that this intergenerational mandate — this duty — will firmly take root in the hearts and minds of all our people.
Let us now turn to our Economic Status and Prospects. In spite of the headwinds that we have faced, we stayed the course. The country exhibits healthy signs of post-pandemic resilience comparable to strong economies in our region.
Our poverty rate has significantly dropped to 15.5%, down from 18% in 2021. This present figure is even lower than the pre-pandemic level of 16.7% in 2018.
To sustain the country’s economic gains, we are promoting investment-led growth. We have set in motion policies and programs to create an environment conducive for businesses to thrive, like reforms in the capital markets, and implementation of “green lanes”.
As a result, we have “green-lane certified” around a hundred projects with a total investment of about three trillion pesos across the sectors of renewable energy, digital infrastructure, food security, and manufacturing.
The Philippine financial system remains robust and resilient. Tax and non-tax revenue collection was also efficient, in pace with our rejuvenated economy. Notably, for the past two years, our GOCCs have remitted dividends to the National Government with a combined tally exceeding their contributions in 2022. [applause]
To build on these, and guided by strong fiscal discipline, our proposed government budget for this year was crafted with utmost care, diligence, and meticulous attention.
We look to the cooperation of our colleagues in the Legislature, not only that our proposed National Budget be approved in your usual timely manner, but it be adhered to as closely as possible.
We expect all agencies to ensure that every centavo allocated will be judiciously spent for our urgent priorities and socially impactful programs.
Effective today, all POGOs are banned. I hereby instruct PAGCOR to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year. The DOLE, in coordination with our economic managers, shall use the time between now and then to find new jobs for our countrymen who will be displaced.
This will solve many of the problems that we are encountering. It will solve many of the problems that we have been encountering, but it will not solve all of them.
To solve all the problems that we have been suffering under, all officials, law enforcers, workers in government and most of all the citizenry must always be vigilant, principled, and think of the health of the nation.
So, ladies and gentlemen, let me end by recalling the words of a great man: Let not anyone pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.
He is not a good man- he is not a good man who without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name.
.
Rawalpindi, 22 July 2024 (Daily Dawn)
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif on Monday said that a “massive, illegal political mafia” in the country was trying to sabotage the state’s Azm-i-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability) campaign to fulfil its vested interests.
Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, the military’s spokesperson said that the purpose of his presser was to “clarify the army’s stance on some important topics”, amid the recent rise of “organised propaganda” against the armed forces based on “false and concocted news”.
Responding to a question regarding the potential of displacement in key areas as a result of the said operation, Lt Gen Sharif said that “very important issues were being sacrificed on the altar of politics”, adding that Azm-i-Istehkam was one such example.
He stressed that it was a “comprehensive counter-terrorism campaign” launched through national consensus and was “not just a military operation as it was being portrayed”.
Last month, the federal government approved the operation to counter a sharp rise in terrorist attacks across the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
“A narrative is being built that the operation would displace people […] but the purpose of the operation was only to reinvigorate the already in-place National Action Plan (NAP),” the DG ISPR said, adding that the document of the operation clearly mentioned that.
“A massive illegal, political mafia rose to sabotage the campaign and the first move of that mafia was to make the operation controversial through false and fake arguments.”
Without naming who he was referring to, Lt Gen Sharif added that a “very strong lobby” had a “vested interest” because of which it didn’t want the NAP to succeed, adding that the entity in question was “receiving a lot of money” to subvert the campaign.
“The stakes in [sabotaging] this [campaign] are very high, and it’s not based on any ideology but involves a lot of money,” he said. 'if Operation Azm-i-Istehkam was properly implemented, it would not only eliminate terrorism but also lead to societal and national uplift. he added.
Questioned about an alleged audio leak of TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, the DG ISPR questioned what brand of Islam the militant was preaching that involved blowing up schools, colleges, hospitals, and homes.
“[Such narratives and actions] will be taken to their logical end,” he said, adding that they “only strengthened our resolve that Azm-i-Istehkam was necessary” for the country’s stability and security.
Earlier this month, the military’s top brass had expressed concern at what it said was “unwarranted criticism by some quarters and deliberate misrepresentation” of Azm-i-Istehkam.
Tried to resolve issues with TLP through ‘dialogue’
When asked about the recent sit-in by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Islamabad, he said the issue at its core was related to the ongoing conflict in Palestine.
“This is a very important and sensitive issue. It should be clear that the state and army have a clear stance on the issue of Palestine: it is a genocide and unacceptable,” Lt Gen Sharif said.
He added Pakistan had already sent over 1,100 tonnes of aid to Palestine.
DG Sharif further said that the government and institutions were trying to resolve the issue of the TLP sit-in through dialogue without violence considering the sensitivity of the matter.
“Meanwhile, fake news and propaganda began that they (TLP) were brought here by the institution itself. For what purpose?” He also questioned if the military would be blamed for every other protest in the country. “The problem is that, unfortunately, fake news and propaganda have become so common and there is no accountability for it.”
The DG ISPR questioned if the use of force to break up the TLP sit-in would have assuaged everyone that the military was not behind it. “We have engaged ourselves in such negative ways of thinking that we come up with all sorts of conspiracy theories,” he added.
‘Digital Terrorism’
Questioned about criticism of and the narrative against the army and its leadership on social media, Lt Gen Sharif said: “What is happening is digital terrorism. 'Digital terrorists' were using tools such as cell phones, computers, falsehood, and propaganda to impose their will on society just like regular terrorists do.
The DG ISPR questioned the lack of action against such individuals despite their activities against the leadership of the state and other institutions. “Instead of the courts and regulations moving forward against them, they’re given further space and they’re made heroes in the name of freedom of expression,” he said.
Ankara, 18 July 2024 (Anadolu News)
The Turkish parliament on Thursday passed a resolution regarding the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation.
In a resolution, the Turkish parliament said: “Northern Cyprus can no longer be delayed in taking its rightful place as an independent and sovereign member of the international community.”
“We call on the international community to end the inhumane isolation imposed on the Turkish Cypriot people and to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the manner it deserves,” said the resolution passed in the Turkish parliament.
The resolution underlined that the Turkish Cypriot people, with the support of Türkiye, have been making sincere efforts towards a “fair, lasting, and sustainable solution.”
"However, despite the constructive role of the Turkish side in the negotiation process that has been ongoing for more than 50 years, no result has been achieved due to the uncompromising attitude of the Greek side," said the resolution.
"While the Greek Cypriots have been rewarded with EU membership, the Turkish Cypriots have been subjected to unjust and inhumane isolation, restrictions, and embargoes."
"The two-state solution policy is the only way to ensure stability and lasting peace in the Mediterranean region,” it said, adding: “The existence of two separate peoples and states on the island should no longer be ignored."
“Türkiye will continue to be the guarantor of the freedom and prosperity of the Turkish Cypriots, fulfilling its responsibilities as a 'guarantor state' and 'motherland' with sensitivity, as it has done so far,” the resolution noted.
“The full support of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and the Republic of Türkiye for the TRNC will continue under all circumstances and without interruption,” it added.
The island of Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
Ethnic attacks starting in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.
In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece’s annexation of the island led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence. As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983.
The Greek Cypriot administration was admitted to the EU in 2004, the same year Greek Cypriots thwarted a UN plan to end the longstanding dispute.
Doha, 14 July 2024 (QT)
By H.E. Dr. M. Mustafa
Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye in Doha
On the evening of July 15, 2016, “Fethullah Terrorist Organization” (FETÖ), led by Fethullah Gülen who has been residing in the US for more than 20 years, launched a bloody coup attempt against the people and the democratically elected Turkish government. Their aim was to replace the legitimate government with a radical, fundamentalist regime, loyal only to their cult leader.
To understand what transpired, one has to understand the true nature of FETÖ, which was established in the late 1960’s as a so-called “religious movement”. In the guise of promoting education and inter-religious dialogue, it managed to cover its malign intentions by portraying itself as “representing the modern and moderate Islam” and hiding behind notions like integration and dialogue.
By abusing of the most sacred national and spiritual values, FETÖ affiliated radicalstook on different identities in the societies in which they live so as to cover their ill intentions in different countries.
Therefore, the well-planned and wide-spread infiltration by FETÖ members and converts into the army, law enforcement, judiciary and numerous government institutions was carried out for decades clandestinely for an overarching plan, of which the final phase was unleashed on July 15, 2016.
This shady organization structure and its cynical, opportunist and corrupted elements, who abuse all universal values, constitute a serious threat all countries around the world. In addition to its terrorist character, FETÖis also an espionage organization. Therefore, what we witnessed on that night was also an invasion attempt disguised as a coup.
For this reason,state institutions, including the Turkish Parliament and the Turkish Presidency, which represent the free will of nation with elected Deputies and President, were attacked byFETÖ terrorist members with heavy weaponry of tanks, fighter jets and helicopters.
On that dark night, as a result of these terrorist acts by FETÖ traitors, 251 Turkish innocent civilian sewer martyred and more than 2000 people were injured as they were defending Turkish democracy, state and its independence.
The commitment to democracy and independence of those people who stopped the tanks is an example to the whole world.
On the occasion of our July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, I pray for the mercy of Allah upon our heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives while standing up for their state, nation, independence, and will.
Furthermore, on behalf of the Turkish government and nation, I would like to reiterate our sincere gratitude and thanks to H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, who was the first foreign leader of expressing solidarity with Turkish people and government by holding a phone call with H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye and to H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, for quickly payinga solidarity visit to Türkiye just after the failed coup attempt.
These acts not only strengthened friendly and brotherly ties between Türkiye and Qatar, but also demonstrated all the world that Qatar is always be in the league of right.
As we commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Democracy and National Unity Day of July 15, Türkiye is more committed and dedicated to undertake active role in the field of diplomacy, economy and security for regional and international stability. At this point, it is the highest priority of our improving relations with regional countries, in particular Qatar.
Today, Türkiye is the fifth largest diplomatic network globally with its 261 missions (146 Embassies, 99 Consulate Generals, 13 Permanent Representations, and more). The number of our missions abroad reveals that we are not only a regional power but also global one.
Türkiye’s this diplomatic strength serves for building a just world. In this regard, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the administration of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Türkiye pays extraordinary diplomatic efforts for reaching out a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and prisoner swap deal as well as ending of humanitarian tragedy of Palestinian people in Gaza Strip. Currently, Türkiye is also top humanitarian aid provider to Gaza, dispatching %32 of total aid.
On this issue, the coordination and cooperation between Türkiye and Qatar is at the highest possible level. Türkiye strongly supports Qatar’s mediation efforts that would result in a truce, leading to an end to the war, protecting the Palestinians from further suffering and enhancing security, stability and peace in the region.
Following the failed coup attempt, Türkiye accelerated to enhance its infrastructure and industry capacity with the realization of many significant strategic projects. Istanbul Airport is a gateway to the world. Çanakkale Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, along with Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge Avrasya Tunnel, connects the Asia and Europe, on which TOGG, first indigenous electric car, rapidly increases its visibility day by day.
The completion of these projects as well as many other investments became a propelling power behind a vivid economic system. With regard to economy following the failed coup attempt, Türkiye maintained its production and export oriented economic policies. Turkish exports broke the Republican era record, reaching almost $260 billion in 2023despite all regional and global challenges.
Furthermore, Türkiye achieved self-sufficiency with a special focus on domestic and national character in its defence industry. While Türkiye’s domestic production rate in the defence industry was below 20% in 2000, it increased to 85% in 2023.Türkiye can now produce with its own means nearly all of the weapons that needs. What is more, Türkiye exported 230 different items of defence and aerospace productions to 185 countries in the last decade. TCG Anadolu, KAAN, Atak, Hürkuş, Bayraktar and Akıncı are just some of the prominent production of local projects.
Türkiye’s stability is a key for the realization of all these achievements. Therefore, our resolute commitment to fight against terrorism is among our top priorities. In addition to FETÖ, the cross-border military operations against PKK, YPG and DEASH enabled us to eradicate terror threats inits source.
Thanks to the secure environment, the number of tourists visiting Türkiye in 2023reached to 57 million people. In 2023, İstanbul is the second most-visited city in the world, attracting 17.5 million tourists, while the Mediterranean province of Antalya stood at the fourth rank with16.5 million visitors. In addition to these cities, Trabzon, Kapadokya, İzmir, Gaziantep, Diyarbakır, Bodrum, Pamukkale, Fethiye and many other cities have myriad touristic and historic sites that attract millions of tourists every year.
In a nutshell, following the failed coup attempts of July 15 and regional challenges, Türkiye, with its strengthened democracy and restructured institutional capacity, takes firm steps forward brighter future. Our strong commitment for next generations is to leave a more democratic and powerful Türkiye.
As we are leaving behind the 8th anniversary of the 15 July, we should never forget that the 15 July goes beyond a thwarting coup attempt. It is indeed a real victory of our democracy, national unity and independence. This victory is also one of the brightest examples of what our nation can sacrifice for its country and independence.
Once again, I would like to reiterate that we commemorate with respect and mercy our martyrs who gave their lives to defend our land and democracy, united against the terrorist organization's coup attempt, and extend our deep gratitude to our wounded citizens.
As more powerful and prosperous Türkiye, we will altogether continue to work for a better future in the world.
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