Departure Statement by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his Participation in the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits

Thank you, ES Luc Bersamin.

[Please. Please.]

Members of the Cabinet and our host – are they here? The – ‘Yun, okay. The Pasay Lone District Representative Antonino Calixto; Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan; major service commanders here present; the Philippine National Police Acting Chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez; and of course, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos; my fellow workers in government, good morning.

I leave today for Kuala Lumpur to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, upon the invitation of Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

This year’s Chairship is held under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” which underscores our shared commitment to a region that is united, resilient, and is responsive for the needs and aspirations of the people of ASEAN.

The Philippines fully supports Malaysia’s Chairship this year and its vision of an ASEAN that promotes meaningful, and inclusive and sustainable development.

At this Summit, I will join fellow ASEAN Leaders in reaffirming our commitment to ASEAN Centrality as we navigate pressing regional and global challenges, including developments in the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, threats to regional peace and maritime security, as well as the far-reaching impacts of climate change, economic volatility, and transnational crime.

I will continue to champion our advocacies in promoting an open, inclusive, and rules-based international order, and for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.

I will also highlight the Philippines’ commitment to rules-based multilateral trading system, a vital compass as we navigate today’s complex geoeconomic challenges.

During these Summits, we will also welcome Timor-Leste as the newest member of ASEAN.

Further, Malaysia will be turning over the ASEAN Chairship to the Philippines, marking the symbolic beginning of our turn as Chair.

As always, our participation in the ASEAN Summit reaffirms our dedication to deepening regional cooperation and to advancing the well-being of every Filipino, and the entire Southeast Asian community.

The strength of ASEAN depends in the individual strength and prosperity of its members. Thus, we are strengthening our bureaucracy, making it more responsive, accountable, and transparent in serving Filipino people.

The Department of Public Works and Highways continues to review projects and contracts and to file cases against those who have perpetrated corruption.

In addition, DPWH has looked into the pricing of construction materials and found that several items, like asphalt, steel bar, cement, were overpriced by as much as 50 percent.

Actually, there are some egregious examples which even more than that.

In order to ensure that the costs of DPWH will reflect the costs of the market and to ensure that the people’s money is correctly spent, I have directed the DPWH Secretary to bring down the cost of materials by as much as 50 percent which will result in savings in the Capital Outlay spending of at least thirty to forty-five billion pesos. This is money that we can use for services such as health, education, and food, that our people desperately need.

At the same time, the Bureau of Internal Revenue will recalibrate its priorities and ensure that all those found complicit in the irregularities surrounding flood control projects are held fully accountable under the law.

We will uphold fairness in our tax system. We assure our micro, small, and medium enterprises and large corporations who have been lawfully paying their taxes, that you will be treated justly.

We are just moving the focus from the MSMEs and from the auditing of large corporations. We are moving those efforts towards these questionable projects that we have been able to find.

Department of Finance has also instructed the BIR to look into the possible exemption of certain taxpayer segments from the obligation of withholding and remitting creditable withholding taxes, and the simplification and lowering of the applicable creditable withholding tax rates.

With this we hope to provide relief to majority of our taxpayers burdened by complex tax compliance requirements without revenues to be foregone.

In the same vein and following my directive on providing tax relief to those who need it the most—our employees, DOF and the BIR have submitted to us proposals for the increase of the ceilings for the tax-exempt de minimis benefits.

As an example, the uniform and clothing allowance of more than 7000 pesos per year is subject to tax. Since costs of clothing has risen, we are looking at increasing the de minimis ceiling to 8000 pesos a year.

These changes are not just about numbers—they are about fairness and dignity in the workplace. Every Filipino worker deserves to benefit from the nation’s growth.

We hear our people’s call for government interventions to lower the price of goods, especially food. We are strictly enforcing and monitoring the implementation of the maximum suggested retail price for imported rice. We continue to make available affordable rice, including the twenty-peso rice program. The Department of Trade and Industry continues to monitor and work with the manufacturers to temper prices, especially in time [for] the holiday season.

Through these efforts, we aim to build a future-ready Philippines and an ASEAN that is not only competitive but people-centered and sustainable.

Thank you all very much. Good morning.

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