Speech of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Launching of PBBM-Gabay ng Bayan Programs (delivered by House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos on behalf of the President)

A good day to all.

As we gather for the launching of the PBBM-GABAY ng Bayan Programs, we are reminded that education is a right that must reach every Filipino, no matter how far, how poor, how marginalized, or how difficult.

When we speak of inclusive education, we speak in measurable, concrete, and sustained commitments to bring opportunities and hope closer to our learners and every family.

Last year, during the State of the Nation Address, I committed to establishing a scholarship program for our top-performing graduates from both public and private senior high schools and from technical vocational institutions.

This way they may pursue degree and technical vocational education and training. Diploma programs aligned with our country’s hard-to-fill and high-priority sectors.

Today, we are fulfilling that promise.

In partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), DepEd, and TESDA, we are launching the Bagong Pilipinas Merit-Based Scholarship Program or BPMSP.

Through this scholarship, the top five graduates of each senior high school nationwide will have the opportunity to pursue in any high-performing higher education or technical vocational institution, undergraduate degree, or TVET diploma programs.

These programs shall be aligned with our national priority sectors based on our country’s real and urgent needs that, if left unaddressed, would hold back national development.

And to ensure that the BPMSP is carried out with clarity and integrity, we will formalize this commitment through the signing of the BPMSP policies and guidelines today.

But scholarships alone will not solve every barrier.

We know that for many Filipino families, the first obstacle is access. And often, access begins with something basic – information.

That is why we are also launching Project Patuloy na Edukasyon, Patuloy na Pag-Ahon or Project PEPA, a nationwide information caravan for families under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Through Project PEPA, we bring clear and timely information on government-funded education opportunities directly to students and their families.

This initiative will reach around 490,000 senior high school graduates from 4Ps households. Because when families are informed, they are empowered. When students know what is available, they can plan their future with confidence.

In an age where data shapes decisions and drives accountability, we developed CHED-TANAW, the Commission’s National Higher Education Data Visualization Platform.

CHED-TANAW provides an integrated, data-driven view of higher education institutions, higher education enrollment, scholarships, and graduate outcomes.

It strengthens transparency, it supports better policymaking, and through interactive maps and official data, it guides students towards legitimate and recognized institutions across the Philippines.

Taken together, these initiatives reflect a coherent approach to higher education reform, expanding access, strengthening institutions, and ensuring that every peso invested in education yields value for the Filipino people.

But even as we build programs and platforms, we must recognize that none of this is possible without our teachers.

To the newly promoted teachers who have taken their oaths under the Expanded Career Progression once again, congratulations po sa inyong lahat! Well deserved.

Since I was young, I’ve been surrounded by educators. From my grandmother to my mother and now to my wife, I have seen the countless sacrifices that teachers make every day.

May this achievement inspire you not only to broaden your skills and horizons, but to continue shaping the character of our learners.

To our students, samantalahin ninyo ang mga oportunidad na ito upang makapag-aral at mapaunlad ang inyong sarili.

To our education agencies and institutions, I trust that we will always remain united in purpose, guided by commitment and shared responsibility for generations to come.

Together, let us build a Bagong Pilipinas where education is a sturdy foundation for stronger families, a more capable workforce, and a more progressive nation.

Maraming salamat. Mabuhay tayong lahat, at mabuhay po ang Bagong Pilipinas. [applause]

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