
Marcos calls for greater political will in BIMP-EAGA
KUALA LUMPUR — President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday urged for a greater political will in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN region at the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summit.
The Philippines has affirmed a shared vision towards a prosperous BIMP-EAGA, according to Marcos.
''The path ahead calls for even greater synergy, innovation and political will. I am confident that through our cooperation, we can continue to transform these aspirations that we have held into lasting impacts for our people,'' Marcos said during the BIMP-EAGA Summit.
Launched in 1994, the BIMP-EAGA initiative boosts growth in trade, investments, and tourism through new intra-regional shipping routes and air links, as well as power interconnection projects.
Other key areas of cooperation include agribusiness, tourism, the environment, and socio-cultural education.
The Philippines serves as chairman of this year's BIMP-EAGA Summit. The last one was held in 2023 in Indonesia.
This was Marcos' second participation in the BIMP-EAGA Summit. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


GMA Network
12 hours ago
- GMA Network
Labor groups 'worried' about Marcos' statement on wage hike
Labor groups on Friday expressed concerns over President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr.'s statement about reviewing the proposed hike in minimum wage for workers. Lawyer Sonny Matula of the Federation of Free Workers emphasized that the bill granting a P200 increase on the daily minimum wage has already undergone scrutiny by lawmakers. 'Nababahala kami sa statement na dapat dumaan pa ito sa comprehensive review. Hindi na kinakailangan ang opinion ng Wage Boards sapagkat dumaan na ito sa mga debate and deliberation sa House at saka sa Senado,' Matula said. (We are concerned about it being subjected to a review and the Palace seeking the opinion of the wage boards. This bill has gone through debates in the House and Senate.) "Hindi naman po Court of Appeals ng Kongreso ang ating mga Wage board na dapat i-consulta pa sila sa nangyaring pagpasa o pinasang panukalang batas," added Matula. (The wage board is not the Court of Appeals which should be consulted over a bill already passed by Congress.) The statement comes after Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said that Marcos will look into the economic implications of the proposed increase. 'We will look at the economic implications of this and how to resolve this with the opinion of the wage boards since the wage boards are also the creations of the Congress,''' Castro said. Matula, however, urged Marcos to support the bill. "Dapat ay aprobahan na [ang wage hike] sapagkat matagal na itong kinakailangan," he said. (This should be approved as soon as possible because the public needs it badly.) "Palagay ko ay isang insulto para sa mga representante sa House at sa ating mga Senador na konsultahin pa yung ating mga regional wage boards," added Matula. (It would be an insult to the House and Senate members if they still had to consult the regional wage boards.) GMA News Online has reached out to the Palace for comment, but it has yet to reply as of posting time. Long overdue Jerome Adonis of Kilusang Mayo Uno backed Matula's call and also emphasized that a wage increase has been "long overdue." 'The labor sector has long fought for the P200 wage hike for minimum wage earners, and this is even small compared with the family living wage. Even so, we welcome this increase because this is long overdue. The Senate even passed its version way back in 2024,' Adonis said. 'Dahil dumaan na nga sa mahabang debate sa Kongreso, sa Senado, nag-present na ang both sides ng mga statistics na ito po ay kayang kaya at, in fact, mas maliit pa nga [sa ideal]. So wala nang rason ang presidente para hindi ito pirmahan,' he added. (This has already been debated in the House, Senate, and both sides have already put forward their points. It has been proven that this is doable, and the proposed amounts are even lower than what is ideal, so the President has no reason not to sign it.) The House version of the wage hike measure is P200 per day, a higher amount compared to the Senate version, which is just pegged at P100. The House and the Senate will have to reconcile their differing versions and ratify the reconciled version before the 19th Congress ends on June 13 for the bill to be ready for the President's signature. Veto? Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday expressed concern regarding the House of Representatives' approval of the bill and said that it might only get vetoed if adopted by the Senate. 'Parang ang tingin natin 'pag nangyari 'yan, diretsong veto. 'Yan ang kailangan din natin pagtuunan ng pansin kung ia-adopt natin 'yan kasi baka 'yan din 'yung dahilan ng iba na nandun sa Kamara para masiguro na ma-veto 'yan,' Villanueva told reporters. (I think that it may be directly vetoed by the President. That's what we also need to look at if we are going to adopt that because some House members may just use that to ensure that the bill will get vetoed.) Adonis, however, believes that this should not be a hindrance. 'Kaya bagaman magkaibang bersyon, sana hindi na siya hadlang at kaagad mag-convene ang bicameral committee ng Senado at Kongreso para i-decide kung magkano talaga... Huwag na nilang paghintayin yung mga manggagawa kasi 36 years tayong naghintay para sa legislative wage increase,' Adonis said. (So even if the bill has different versions, this should not be a hurdle, and Congress should immediately decide on the final amount and send it to the President for signature. They should not make the workers wait even longer because they have been waiting for this for 36 years.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
15 hours ago
- GMA Network
VP Sara: Eid'l Adha a reminder for compassion, courage
Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday expressed hope that the spirit of Eid'l Adha would serve as a reminder to Filipinos of the essence of courage, generosity, and compassion for others. In a video message, Duterte greeted the Muslim community for the celebration, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice. 'Sa okasyong ito, nawa'y magsilbing paalala sa ating lahat ang kahulugan ng sakripisyo, pananampalataya, at kabutihang-loob—mga bagay na mahalaga hindi lang sa ating pananampalataya kundi maging sa ating pang-araw-araw na buhay bilang isang sambayanan,' the Vice President said. (May this occasion serve as a reminder to all of us of the meaning of sacrifice, faith, and generosity—values that are important not only in our faith but also in our daily lives.) 'Ang diwa ng Eid al-Adha ay nagsisilbing paalala ng lakas ng loob, pagbibigayan, at malasakit sa kapwa—mga katangiang lubhang mahalaga sa kasalukuyang panahon,' she added. (The spirit of Eid al-Adha serves as a reminder of courage, generosity, and compassion—qualities that are very important at this time.) Eid'I Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, is a major holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide for three to four days with most of them attending the special prayers at major mosques and Islamic centers throughout the world. It is considered the second of two great Muslim festivals, the first being Eid'l Fitr. —VAL, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
18 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos urges Filipinos to reflect on nation-building this Eid'l Adha
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. urged Friday Filipinos to reflect on what kind of offering truly strengthens a nation as he joined the Muslim communities observe Eid'l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. In a message, Marcos said it is not in how much is given but in what is restored "the dignity where there was dismissal, fairness where there was neglect, and compassion where there was indifference." He said Eid'l Adha calls on Filipinos to remember that devotion reveals itself when they are asked to release what they once believe they could not give just like what Prophet Ibrahim did. "The story of Prophet Ibrahim endures because it leads us to the edge, to that thin border between obedience and resistance, where the soul must decide what truly matters. What stays in us is not the moment of sacrifice, but the silence that came before it. In that hush, we recognize something achingly familiar: the private reckonings, the sleepless discernments, and the places where we are caught in between," he said. Marcos said that what people brings closest to the Almighty is the giving up of certainty and letting go of pride. "Eid'l Adha invites us to embark on a more difficult journey—not towards a place, but towards a state of heart," he added. He further said when the people fully lay down their temporal concerns, they leave a special place for the Divine to take root "in our hearts and in our nation, where truth becomes a force that can shape the public good." "May the spirit of this sacred remembrance inspire Filipinos of all faiths to respond to what our times ask of us, and to leave behind not only victory but renewal. In doing so, we affirm that sacrifice, at its best, does not vanish but uplifts, and leaves something stronger," said Marcos.—AOL, GMA Integrated News