Latest news with #Ferdinand"Bongbong"MarcosJr
GMA Network
05-08-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
India offers free e-visas to Filipino tourists
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the "gratis e-tourist visas for Filipinos" following his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. India will offer e-visas free of charge to Filipino tourists as part of "facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges." Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the "gratis e-tourist visas for Filipinos" following his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Marcos is in New Delhi for a state visit on the invitation of the Prime Minister. "I reiterated the introduction of visa-free entry privileges and extended our invitation for more Indian tourists to visit the Philippines," Marcos said. "I thank Prime Minister Modi in turn for the introduction of a scheme to grant visa free of charge to Filipino tourists traveling to India," he added. The visa privileges were also mentioned in the Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the two countries, signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. "Facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges. In this regard, the two leaders welcomed the grant of visa-free privileges to Indian tourists by the Philippines, and the extension of gratis e-tourist visa for Filipino nationals by India," the declaration read. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
30-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos: PH 'fierce' in adhering to rules-based order amid WPS tensions
The Philippines will continue to be fierce and vocal in pushing for rules-based international order, according to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. "We continue to be a vocal and fierce advocate for adherence to the rules-based international order," Marcos said in The President's Report to the People 2022-2025, referring to the country's sustained diplomatic and legal response to the tensions in the West Philippine Sea. Marcos said the Philippines' foreign policy remains guided by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea. The President reported that the Department of Foreign Affairs lodged a total of 219 diplomatic protests from July 1, 2022 to May 9, 2025 against China's continued "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions" in the region. During his fourth State of the Nation Address last Monday, Marcos underscored his administration's foreign policy: "The Philippines is a friend to all. The Philippines is an enemy to none." He also said that although efforts to defend the Philippines' rights would be heightened, the government would remain "patient" in performing the same. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." However, China has since refused to recognize the ruling. Marcos has been consistent that the Philippines would never give up a single inch of its territory to aggressors. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
ADB downgrades PH economic growth outlook for 2025, 2026
Multilateral lender Asian Development Bank (ADB) has downgraded its economic growth forecast for the Philippines and developing Asia and the Pacific for this year and the next, citing external headwinds such as global trade uncertainty and weaker domestic demand. In its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) released on Wednesday, the ADB said it now expects the Philippine economy to grow 5.6% this year, slower than the 6.0% it forecast in April. It also revised its 2026 growth outlook downward to 5.8% from 6.1%. "The ADB has lowered its growth forecasts for economies in developing Asia and the Pacific this year and next year. The downgrades are driven by expectations of reduced exports amid higher United States tariffs and global trade uncertainty, as well as weaker domestic demand," the ADB said in a separate statement. Economic officials last month slashed the economic growth target to average between 5.5% to 6.5% this year, and 6.0% to 7.0% for 2026 to 2028, also citing the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the United States. US President Donald Trump earlier announced a reduction on the tariff rate for goods from the Philippines to 19% from 20% previously with zero tariffs for US goods, after what he called a "beautiful visit" by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Marcos, the first Southeast Asian leader to meet Trump in his second term, said the agreement was a "significant achievement," as he clarified that the zero tariffs will only apply to certain markets. The ADB also downgraded its 2025 growth outlook for Southeast Asia to 4.2% from 4.7% previously, and for 2026 to 4.3% from 4.7%. "Asia and the Pacific has weathered an increasingly challenging external environment this year. But the economic outlook has weakened amid intensifying risks and global uncertainty," ADB Chief Economist Albert Park said. "Economies in the region should continue strengthening their fundamentals and promoting open trade and regional integration to support investment, employment, and growth," he added. Aside from tariffs, the ADB also cited the first quarter expansion of 5.4%, which was lower than expected, along with other macroeconomic figures. "Domestic demand grew 6.7%, supported by easing inflation and monetary policy. However, net exports dragged on growth as brisk imports outpaced exports," it said. Latest data available from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that the trade gap posted a $3.290-billion deficit in May, as exports stood at $7.288 billion and imports at $10.578 billion. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
First Lady Liza tells Marcos on Father's Day: You're the heart of our home
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Sunday shared a collage of photos of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr with their three sons in celebration of Father's Day. In her greeting, the First Lady said Marcos is not just an "amazing dad – you're the heart of our home.' 'Thanks for being the calm in our chaos and the king of our castle [even if I'm still the Queen],' the First Lady said in a social media post. 'Today, we celebrate the man our children look up to … and the husband I still look at with love [and occasional exasperation ]. Love you forever,' she added. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
PH negotiator to China, ASEAN is new foreign secretary
The Philippines' top negotiator to China and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been chosen as the new foreign affairs secretary in a major Cabinet reshuffle ordered by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Maria Theresa Lazaro will assume the post as Marcos' foreign affairs chief, replacing Enrique Manalo, who will return to his former post as Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, which he held from 2020 to June 30, 2022 under former President Rodrigo Duterte. Lazaro will take over the helm at the Department of Foreign Affairs on July 31, but she would still go through confirmation proceedings in Congress. A seasoned career diplomat, Lazaro, 66, negotiated a landmark agreement with China on a provisional arrangement for the Philippine delivery of supplies to Filipino forces at Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) to prevent a repeat of past confrontations. Signed in July 2024, the agreement that covers Ayungin and seeks to avoid altercations after a violent clash between Philippine Navy special forces and Chinese coast guard personnel on June 17, 2024 at the Philippine-occupied area. Since the forging of the agreement, succeeding resupply missions to the shoal have been peaceful with Chinese ships keeping watch at a distance. As DFA's Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN, Lazaro also leads negotiations for a crucial Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which aims to prevent a major conflict in the disputed waters, called by Manila as the West Philippine Sea. Lazaro, whose career in the foreign service largely focused on crafting Philippine foreign policy, spearheads negotiations for communiques in the ASEAN as the Philippines' representative to the bloc's senior official meetings or SOM. Lazaro retired from the Foreign Service in 2024, but was re-appointed by Marcos. She served multiple times at the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs, including as its assistant secretary. She was also Manila's ambassador to Paris and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. She served as ambassador to Switzerland, consul general to Sydney, and deputy consul general to New York. Early in her diplomatic career, Lazaro served at the Philippine Embassy in Madrid, the Philippine Mission to the UN in Geneva, and the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Maryknoll College and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
