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The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Plan to install stairlifts in Borobudur to welcome Macron draws controversy
Various religious leaders, along with Buddhist priests and monks, walking around the Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, during a pradakshina ritual on Aug 17, 2024, to commemorate the 79th Independence Day. - Antara JAKARTA: The government's plan to install stairlifts and iron ramps at Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple in Magelang, Central Java, ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit, has sparked concerns among the public. Many have taken to social media to express worries that the installation of the stairlift, which is typically used in homes to help people navigate stairs, could harm the structure of Borobudur, especially considering the damage to the ancient temple caused by overtourism in recent years. Hasan Nasbi, head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), said the stairlift was necessary to accommodate both President Macron and President Prabowo Subianto, arguing that climbing Borobudur's 12-tier stairway in formal attire during a brief official visit would be both impractical and exhausting. 'The French president has very limited time to visit Borobudur, unlike us, who can spend the entire day there during holidays. His schedule is packed, so the facility is necessary to save time,' Hasan said on Monday (May 26), as reported by Tribunnews. 'Besides, climbing 12 flights of stairs would leave both presidents sweating and their suits wrinkled, which is not ideal for a state visit,' he added. Hasan stated that the stairlift would be installed between the fifth and eighth levels of the temple. He also assured the public that the installation would follow strict conservation guidelines, with the Culture Ministry closely overseeing the project to ensure the temple's preservation. "There will be no nails or bolts; the stairlift will just be [...] positioned in place. Once the project is finished, it can be easily removed," he said, as reported by Antaranews. Culture Minister Fadli Zon stressed that the stairlift was necessary to improve accessibility at Borobudur, particularly for people with disabilities. "It's about inclusivity. Many iconic ancient sites have installed similar structures, including the Pantheon and the Acropolis in Greece, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica in Italy, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, as well as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China," he said as quoted by Kompas. Unesco recognises Borobudur as one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, designating it a World Heritage site in 1991. The temple was constructed in the eighth and ninth centuries during the Syailendra dynasty. The main temple is a stupa built in three tiers around a hill. The structure consists of a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the base a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. On its circular platforms, the temple hosts 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. In recent years, the Borobudur Conservation Center has conducted research on the impact of tourism on the ancient structure. The findings revealed that constant foot traffic has eroded the temple's stone stairs, with some areas showing indentations up to 5cm deep. The centre also reported that acts of vandalism by visitors have contributed to further damage to the temple. Following these findings, the government introduced a daily limit of 1,200 visitors allowed to climb the temple in 2023 to help preserve its structure. Visitors are also required to wear special sandals called upanat, made from pandan leaves and coconut, with soles crafted from EVA foam to reduce friction while climbing the Borobudur stairs. Macron is scheduled to visit Indonesia from Wednesday to Thursday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Paris and Jakarta. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos on Cabinet revamp: Expect rigorous review
"Expect us to be doing a rigorous performance review, not only at the Cabinet level, but even deeper,'' Marcos said during a press briefing with Philippine media in Kuala Lumpur, where he is attending the ASEAN summit. Mohd Rasfan/Pool via REUTERS/ File photo KUALA LUMPUR — President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said that the Cabinet revamp he ordered was not for "optics," adding that the public should expect a rigorous performance review of Cabinet secretaries and heads of agencies. At a press briefing with the Philippine media delegation, Marcos was asked for updates on his order to Cabinet secretaries last week to submit their courtesy resignations, with the aim to 'recalibrate' his administration following the midterm polls. ''As we're doing [a] performance review, when we see shortfalls in performance, I don't leave it at that. I look and ask why is that the case and that is why we asked all the heads of agencies to also submit their courtesy resignations because we have to look deeper, not just look at the secretaries,'' Marcos said. ''You know, siguro by now you know I don't do things pang-optics... if there's a problem, I'd like to fix it. So that's what we're doing. Expect us to be doing a rigorous performance review, not only at the Cabinet level, but even deeper,'' he added. Marcos did not accept the resignation of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who recently disclosed changes in the Cabinet posts. The President also retained his economic team. Marcos refused to provide details when asked about the latest Cabinet movement. The request for courtesy resignations will give the President the elbow room 'to evaluate the performance of each department and determine who will continue to serve in line with his administration's recalibrated priorities,'' the Presidential Communications Office said. The PCO said government services would remain uninterrupted as stability, continuity, and meritocracy will guide the formation of his leadership team moving forward. Marcos' directive came days after he said that the results of Eleksyon 2025 showed that the people are "tired of politics and they are disappointed with the government." — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Economic team affirms support for Marcos amid Cabinet shakeup
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and some members of his economic team (Photo: Presidential Communications Office) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s alter egos overseeing the country's economic, trade, and investment sectors have complied with his call for the courtesy resignations of Cabinet secretaries as the chief executive aims to revamp his administration following the May 12 midterm elections. In a statement, Marcos said that 'it's time to realign government with the people's expectations' on the heels of his pronouncement that the results of Eleksyon 2025 showed that the people are "tired of politics and they are disappointed with the government." The President said his directive was meant to give him elbow room 'to evaluate the performance of each department and determine who will continue to serve in line with his administration's recalibrated priorities.' The government's chief economic manager, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, expressed full support for Marcos' decision. 'The President carries the heavy burden of leading the nation through complex global and domestic challenges. This bold decision was made with his desire to put people and country first. That I serve at the pleasure of the President is a thought that has never been lost on me from the day I assumed office,' Recto said. 'I have already submitted my courtesy resignation without delay nor reservation,' the Finance chief said. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman —who chairs the Cabinet-level macroeconomic-targeting Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)—said, 'I will submit my resignation.' 'We all serve at the pleasure of the President. I support all of his decisions, knowing that they are always made with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind. We stand firmly with the President as he steers the nation and our economy forward with integrity, transparency, courage, and compassion,' Pangandaman said. Economic Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told GMA News Online that 'I'm submitting my courtesy resignation today.' 'If deemed necessary, I stand ready to hand over the leadership to someone the President believes can better drive our nation's development goals,' Balisacan said in a separate statement. Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said, 'I serve at the pleasure of the President and will follow his directive!' Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs also confirmed he has submitted his courtesy resignation. The Marcos administration's economic team is targeting to bring down the poverty rate to 9% by 2028. It also aims to reduce the country's debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio to below 60% by 2028. It also hopes to achieve economic growth rate of 6% to 8% between 2025 and 2028. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
Daily Maverick
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Philippines' Marcos asks cabinet secretaries to resign in government reset
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has asked all cabinet secretaries to submit their resignations, a move his office described on Thursday as a "bold reset" that will enable him to overhaul his government to better meet public expectations. The sweeping directive comes just over a week after a disappointing midterm election for the administration, widely seen as a referendum on Marcos' leadership. 'This is not about personalities — it's about performance, alignment, and urgency,' Marcos said in a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office. 'Those who have delivered and continue to deliver will be recognised. But we cannot afford to be complacent. The time for comfort zones is over.' Marcos failed to secure a sweep of Senate seats for his allies, signalling a divided legislative landscape heading into the second half of his single six-year term. Candidates aligned with his estranged vice president, Sara Duterte, outperformed expectations in what many viewed as a proxy battle between the two camps. 'This is not business as usual,' Marcos said. 'The people have spoken, and they expect results — not politics, not excuses. We hear them, and we will act,' he said. Marcos has faced a steep decline in public support, according to a March survey by Pulse Asia, with only 25% of Filipinos approving of his performance, down from 42% previously. In stark contrast, Duterte enjoyed a significantly higher approval rating of 59%. Sentiment towards the government has soured due in part to a perceived failure to control inflation, a top concern of Filipino households, even though it has been back within the central bank's 2% to 4% target range since August.
Daily Express
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Philippines' Marcos asks cabinet secretaries to resign in government reset
Published on: Thursday, May 22, 2025 Published on: Thu, May 22, 2025 Text Size: Marcos failed to secure a sweep of Senate seats for his allies, signalling a divided legislative landscape heading into the second half of his single six-year term. MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has asked all cabinet secretaries to submit their resignations, a move his office described on Thursday as a 'bold reset' that will enable him to overhaul his government to better meet public expectations. The sweeping directive comes just over a week after a disappointing midterm election for the administration, widely seen as a referendum on Marcos' leadership. 'This is not about personalities — it's about performance, alignment, and urgency,' Marcos said in a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office. 'Those who have delivered and continue to deliver will be recognised. But we cannot afford to be complacent. The time for comfort zones is over.' Marcos failed to secure a sweep of Senate seats for his allies, signalling a divided legislative landscape heading into the second half of his single six-year term. Candidates aligned with his estranged vice president, Sara Duterte, outperformed expectations in what many viewed as a proxy battle between the two camps. Advertisement 'This is not business as usual,' Marcos said. 'The people have spoken, and they expect results — not politics, not excuses. We hear them, and we will act,' he said. Marcos has faced a steep decline in public support, according to a March survey by Pulse Asia, with only 25% of Filipinos approving of his performance, down from 42% previously. In stark contrast, Duterte enjoyed a significantly higher approval rating of 59%. Sentiment towards the government has soured due in part to a perceived failure to control inflation, a top concern of Filipino households, even though it has been back within the central bank's 2% to 4% target range since August. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
