PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday said he would proactively confront constitutional issues hounding the nation, vowing to preserve and defend the country’s fundamental law and ensure the faithful execution of all other laws.
In his message during the commemoration of the Constitution Day 2024, Marcos said this year’s Constitution Day comes at such propitious timing, especially as constitutional issues have recently been brought to the fore, which could impact national consciousness.
“I will not stand idly by, but rather, will proactively confront these issues head on. For it is my sworn duty as elected President to preserve and defend the Constitution, and also to ensure that laws, especially the fundamental law of the land, are faithfully executed,” Marcos said during the Constitution Day commemoration held at the Makati Shangri La in Makati City.
“Moreover, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and having control and supervision over our Police Forces, I bear the paramount mandates of maintaining peace and order in our land, and in preserving our national territory and security,” he said.
However, such task is not his sole responsibility, Marcos said, saying the Judiciary, as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police are also mandated to defend the Republic and constitutional order.
And amid new call for a separate Mindanao, the President said it is doomed to fail because it is anchored on a false premise, not to mention a sheer constitutional travesty.
“The current leadership of BARMM itself has repudiated this preposterous proposal. And so did the other political leaders of Mindanao. This is because there can be, as in fact there is already, genuine and effective local autonomy throughout our country, especially in the BARMM, without compromising our national integrity in the slightest degree,” President Marcos said.
“I strongly appeal to all concerned to stop this call for a separate Mindanao. This is a grave violation of the Constitution,” he added.
The President also raised the importance of the country’s economic well-being, with many sectors of society, particularly business, pointing to certain economic provisions in the Constitution that inhibit the Philippines’ growth momentum.
The President made it clear the administration’s position in introducing reforms to the Constitution extends to economic matters only, or those strategically aimed at boosting the country’s economy and nothing more.
“In any event, this administration is going to push hard to attract more foreign investments to significantly help us achieve our ambition of upper middle-class income status by 2025,” he said.
“Despite nearly 16 percent decrement in our net foreign direct investment inflows, our economy continues to grow and is expected to grow further by 6.5 to 7.5 percent in this year 2024,” he further stated.
Thursday’s event was spearheaded by members and officers of the Philippine Constitution Association (PHILCONSA) and Manila Overseas Press Club (MOPC). Also in attendance were businessmen, politicians and representatives from foreign chambers.
Founded on September 26, 1961, PHILCONSA is the oldest, non-profit, non-partisan organization created to defend, protect, and preserve the Philippine Constitution.
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