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HOME  ❯  SONA 2022 PROMISE TRACKER  ❯  Social Services

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(UPDATED) With only one of his 17 promises to improve the government’s delivery of social services fulfilled, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. admitted that he deserves a grade of “incomplete” for his first year in Malacañang.

Four of Marcos’ proposed pieces of legislation to improve the administration’s health response, especially against COVID-19, have not been enacted into law. These include the creation of a Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a Virology Institute of the Philippines, and a Medical Reserve Corps. He also asked for new specialty hospitals in various parts of the country — similar to the Philippine Heart Center and Lung Center of the Philippines — that will be accessible to Filipinos living outside Metro Manila.

Marcos continues to improve the government’s social protection programs for Filipinos heavily affected by poverty, calamities and disasters. In January, inflation reached an all-time high of 8.7% since November 2008, which was the last time a global financial crisis occurred.

On Jan. 31, Marcos ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to continue improving the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). He asked Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian to provide relief goods even before calamities strike.

As Marcos completed his first year in office, VERA Files looked into how he fared in the 17 promises on social services he made during his inaugural State of the Nation Address:

Promises

Check The Sources

Presidential Communications Office, Media Interview by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Following the Cebuana Lhuillier Kanegosyo Center Launch, June 29, 2023

Philippine Statistics Authority official YouTube channel, Press Conference on January 2023 Inflation, Feb. 7, 2023

Bank for International Settlements, The impact of the global financial crisis on the Philippine financial system – an assessment, accessed July 7, 2023

Presidential Communications Office,​​ Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the 72nd Founding Anniversary Celebration of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Inauguration of the New Multi-Purpose Building, Jan. 31, 2023

Philippine News Agency, DSWD puts up warehouse in Aurora for quick disaster response, Oct. 17, 2022

On strengthening VAWC programs 

On providing quick disaster response 

On strengthening the AICS 

On cleansing the list of 4Ps beneficiaries 

On sustaining and widening supplemental feeding program 

On ensuring capacity of healthcare system 

  • Department of Health, Personal communication (email), July 6, 2023
  • Department of Health, Personal communication (email), July 14, 2023

On encouraging everyone to get booster shots vs COVID-19

  • Department of Health, Personal communication (email), July 7,2023
  • Department of Health official website, ​​Vaccination tracker, accessed July 2, 2023

On passing a bill creating a Center for Disease Control and Prevention 

On passing a bill creating a National Virology Institute of the Philippines

On establishing specialty hospitals like Heart Center and Lung Center in regions outside Metro Manila

On creating new Rural Health Units and clinics 

On improving welfare of health care professionals

On passing a bill establishing a Medical Reserve Corps

On ordering Philippine Competition Commission to remove cartels among pharmaceutical companies to lower prices of medicine 

  • Philippine Competition Commission, Personal communication (email), July, 4, 2023
  • Philippine Competition Commission official website, Republic Act No. 10667, accessed July 2, 2023

On condensing 240-section handbook for migrant workers into a pamphlet

  • Department of Migrant Workers, Personal communication (email), July 3, 2023
  • Department of Migrant Workers official website, Land-based OFW handbook, accessed July 2, 2023
  • Department of Migrant Workers official website,  Sea-based OFW handbook, accessed July 2, 2023

On enrolling children of OFWs in programs on financial literacy, mental wellness, sports, arts and culture 

On protecting the creative industry