President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday stressed the importance of supporting communities in addressing their health needs, noting that these directly affect the quality of education children receive.
Speaking at the turnover ceremony of patient transport vehicles (PTVs) in Butuan City, Marcos reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prioritizing education in the final half of his term.
‘Children need proper nutrition and training. When they get to school and lack food, we have feeding programs. We have to continue taking care of our children so they remain healthy,’ he said in Filipino.
‘The biggest reason why some children cannot attend or succeed in school is illness. Toothaches, for example, so we provide toothbrushes as part of education. You wouldn’t think it’s part of education, but it is,’ he added.
Marcos also noted that funds will now be downloaded directly to local government units (LGUs) for classroom construction, unlike before, when the budget was first routed through the Department of Public Works and Highways.
‘I have confidence in LGU executives because they cannot implement ghost projects. You will all be monitored. You cannot do substandard work, and if you do, your constituents will call you out daily,’ he said in Filipino.
He also urged LGUs to take the initiative in addressing community needs rather than waiting for directives from the national government.
During the ceremony, Marcos led the turnover of 71 PTVs for Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao, Dinagat Islands, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, and Misamis Occidental.
The ambulances are equipped with basic medical emergency supplies, including stretchers, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, first aid kits, blood pressure monitors, and medicines./mcm