Senator Zubiri highlights key concerns of Filipinos ahead of President Bongbong Marcos’ SONA on July 22

As the nation prepares for President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri underscores the critical topics he hopes the President will address, reflecting the most pressing concerns of Filipinos today.

"The country's growth has been dampened by high inflation, a challenge that President Marcos must address if we are to achieve our goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2028," said Zubiri.

Senator Zubiri is eager to hear the President's plan for reducing inflation and the high cost of goods, particularly rice, to ensure that economic growth benefits every working-class Filipino. "I believe it is essential that the prosperity reflected in our GDP translates into tangible improvements in the daily lives of our people," he emphasized.

Zubiri: Signing Of Reciprocal Access Pact With Japan Timely, To Bolster Defense Interoperability

Former Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri today lauded the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan, saying this is very timely and will boost the country’s defense interoperability with the friendly Asian neighbor.

Zubiri, a long-time advocate of the RAA, said the agreement is a partnership of like-minded nations that will truly bolster the country’s naval training and use of ships and equipment purchased from Japan, further strengthening the Philippines’ defense and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

“It was in 2022 when then-Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko and I first discussed the possibility of pursuing a Reciprocal Access Agreement between our countries, and I brought this idea to President Marcos early into his administration,” Zubiri expressed.

ARMSCOR’s 19th TACS Expo highlights PH self-reliant defense posture

ARMSCOR Global Defense Inc. (AGDI), the leading manufacturer of firearms, ammunition and defense products in the Philippines and one of the largest in Asia, opened its 19th Tactical, Survival and Arms (TACS) Expo with a strong call for a self-reliant defense posture (SRDP) program that would develop a local defense industry to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign suppliers for the defense requirements of its armed services. 

Expressing his support for the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act or Senate Bill 2455, AGDI president and CEO Martin Tuason recalled a period when the private sector was able to supply the needs of the country’s armed services from uniforms to vehicles to rifles and pistols, firearms as well as mortars, grenades and millions of rounds of small arms ammunition through the government’s self-reliant defense posture (SRDP) program first initiated in 1974.