Marcos, who attended the culmination of the MassKara Festival, commended Bacolod City for the successful holding of the event after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
“Kaya’t ipakita ninyo, pinakita ninyo dito sa pag-celebrate ng MassKara Festival, ngayong nakaraan ilang linggo ay dito sa — pinakita ninyo sa buong Pilipinas at sa buong mundo na tayo dito sa Pilipinas ay nakabalik na, tayo ay handa na bumalik sa trabaho, tayo’y bumalik na sa eskwelahan ang ating mga kabataan at tayo ay babalik na sa ating dating ginagawa na pagandahin at pataasin ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas para maging mas maghinawa ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” he said.
(You showed to the whole Philippines and the whole world that we, here in the Philippines, are back to normal. We are ready to return to work, our young people have gone back to school and we will go back to what we used to do to improve the economy of the Philippines.)
“Sa ganyang paraan, ang mga tiga-Bacolod ay ang naging — magiging halimbawa para sa buong Pilipinas. Sasabihin, pag-alis ko rito, sasabihin ko lahat kung kaya nilang gawin ang MassKara Festival sa Bacolod, dapat tayong lahat din ay ganyan din na bumangon na tayo at dahil ang aking pangako sa inyo ay tuloy-tuloy ang ating pagbabangon,” he added.
(In that way, the people of Bacolod will be an example for the entire Philippines. When I leave here, I will tell everyone that if they can do the MassKara Festival in Bacolod, we should all do the same. Let’s get up.)
Marcos also acknowledged the City Government for the launching of the Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program, which grants hospitalization services, free annual consultations, and complementary medicines.
He said the City Government will also implement a Social Pension Fund for Senior Citizens aimed at helping the elderly with their needs, particularly for basic necessities and medicine.
“Itong mga ganitong klaseng initiative na inuuna ang ating mga — ang kabuhayan ng ating mga mamamayan ay nakakatiyak tayo na ang ating lipunan, kung gagawin lang natin ito, ang ating lipunan ay magiging napakaganda,” he said.
(These kinds of initiatives that prioritize the livelihood of our citizens, we can be sure that if we just do this, our society will be very beautiful.) (SunStar Philippines)