PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Thursday said his government will “shut down everything” if the Supreme Court (SC) rules in favor of a petition filed by his former executive secretary challenging the constitutionality of the 2025 national budget.

Mr. Marcos made the remark when asked whether his government has a contingency plan in the event the high court declares the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) unconstitutional.

“No, we shut down everything. I guess that’s what they want,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Cebu City.

“They want the government to cease working so their destabilization plan comes through,” he added in mixed English and Filipino.

Former Executive Secretary Victor B. Rodriguez, Davao Rep. Isidro T. Ungab and other petitioners on Tuesday filed a petition against the 2025 GAA before the SC, citing several violations of the Constitution including the supposed blank items in a bicameral conference committee report.

The House of Representatives, headed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the Senate of the Philippines, represented by Senate President Francis G. Escudero, and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin were named respondents in the petition. 

Mr. Marcos said the government has a “solid footing in terms of constitutionality” of the budget law.

“Well, the SolGen [Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra], of course, will be the one who will argue for the government, and he tells me — SolGen Menardo — that we are on a solid footing in terms of constitutionality,” he said.

“Anyway, it’s not for me to make the argument. We will let the SolGen make the argument before the Supreme Court and we are very confident that our case is strong,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Marcos assured that the 2025 GAA has no blank items.

“Just last month, I had to read 4,057 pages of the General Appropriations Act of 2025. Because I reviewed it, analyzed, and yes — in parts vetoed it,” he said in a speech at the 20^th National Convention of Philippine Lawyers in Cebu City, based on a transcript from his office.

“I really am convinced that they simply do not exist because it is not allowed to exist. So, for those of you who think that the Presidency is just handshakes, photo ops, I assure you, that fine print is alive in my office as well.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Thursday vowed to fast-track airport improvement projects in central Philippines.

This, as he recognized Visayan regions for contributing significantly to the country’s growth output.

“We are also implementing projects to improve the airports of Bohol, of Dumaguete City, of Iloilo, Antique, Siquijor, [and] Tacloban,” he said in a lunch meeting with Visayas governors and officials of the ruling party One Cebu at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, based on a transcript from his office.

“We are implementing road and bridge projects, improving the connectivity in Panay, Guimaras and Negros; Bohol; Siquijor; Biliran; Northern Samar; Eastern Samar; Samar; Leyte; and Southern Leyte,” he added.

Central Visayas was the fastest-growing region in the country in 2023, with a 7.3% expansion. It was followed by Western Visayas, which grew by 7.2%. Eastern Visayas, meanwhile, ranked sixth with a 6.4% growth.

The President said that Western and Eastern Visayas surpassed the country’s overall gross domestic product growth for the same year.

“This growth supports the development of industries, creates jobs and livelihoods for our people,” he said. 

Later in the day, Mr. Marcos inaugurated the Mactan-Cebu International Airport’s alternate runway, which he dubbed as the first and only parallel runway in the Philippines.

Mr. Marcos said the alternate runway is also a preparation for “critical repairs” of the airport’s first runway starting May.

Last year, the airport catered to 8.5 million domestic passengers and 2.8 million international passengers.

By 2028, the parallel runway will be used simultaneously with the original runway to ensure “greater efficiency and capacity,” in keeping with the “demands of a rapidly evolving and growing aviation industry,” the President said.

“With two runways running full-time, the airport will now be — will have the capacity, the capability to cater up to 18 million passengers a year,” he added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza