Pangulong Marcos in Cebu today for 4 events

CEBU, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be in Cebu today, January 30, 2025, for a series of engagements, marking his first visit to the province this year.

The President will begin his day with the Regional Development Council (RDC)-7 meeting where he will meet key members of the Central Visayas RDC to discuss progress on priority projects in the region.

Following this, the President will proceed to the 20th National Convention of Lawyers organized by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

The IBP, the official organization of all lawyers in the country, is holding this biennial gathering under the theme “From Milestones to Horizons: Strengthening the Future of the Legal Profession.”

The event aims to unite legal professionals nationwide to celebrate achievements and address challenges within the profession.

This year, it has drawn a record-breaking 3,984 registered participants from all IBP chapters across the country. Supreme Court justices, led by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, are expected to attend.

Meeting with Cebu officials

Around noon, the President will join Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and One Cebu officials for a luncheon meeting.

The gathering will include local government officials from Cebu and other Visayas provinces, including governors, and vice governors, provincial board members, and mayors and vice mayors, demonstrating their unified support for the administration.

In the afternoon, Marcos will lead the inauguration of MCIA’s new alternate runway, a 2,560-meter-long and 45-meter-wide infrastructure project designed to support the airport’s growing air traffic demand.

Construction of the alternate runway, which includes a 237-meter perpendicular taxiway with a 33-meter width, began on February 3, 2020.

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) said the new runway would ensure uninterrupted airport operations during emergencies, maintenance, and main runway closures.

With the current single runway nearing its capacity, especially during peak hours, this additional runway will help prevent congestion and support future growth, the MCIAA stated. The development is expected to position MCIA as the country’s first airport capable of parallel runway operations.

Joining the President for the event will be Governor Garcia, Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, and other key officials. Members of the President’s entourage include Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Presidential Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, and Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

School building blessing

While President Marcos focuses on his engagements, Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan are set to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for a 12-storey, 49-classroom, and nine-workshop medium-rise academic school building at Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School in Basak San Nicolas.

Cebu City South District Representative Eduardo “Edu” Rama Jr., who championed the project, will join DepEd-Cebu City officials and other guests at the event. —/ATO (FREEMAN)