Marcos week highlights housing, transport, food security and public health

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 19, 2026

Photo Courtesy: PCO

PHILIPPINES – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spent the week advancing government initiatives on housing, infrastructure, economic development, food security and public health, while also responding to a deadly school shooting in South Cotabato.

The President’s activities included the turnover of 333 housing units in Valenzuela City and the awarding of 110 land titles in Caloocan City under the Community Mortgage Program, which aims to provide low-income and homeless families with more secure housing and tenure.

Marcos also led the groundbreaking of the NAIA Terminal 3 Station of the Metro Manila Subway Project in Pasay City. The 33.103-kilometer subway will have 17 stations and is designed to cut travel time between Valenzuela and NAIA from about 90 minutes to around 40 minutes once fully operational.

At the 11th Economy Development Council meeting, Marcos and economic officials discussed measures to sustain growth amid the impact of the Middle East crisis. The council also approved a revised timeline for the North-South Commuter Railway, with partial operations targeted for December 2027.

In Pangasinan, Marcos visited a food manufacturing company and inspected technologies developed through the DOST Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute. He also joined health and nutrition activities at Sta. Barbara Central School, including the YAKAP health caravan and the School-Based Feeding Program for undernourished students.

Earlier in the week, Marcos also hosted the annual Salo-Salo sa Palasyo and marked his birthday through the nationwide Handog ng Pangulo Serbisyo Caravan, which provided government assistance worth PHP2.88 billion at around 90 locations.

The week ended with the President expressing grief over the fatal shooting at a school in Banga, South Cotabato, which left three students dead, including the suspected shooter, and six others wounded. Marcos ordered a thorough investigation and called for stronger measures to prevent similar incidents involving minors.