Time to become ‘Bagong Pilipino’ in 2024 – Marcos

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has encouraged Filipinos to strive to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions in 2024, highlighting the importance of commitment to the government’s “Bagong Pilipinas” (new Philippines) theme for change and development.

In his social media vlog posted on Saturday, the president vowed to help the nation achieve its goals by promoting the “Bagong Pilipino” (new Filipino) mindset among the people — such as being more punctual, productive at work, and prudent with their spending.

“Our promises to ourselves regarding discipline and enhancing our abilities, or what’s called self-improvement—all these things can help our nation. These concerted efforts shall bring progress that will be felt by the whole country,” Marcos said.

“Simple courtesy, arriving on time, loving nature, expanding one’s knowledge, and many more things—these are ingredients of a Bagong Pilipinas,” he said.

He encouraged Filipinos to improve and develop themselves by reading books, learning new technologies, observing personal grooming and self-discipline, and being good citizens, family members, and workers.

The president also stressed the importance of a good diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Marcos said individual New Year’s resolutions will have “deeper meaning, impact, and effect” on the country as a whole.

“If it’s only you doing it that, you will accomplish little, but if thousands, millions, will be doing it, the whole country will feel it,” he said.

Marcos’ resolutions

Like many Filipinos, the president said he, too, was seeking self-improvement this year.

Among his New Year’s resolutions are spending more time with his family, watching his diet for good health, and having regular exercise to lessen stress and for stronger immunity, Marcos said.

“But of course what dominates among our New Year’s resolutions is our aspiration for our nation, because we have a lot to do, a lot to improve, and a lot that needs to be put in order to clear our path toward a Bagong Pilipinas,” the president said.

His message coincided with the observances of Community Development Week in the first week of January, and Community Development Day on Jan. 6, which he said both served as a reminder of the importance of developing local communities.

“In the next weeks you will better understand and feel what is meant by Bagong Pilipinas—we will intensify our efforts to convince everyone to become part of the improvement of our barangay, city, province, and entire nation because there’s no Bagong Pilipinas if there’s no Bagong Pilipino,” he said.