PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. kicked off his birthday activities yesterday at a tree-planting event in San Mateo, Rizal, during which he emphasized the importance of protecting the environment.
The President, together with Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. led the simultaneous tree-planting program organized by the the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Agriculture.
“Sabi ko, siguro ang pinakamaganda, para iyung kaarawan ko ay maging mas makabuluhan at talagang may dahilan na tayo mag-celebrate, sabi ko gawa tayo ng greening, tree planting at ‘yan naman talaga ay ang pinakaimportanteng isyu hindi lamang sa Pilipinas kung hindi sa buong mundo ngayon (I said, probably the best way to celebrate and make my birthday meaningful is greening, tree planting and that’s the most important issue not only in the Philippines but around the world),” Marcos said.
Marcos said what makes the event more symbolic is that the tree-planting activity is being done at the former San Mateo landfill which has been converted into a reforestation area that now benefits the environment and the local community.
The President also said that by engaging in the activity, he not only gets to contribute to the protection of the environment, but also contributes to the growth of the economy.
“During my address in the State of the Nation I made it clear: ‘Preserving the environment is nothing less than preserving life.’ And therefore, it can only be one of our important priorities if we wish to make sure that our plans for the country’s economy will succeed,” he said.
He also emphasized the need to care for the environment as the world will be inherited by the children.
The President said the tree-planting activity will help raise awareness on environmental welfare and protection, and contribute immensely to the DENR’s “most ambitious reforestation program” — the National Greening Program.
Marcos said the DENR targets 11,631 hectares of enhanced national greening program sites in 2023.
“And so, the seedlings that we will plant today will be significant in realizing this goal. This program will generate jobs, will generate opportunities, and will generate livelihood for our countrymen,” he said.
“More than the economic benefit of this activity, we are essentially and primarily investing in ensuring that our planet remains a safe space,” he added.
The simultaneous bamboo and tree planting program seeks to plant 8,000 seedling and bamboo planting stocks around Calabarzon (Region IV-A).
The other planting sites are Majayjay in Laguna, Trece Martirez City in Cavite, Mataas na Kahoy in Batangas, and Dolores in Quezon.
CASE REVIEW
In a taped interview with TV host Toni Gonzaga, which was aired yesterday, Marcos said he wants the estimated P203-billion estate tax liabilities of his family reviewed as he reiterated they want the matter to be resolved soon.
“We are actually encouraging that this finally be resolved… now we are all here, open the case and let us argue it,” the President said in an interview with actress-television host Toni Gonzaga that was aired in the All TV Channel.
The President said the case was filed against his family while they were in exile in Hawaii in the 1980s and his family had not been able to answer the charges filed in the Philippines.
Asked what he would say if they are allowed by the court, he said his family wants to make it clear what properties are actually theirs as many of the properties that are included in their “estate” and taxed do not belong to them.
Marcos said the government had combined several properties and asked them to pay its equivalent taxes even if many of them were not theirs.
He said he has repeatedly signed quit claims allowing the government to seize properties that supposedly belong to them since they do not own it.
“Kung gusto ninyo, kunin ninyo hindi amin iyan e (if you want it, get it, we don’t own it),” he said.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has said it would collect the taxes of the Marcos estate once they get the right amount.
The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) in 1991, quoting BIR, said the Marcoses owed P23.29 billion in deficiency estate tax assessment against the Estate of Ferdinand Marcos; about P184 million in deficiency income tax assessments against Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos from 1985 to 1986; and P20 million in deficiency income tax assessment against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the aggregate years of 1982 to 1985;
During the campaign trail, the BIR said that it demanded the Marcos family to pay its estate tax.
