Marcos: PH won’t bow down to...

than enabling living conditions, inequality, and apathy.”

The government will “strive to remove [these] unfreedoms” and come out with “wise policies… for the full development of the Filipino,” he said.

Marcos also reaffirmed his administration’s Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028, on which he signed Executive Order No. 14 in January.

In a statement at that time, the National Economic and Development Authority said the plan aimed to “bring back the country to a high-growth trajectory and, more importantly, enable economic and social transformation for a prosperous, inclusive and resilient society.”

“I have said it before, I shall say it once more: I will be with you on that long and uphill road to achieve our dream of freedom — freedom from hunger, freedom from neglect, freedom from fear,” the president said.

Ceremonies

Marcos was at the Luneta before his speech as he led the raising of the national colors at the Independence Flagpole across the Rizal Monument.

He was joined by first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and their sons

Sandro, Simon and Vincent, and Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna. He then placed a wreath at the monument of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, accompanied by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino and National Historical Commission of the Philippines chair Emmanuel Franco Calairo. A downpour delayed the ceremonies which were supposed to start at 8 a.m., the time set for flag-raising rites nationwide.

The first family then proceeded to Quirino Grandstand where they watched the civic-military parade called “Parada ng Kalayaan” (Freedom Parade) — which presented, among others, personnel and vehicles of the military and other uniformed services.

Monday’s activities were guided by the theme “Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan.” (Freedom. Future. History.)

Meanwhile, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte called for national solidarity in supporting “the heroes of today who continue to fight for our freedom from terrorism, criminality, corruption, and local communism.”

She also urged the public to rally behind the education sector

“to enable our children and youth to break free from the dangers of armed struggle so they can realize their full potential.” Tanggol Kasaysayan, a group of history and social studies teachers, criticized Duterte’s agency, the Department of Education, for still omitting the subject of Philippine history in its proposed high school curriculum.

“[This occasion] is a reminder to the country’s teachers and students to continue the struggle against the culture of forgetting,” the group said.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez led the Independence Day ceremony at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City, where he urged Filipinos to “awaken the spirit of heroism that is within us.”

Amid Monday’s rain, Bayan, Pamalakaya, and other activist groups held protest rallies outside the consulates of China and the United States.

“There is no cause for celebration today as our territorial waters remain subjected to relentless militarization by China, while the continuing presence of the U.S. military further erodes our national independence,” Pamalakaya spokesperson Ronnel Arambulo said. g

Covered California works to keep Californians...

PAGE 1 them every step of the way,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California.

“While everyone’s renewal date is different, there are important steps that Medi-Cal members can take now to keep themselves and their families covered.”

Current Medi-Cal members should update their contact information if it has changed in the last three years by logging in to their online account through BenefitsCal. com or MyBenefitsCalWIN.org. Members can also contact their local Medi-Cal office or visit KeepMedi-CalCoverage.org to learn how to get started.

While many Californians no longer eligible for Medi-Cal will transition to other forms of health insurance, such as coverage offered through their job or a family member’s employer, others will be eligible for coverage through Covered California, and they may be eligible to receive financial help to lower the cost of their coverage.

Covered California offers quality health plans, all of which provide many of the same benefits and services as Medi-

Cal, including free preventive care and screenings, doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital stays, behavioral health care, and more.

Based on pre-pandemic trends, nearly half of the consumers who transition from Medi-Cal to Covered California will be able to get quality coverage at little to no cost. Covered California is the only place Californians can go to receive financial help to make their health coverage more affordable. Right now, 90 percent of Covered California’s 1.7 million enrollees receive financial help, with over a million consumers paying $10 or less per month for their health insurance.

“We know how much MediCal members value their health coverage, so we want to make sure they know what their options are if they no longer qualify for Medi-Cal,” said DHCS Director Michelle Baass.

“Through Covered California, many will continue to have access to the comprehensive care they need and deserve.”

Covered California and DHCS have been working together to ensure that the process of transitioning to Covered

California will be as simple as possible. Over the next 12 months, Covered California will reach out to eligible consumers through email, direct mail, and text messaging to let them know they can stay insured through Covered California.

Covered California will automatically select a plan for the consumer that provides the most financial help. Consumers will need to confirm their plan selection for their new coverage and make their first payment, if required, or opt-out.

Eligible consumers will also be able to choose a different plan or be connected to someone who can help them at any point in the enrollment process. Multilingual assistance, including in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Punjabi and Hindi is available online, over the phone, or in-person from one of the more than 11,000 Covered California enrollment partners embedded in communities across the state and the help is always free and confidential.

“Keep an eye out for these messages and mailings to make sure you stay covered,” Altman said. “Your health depends on it.” g