PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s vow for “A Comfortable Life for All” will be at the center of his second State of the Nation Address today, July 24, as he reports on the country’s situation, highlights his administration’s accomplishments, and present his plans for the years ahead.
The President, who is set to deliver a “realistic but hopeful” report before the Filipino people at 4 p.m., will outline the positive changes he wants to be felt—prosperity for all, law and order, and peace, the Palace said Sunday.
“On the whole it will be frank, challenging, realistic but hopeful,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella.
“The President’s State of the Nation Address will be rendered in broad strokes reviewing past achievements, stating the present situation and announcing future prospects,” he added.
His speech, written in English, should take around 50 minutes to deliver if read straight, and may extend up to an hour-and-a-half, given the President’s usual off-the-cuff remarks, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.
The speech, he said, would address the conflict in Marawi and the problem of illegal drugs.
A technical report titled “President’s Report to the People” will be uploaded online, while printed copies of the same report will be distributed to selected schools, embassies, government offices, and other institutions following the event, Abella said.
For the first time in recent history, the President will submit his administration’s proposed P3.767-trillion 2018 national budget on the day of the Sona itself, with the biggest chunk allotted for education, infrastructure development, and health care.
In his 2016 Sona, Duterte vowed to stamp out illegal drugs, corruption and criminality under his watch.
He also enumerated the administration’s plan to push for big-ticket infrastructure projects, pass the tax reform package, and ensure government’s transparency through a freedom of information executive order.
On top of his long list of promises last year was a unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels, as part of his bid to end Asia’s longest running Maoist insurgency.
After four rounds of talks, however, Duterte called off peace negotiations with the rebels, who continued to attack government forces.
Recalling his promises during the election campaign, Duterte also vowed to continue his all-out campaign against drugs and criminality, even ordering the Philippine National Police to “triple its efforts” to stop the illegal drug trade—which has led to thousands of deaths of drug suspects.
While he vowed to crush the illegal drug trade within three to six months, Duterte later asked to be given until the end of his term.
Also in the last year, Duterte failed to get Congress to approve emergency powers to deal with traffic in Metro Manila.
In other areas, the administration pushed for a comprehensive reform of the tax system and lowering of personal and corporate income tax rates; and a relaxation of bank secrecy rules to curb tax evasion.
In foreign relations, Duterte turned away from the country’s traditional ally, the United States, and moved closer to China and Russia.
He also rejected grants from the European Union amounting to 250 million euros because these came with strings attached.
While Duterte promised to reduce processing time for issuing business permits and licenses “to the barest minimum,” agencies such as the Land Transportation Office remained problematic, failing to release motor vehicle license plates to car owners more than one year after these had been paid.
As it was last year, Duterte’s second Sona will do away with the pomp and pageantry of the past.
“Departing from tradition and common practice, Duterte’s Sona dramatizes a simple and populist character. It shuns the usual pomp and pageantry,” Andanar said.
The President is set to arrive by air or land at 3:30 p.m. at the House of Representatives, where he will be accorded arrival honors to be led by AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Eduardo Año together with the sergeants-at-arms of both the Senate and House of Representatives, who will escort him towards the rear entrance as they walk past the honor guards.
Congressional leaders will then pay a courtesy call to Duterte before proceeding to the Plenary Hall for the joint session.
Seats at the Batasang Pambansa are already filled with more than 3,000 people who were expected to watch Duterte deliver his speech at the plenary hall. Guests include Vice President Leni Robredo, members of the Cabinet, Supreme Court justices, legislators, members of the diplomatic corps, former presidents, and other special guests.
Duterte’s children—Davao City Mayor Sara, Vice Mayor Paulo, Sebastian and Veronica, along with his partner, Cielito Avancena will all be in attendance.
Davao-based design house Chardin will provide the President’s recycled barong, along with Avancena’s gown, inspired by Maranao patterns.
A sign language interpreter for those with auditory impairment will be provided by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, while Spanish, French, German, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese interpreters will also be provided for the diplomats present during the event. An English translator is on standby to interpret the President’s vernacular lines for attending foreign dignitaries.
Cocktail reception after the Sona is by invitation only, where Duterte will meet with members of the diplomatic corps.
Award-winning filmmaker Brillante Ma. Mendoza will direct the Sona this year, and vowed to keep the presentation simple, so as not to distract the audience from the President’s message.
In the days leading up to the Sona, the Department of Public Works and Highways rushed repairs and maintenance work on roads, particularly in Quezon City.
On the other hand, simple arrangements are being undertaken for the session hall, lobbies, and reception areas of the Batasang Pambansa building.
Wide screen television sets will be installed at the North Wing lobby lounge for latecomers and other attendees.
Outside the Batasan Pambansa, protesters will be allowed to occupy three lanes on the northbound of Commonwealth Avenue with no barbed wires and container vans to block them, police said.
Plastic barriers, however, will be installed near the Batasang Pambansa Complex. Also, a 200-meter boundary will be established between the protesters and the Batasan gate.
A no-fly zone, which includes drones, will be in effect during the Sona.
The Metro Manila Development Authority will deploy abouty 2,000 traffic enforcers to manage the flow of traffic while “number-coding” will remain in effect.
Classes in all levels for both private and public schools in Quezon City will be suspended because of the Sona.
Aside from the Presidential Security Group, the House of Representatives will also use its own security service—the Legislative Security Bureau—to ensure the safety and security of guests and everyone else during the Sona. The deployment of canine units is part of the security measures.
Members of the diplomatic community said they were looking forward to follow-throughs to President Duterte’s Sona promises last year.
In an interview, United Kingdom Ambassador Asif Ahmad said he is expecting for a more “pragmatic view” in Duterte’s foreign policy and not a “gangster” kind of diplomacy.
Assessing Duterte’s independent foreign policy, Ahmad said Duterte would have done better in the international community by being friends to all foreign countries while pushing for the Philippines’ interest.
“I think things could have been done better,” he said, noting the Philippines did not have to reach out to new friends at the expense of others.
He added that he hoped that in the next year after this Sona, the Philippines’ relationship with other countries will stabilize, citing his recent conversation with the newly appointed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.
“I got a signal now when I saw Secretary Cayetano [that they understand that you can actually be friends with everyone,” Ahmad said.
United States ambassador to Manila Sung Kim for his part admitted that relations were “tough” for a while, but said ties have “dramatically improved.”
“There’s no secret that we had a tough period last year. But I think things have been improved dramatically in the last six or seven months,” Sung said in a recent TV interview.
Ahmad said that the public and Duterte’s critics should be “reasonable understanding and forgiving” on his first year as the President.
“The business of delivering on electoral promises is difficult. It’s difficult in the UK, it’s difficult in Washington, it’s difficult here,” Ahmad said.