As we have come to expect from President Rodrigo Duterte, the State of the Nation Address he delivered was a long-winded discourse that, nevertheless, touched on many key issues.
In fact, the Presidential Communications Operations Office announced beforehand on their website that “The speech is drafted in English, but the President, like last year, might deliver some off-the-cuff remarks.”
This year’s Sona theme was “A Comfortable Life for All,” believed to “resonate better with more Filipinos” as it was supported by “the administration’s three key agenda—prosperity for all, law and order, and peace.”
The Sona lasted two hours, and during this time the President raised the following key points:
• Continuance of the “fight against illegal drugs” because it is “the root cause of so much evil and suffering and it “deters foreign investments from pouring in.”
• Pursuit of peace in the country, derailed by the fighting in Mindanao, with martial law as a tool towards a solution—“I declared martial law in Mindanao because I believed that that was the fastest way to quell the rebellion at the least cost of lives and properties.”
• Boosting the defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines “as a [deterrent] against terrorists, lawless elements, and other threats.”
• The “looming problem” of climate change which threatens food security particularly in Mindanao.
• Appeal to legislators to pass the National Land Use Act which shall “ensure the rational and sustainable use of our land and our physical resources.”
• An appeal to mining companies and contractor to manufacture goods here with the resources extracted from Philippine soil, and a warning to them to “refrain from the unbridled and irresponsible destruction of our watersheds, forest, and aquatic resources” or they would be “taxed to death.”
• The proposal to establish a new department or agency of government tasked with ensuring “disaster resiliency and effective response” in Metro Manila, the country’s “seat of governance, center of business, commerce, and the academe,” and surrounding provinces.
• The promotion of inclusiveness in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission by expanding its membership to ensure representation of “indigenous peoples, women, children, sultanates, and key stakeholders” in drafting the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
• Pursuing good relations with foreign countries, particularly mentioning China and the “easing of tensions” between our two nations.
• Call to the US for the return of the Balangiga bells.
• Increase of assistance to overseas Filipino workers from P400 million to more than P1 billion.
• The launch of two hotlines to “bring government services closer to the people”—911 for emergencies and 8888 for feedback and complaints on government services.
• Directive to government agencies to streamline their services from “womb to tomb.”
• Appeal to Congress to pass “at the soonest” an act to right-size the national government to “trim excess fat and add more muscle,” adding that he is not inclined to increase salaries and other compensation of employees of government-owned and-controlled corporations.
• Mention of the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order that “prevents the Department of Health from distributing subdermal implants” which wastes P350 million and impairs “the government’s ability to fully implement responsible family planning and methods and the Reproductive Health law.”
• Commitment to the K to 12 program and the Alternative Learning System.
• Implementation of the policy of No Balance Billing in hospitals and expansion of public health coverage.
• Imposition of a ban on smoking in public places.
• Implementation of Magna Carta of Women to the barangay level; an executive order “will be issued to local government units institutionalizing gender and development programs and services.
• Increase in government spending on infrastructure form 5 percent of GDP in 2017 to 7 percent of GDP in 2022.
• Improvement of sea connectivity with the launch of 15 new roll on-roll off vessels, the opening of an Asean ro-ro shipping route connecting Davao and General Santos City to Bitung, Indonesia, and the modernization of certain sea ports.
• Directive to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and local government units fo Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and regional centers “to ensure the free flow of traffic and immediately clear our roads and thoroughfares of all unnecessary obstruction.”
• China’s promise to build two bridges spanning the Pasig River to ease traffic congestion on Edsa.
• Tax reforms and settlements including settlement of Mighty Corp.’s tax debt for P25 billion.
• Approval of the National Broadband Plan of 2017 to bring “affordable internet access to every community” and improve “broadband connectivity in the country.”
• Launch of the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Migration Plan to make the switch from analog to digital transmission not only for a better TV viewing experience but to “provide effective and reliable information to Filipinos in times of calamities.”
• Test-broadcasting of government-owned Salaam Digital TV, the first Muslim TV in the country.
Perhaps it was the lack of time, or he’d forgotten, but the issue of poverty alleviation and reduction was not addressed. This is a pressing concern, with a quarter of Filipinos living under the poverty line. Nor were other social welfare issues mentioned, save for health care. Education was also only briefly mentioned He also did not mention public transport in the metro, including the sorry state of the MRT.
In any case, though the President rambled and ranted, he did manage to cover a lot of ground. This recap is a reminder to read the entire transcript before making judgments on what wasn’t discussed.
Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. FB: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, IG: @jensdecember, @artuoste