MANILA – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon wants President Rodrigo Duterte to present a clear action plan on how the economy can bounce back from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when the latter delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) today.
“Itong SONA para sa akin ay isang pagkakataon para maipresenta ng Pangulo ang overall comprehensive plan on how to survive this pandemic,” Drilon told DZBB.
“Ano ang kailangan gawin ng administrasyon? Kami (opposition) ay tutulong para ma-stimulate ang economy. Kailangan ng pondo ngayon at saan tayo kukuha ng pera? Ito ba ay panibagong buwis o manghihiram tayo?” Drilona asked.
The Ilonggo senator also revealed that lawmakers find it challenging to craft a stimulus package because a definite economic stimulus budget has not been agreed upon yet.
He said that because of the pandemic, some 5 million Filipinos are unemployed, 40 percent of micro, small and medium enterprises are closed.
More than 5.2 million Filipinos also went hungry in the last 3 months, the senator added, citing studies reported in the media.
“Mayroong proposal na gumastos tayo ng mahigit sa deficit para mapasigla ang ekonomiya. Mayroon naman ibang sector na nagsasabing huwag manghiram at gumastos sa mahigit sa kaya natin… Gusto kong marinig sa Pangulo kung magkano ba ang kailangan natin para makaahon sa kahirapan dala ng COVID-19,” he said.
Duterte does plan to talk about a recovery plan in his upcoming SONA, his spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines last week.
The President will discuss the pandemic “in much detail,” and present a “road map for recovery,” Roque added./PN
