MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his third – and shortest at just 48 minutes – State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. What did the senators think about it?
Duterte was expected to mention price increases under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, or TRAIN, law – specifically solutions on how to address them – Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said.
But Duterte instead mentioned things he thinks the Senate should act on, including the prices of rice, and the passage of laws eliminating contractualization and on national land use, he said.
The rise in commodity prices is a major problem facing the Duterte administration and yet the President failed to tackle ways to reduce inflation, said Aquino.
“Sayang at naghahanap ng ginhawa ang mga kababayan nating nalulunod sa taas-presyo,” he said.
Risa Hontiveros likened the President’s speech to watching a bad movie.
“His annual report to the country was like a tired political rerun. It was like watching and listening to a bad movie rerun,” said Hontiveros.
This year’s SONA, she said, came off as an “empty rhetoric” with “hollow pronouncements.”
“If there was anything good at all that was said, I fear that this was only mentioned to deodorize the stench of death, corruption and incompetence under President Duterte. Under President Duterte’s rule, the bad outweighs the good,” she added.
For his part, Joel Villanueva agreed with Duterte that there are issues that can be addressed only through tax reforms.
Villanueva also welcomed the President’s commitment to protect and defend Filipino migrant workers.
“It is indeed important to cooperate with host nations to implement policies that will protect the well-being of our overseas Filipino workers,” said the chairman of the committee on labor, employment and human resources.
He also recognized Duterte’s call to pass a law ending contractualization.
“I am confident that the passage of this bill will contribute to the end of labor abuses and promote workers’ right to security of tenure,” said Villanueva.
Francis Pangilinan said the President’s annual speech was “more of the same promises made during the 2016 election campaign.”
He cited Duterte’s mention of returning coco levy fund to farmers, one of his campaign promises in the 2016 elections.
In addition, the President’s pledge that his campaign against illegal drugs will continue is “chilling” and “senseless,” said Pangilinan.
“Daily killings have not solved and will not solve the drug problem,” the senator pointed out. “Daily killings are in fact part of the problem, as violence and impunity have now spilled over and have claimed the lives of children, journalists and priests.”
Pangilinan also doubted the Duterte administration’s fight against corruption.
“Where is the mastermind in the P6.2-billion shabu smuggled out of (Bureau of) Customs? Who was held accountable in the intra-family advertising contract at the Department of Tourism? Why is the solicitor general allowed to keep his security agency that has contracts with the government even as it smacks of conflict of interest? What happened to the corruption allegations in the SSS (Social Security System), the NFA (National Food Authority), the NIA (National Irrigation Administration), among others?” he said.
“The reality is miles away from the promise,” said Pangilinan. “The people cannot live on promises.”
Meanwhile Vicente Sotto III said he was glad the President avoided political issues in his SONA, which the Senate president described as “precise” and “concise.”
“Maganda at least we heard the messages and the requests,” Sotto said.
Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the speech was “well-written.”
“Sinabi naman niya siguro lahat ng priorities niya. Naka-pokus kami ngayon sa main message niya kasi,” Pimentel said.
“Nabanggit niya lahat ng gusto ko – iyong endo (contractualization), ito ngang rice tarrification, itong federalism, at saka iyong fight against inflation, na halos nabanggit niya lahat,” Pimentel said.
Sen. Grace Poe commended Duterte’s speech for being clear and expletive-free.
“Wala siyang direktang tinira o minura. Pwedeng panoorin ng mga bata ang kanyang SONA,” she said. “May mga bagay na hindi niya nasabi dahil kulang oras.”/PN
