ALBAY Rep. Edcel Lagman, president of the opposition Liberal Party (LP) praised what he said was President Marcos Jr’s “well-delivered” state of the nation address (SONA) last Monday.
In a statement, Lagman said the SONA “would evoke concurrence on some major policy statements like the unequivocal upholding of Philippine sovereign rights over the resource-rich West Philippine Sea, albeit a repetition of previous declarations; review and amendment of the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act); and the total ban on all POGO operations by the end of 2024.”
Lagman, however said what is lacking “are the important details in the implementation of said policies.”
“Such agreement on some vital points in the SONA does not mean that a counter-SONA is not necessary with respect to dissenting views based on established facts and validated data on the Philippine economy, poverty, agriculture and food security, education, employment, sustainable human development, and human rights — all of which will be discussed in the genuine opposition’s Counter-SONA,” he said.
Key House leaders commended what they said were the “bold declarations and notable achievements” that the President presented in his third SONA.
Senior deputy speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga cited the President’s reaffirmation of the “unyielding commitment to our territorial integrity.”
Deputy speaker David Suarez expressed strong support for the President’s decision to the ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) by the end of the year, saying the “courageous move to ban POGOs addresses the social and economic issues brought about by these operations.”
Majority leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said the administration’s bloodless war against illegal drugs “marks a humane and effective approach to this persistent issue” while Rep. Elizaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol), chair of the committee on appropriations, praised Marcos for his accomplishments, particularly on economic gains and reforms.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party (NUP), said: “We give a big hand to President Marcos for putting our people first in our nation’s drive to keep our economy on its post-Covid upward trajectory.”
As the President himself stressed in his SONA, said Villafuerte, statistics about the strong Philippine economy are “nothing” to Filipinos reeling from the high cost of rice and other basic food items.
PRIORITY BILLS
Marcos, in the President’s Report to the People (PRP), asked Congress to pass 28 priority measures which aim to introduce fiscal reforms, promote the Philippines’ territorial sovereignty, and address the country’s food, water and energy needs, among others.
He also called for the ratification of four nuclear-related conventions to ensure the safe use of nuclear power in the country.
Last month, the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) agreed to prioritize the passage of 28 bills.
The 230-page PRP detailed some of the reports and policies that were presented by the President in the SONA, and endorsed the priority bills he wants passed.
In previous SONAs, the President mentioned some of top priority and other urgent bills.
Marcos, in the said technical report, explained that as the administration advances the economic transformation and growth of the country, it would need revenue-generating and fiscal reform measures to support it such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act, the Package 4 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, the Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics, the Motor Vehicle Users’ Tax, the Value Added Tax (VAT) on Digital Services, had the Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime.
In exchange, he committed that his administration would strengthen its efforts and improve the collection of revenues by ensuring the ease of paying taxes, accelerating the digitization program, improving non-revenue collections and pushing for the privatization of government assets that would lead to operational efficiency and higher investment returns.
He also committed that the country would attain an “A” level credit rating which would affirm the Philippines’ credit worthiness which in turn would increase investment and help the country achieve its sustainable development goals.
The President also called for the passage of the National Land Use Act, Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law, Amendments to the Cooperative Code, Amendments to the Fisheries Code, the Blue Economy Act; Farm to Market Road Development Acceleration, and the Department of Water Resources law to boost efforts to transform and modernize the Philippines’ agriculture and water sectors and eventually ensure robust food and water supply.
To provide the public with reliable and affordable supply of energy, as well as bring the country closer to its goal of reducing fossil fuel use and increasing renewable energy supply, Marcos asked Congress to pass the Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), Waste-to-Energy Bill, Nuclear Energy bill, and Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry Bill.
He also called for the ratification of nuclear -related conventions.
“To help facilitate the adoption of nuclear energy in the country, we are also pursuing the ratification of nuclear-related conventions, particularly the following: Convention on Nuclear Safety; Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management; Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage; and Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage,” he said.
POLITICAL WILL
Makati Mayor Abby Binay, who attended the SONA, praised the President’s open acknowledgment of the pressing issues at the forefront of the nation.
“President Marcos Jr. has taken a commendable approach by directly addressing the urgent concerns of our citizens, reviewing the achievements of the past two years, and clearly defining the forthcoming steps toward national development,” the mayor said.
Binay also lauded the President’s move to ban POGOs, saying it us “an audacious move.”
“It is an exercise of political will that addresses a long-festering problem. It is now up to concerned government agencies to make sure that the order is carried out and the necessary steps and policies are taken to mitigate its impact on jobs and livelihood,” she said.
Another focal point of the President’s SONA that the mayor highlighted was the challenge of climate change, a timely issue that affects every facet of Filipino life, particularly agricultural productivity and food security.
“Without confronting climate change, our efforts in securing food, and enhancing the productivity of our farmers are in vain,” she said. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
