SONA: The past and the present

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On Monday, June 23, President Duterte delivered his 3rd State of the Nation Address. The SONA of the president lasted about 50 minutes.

The State of the Nation Address is an annual address by the President of the Philippines to a joint session of the Congress of the Philippines. Mandated by the 1987 constitution, the speech is delivered every fourth Monday of July at the Plenary session hall of the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Batasan hills, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

The purpose of SONA is that it serves as a means to inform the nation about its present economic, political, and social condition. It is also an instrument to summarize the accomplishments and plans his/her program of government both for a particular year and until the end of their term of office.

The SONA as an annual practice began during the commonwealth of the Philippines. The 1935 constitution, as amended, states in Article VII, Section 5 that “The President shall from time to time give to the Congress information on the State of the Nation, and recommend to its consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

The first SONA was delivered by President Manuel L. Quezon at the Legislative Building on June16, 1936. The second SONA was delivered by President Quezon on October 18, 1937. President Quezon delivered his last Sate of the Nation Address on January 31, 1941. President Jose P. Laurel of the second Philippine Republic was able to deliver his first and only message on October 18, 1943. This also took place in the Legislative Building, Manila.

The last State of the Nation Address under the commonwealth of the Philippines was delivered by President Manuel Roxas on June 3, 1946. This tradition was continued until 1972, and starting in 1949 it was held at the reconstructed Legislative Building. Only once did a president did not appear personally before Congress: on January 23, 1950, was President Elpidio Quirino.

On the SONA of President Duterte he talked about the drug war, corruption, Mindanao promise, Bangsamoro law, Marawi siege, Foreign policy, Overseas Filipino Workers, contractualization, coconut farmers, telecommunications, internet, Bong Go, Boracay closure, land use act, Disaster Management, warning to miners, tax reform, health, and federalism. What can you say about all of this.

The things that he said that caught my attention were the drug war, Disaster management and about the internet. About the drug war, He says it will be "relentless" and "as chilling as the day it began." and for me this shouldn't be because it should be less relentless and the way the do this war on drugs is so brutal; they should make another way, a better way for the betterment of the humans rights. He also slammed the human rights groups for criticizing the anti-drug campaign and he shouldn't be doing that, instead, he should be asking help in formulating a better way to make the war on drug in having less casualties.

The second thing that caught me is about the Disaster management. He calls on Congress to pass a law creating a disaster management department with more powers and resources than existing disaster response agencies. I like what he said that the Congress should pass a law about it because in the previous years, especially the Typhoon Yolanda, there were issues about it. The absence of a standalone disaster agency, not a mere council like the current National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC); The slow pace of building permanent shelters for Yolanda survivors; The unfinished tally of victims who died in the super typhoon. The only solution for this issues is to create a disaster management department with more powers and resources like what Mr. President said.

And the last thing that caught me is about the Internet. According to Rappler to the website Rappler, Philippines have the slowest average internet speed in the Asia Pacific, as well as ranking low on other broadband adoption metrics. And it is great that Mr. President promised to ensure reliable, affordable, and secure telecommunications services; says terms of reference for 3rd telco player is almost ready; and promises the lowering of interconnection rates between all players to ensure improvements in the entire sector. What a good news!

President Duterte should do all what he promised even if promises are meant to be broken. We are relying on all of what president Duterte said and we are rooting for him. And I hope that by the end of his term, he will make the Phillipines the best country in the world!