‘SIGURO BINGI PO SILA’

Palace rejects claims Duterte’s SONA lacked COVID-19 recovery plan

Malacañang on Tuesday disputed observations that President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) failed to provide a roadmap on how the Philippines will recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a televised briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said those people probably did not hear the proposed measures mentioned by the President during his speech before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

“Siguro po bingi sila,” Roque, who attended the event, said. “Kaniya-kaniyang pananaw po iyan at siyempre galing sa oposisyon, wala naman silang mabuting makikita doon sa sinabi ni Presidente.” 

Roque said the President called for the passage of the proposed Corporate Recovery and the Tax Incentives for Enterprises and the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, which aims to provide a stimulus package to offset the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Palace official also said the government would ramp up testing, contact tracing and treatment of COVID-19 cases.

Some lawmakers and political analysts have said the SONA did not present a comprehensive plan for the country to combat COVID-19 and was marked by rants against opposition Senator Franklin Drilon, ABS-CBN and telecommunications companies.

Senator Risa Hontiveros claimed that the administration mishandled the public health crisis and wasted the past four months of community quarantines.

“It scored low in the inspirational index. People were expecting a pep talk that will boost their morale, steel their resolve and will leave them to conclude, without a doubt, that indeed, we shall overcome,” Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto added on Monday.

In his speech, Duterte called for Filipinos’ cooperation to defeat the pandemic and urged citizens to share their blessings with those who have little and those who have none.

“From the rubbles of adversity, a more resilient and stronger nation built on bayanihan and pagkakaisa shall rise. Together, we shall overcome,” he said.

Duterte’s penultimate SONA lasted nearly two hours. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News