Hontiveros seeks updates on vaccine rollout, corruption drive, WPS issue in Duterte’s final SONA

Senator Risa Hontiveros said she wants President Rodrigo Duterte to provide updates on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, corruption drive, and declare a stand on the West Philippine Sea issue in his final State of The Nation Address on Monday.

In a virtual interview, Hontiveros asked the status of four major issues that Duterte frequently discusses.

“Una, nasugpo ba niya ang korapsyon sa gobyerno? Ikalawa, nasaan na ang mga programang maka-mahirap at maka-masa, mula droga hanggang sa ngayong nasa gitna tayo ng pandemya? Ikatlo, ano na ang plano para mas pabilisin pa ang pagpapabakuna sa gitna ng banta ng Delta variant? Ikaapat, baka naman, sa huling SONA na ito, maipahayag ni Pangulong Duterte ang pagtindig nya laban sa Tsina at sa pambabastos nila sa ating bayan,” she said.

(First, was he successful in eradicating corruption in the government? Second, where are the programs for the poor Filipinos? Third, what are their plans to hasten the vaccinations amid the threat of Delta variant? Fourth, we hope that in his last SONA, President Duterte will give a stand against China and their disrespect to our country.)

The opposition lawmaker mentioned that the Philippines ranked 115th out of 180 countries in the report of Transparency International about corruption in the government.

She noted anew the “recycling” of government officials who were allegedly involved in various corruption issues.

Hontiveros cited the case of pastillas scheme where only “foot soldiers” were caught and not the “big fish.”

Apart from that, the lawmaker asked Duterte about his plans to help Filipinos who have lost their jobs or their businesses.

With the detection of Delta coronavirus variant in the Philippines, Hontiveros also sought for the government's plan in expediting the vaccine rollout.

She questioned the government’s failure to meet their self-imposed deadlines on the vaccine rollout.

Hontiveros also renewed her call for Duterte to stand up against China on the issue in the West Philippine Sea.

She asked the Chief Executive to demand accountability from China for abusing Filipino fisherfolk and for the destruction of marine resources in the WPS.

“Nais kong paalalahanan ang pangulo: sa laki ng  perwisyong dinadala ng China sa West Philippine Sea, ang China ang dapat mahiya at magbayad ng danyos sa atin,” she said.

(I would like to remind the president: With the huge damage incurred by China in the West Philippine Sea, it is China that should be ashamed of what they did and they should pay the Philippines for the damages.)

“Yan po ang apat na bagay na nais kong marinig muna sa SONA ng pangulo. Kalusugan at kabuhayan muna ng mga Pilipino, bago ang mga sinasabi nilang special friendship, bago ang mga pangakong napapako,” she ended.

(Those are the things that I wanted to hear during the president’s SONA. The health and the livelihood of the people first before the special friendship and before the promises that were not fulfilled.) — RSJ, GMA News