Solon expects economic recovery roadmap, peace spelled out in Bongbong Marcos’ 1st Sona

(FILE) Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman

ISABELA CITY, Basilan—Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said he expects to hear during the first State of the Nation (Sona) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a more elaborate articulation of a roadmap to economic recovery, dealing with the pandemic, and sustaining the gains of peace, especially in Mindanao.

Marcos will deliver his Sona before a joint session of Congress on July 25.

Hataman noted that these three issues are the same ones that Marcos had committed to giving priority attention to during the political campaign.

“These were the issues he verbalized several times in his political sorties, and definitely, the Filipino people are expecting these commitments to be his priority policy statements during his first Sona,” Hataman said.

While still a candidate, Marcos said his administration will aspire for a P20-per-kilo price of rice although a strategy on how to achieve this is not yet disclosed.

But among his commitments, Hataman said what is pressing is the peace process.

Hataman noted that what has come out clearly, so far, is the pronouncement of national security adviser Clarita Carlos that ending the communist insurgency will be a key agenda of the Marcos presidency.

But Hataman said there is none spelled out with respect to the Bangsamoro peace process such as the fate of the current set of Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) members.

Congress has extended the BTA’s institutional life up to mid-2025, but its membership may be revamped by the president.

Should Marcos decide to appoint new BTA members, Hataman urged him to compose a screening panel so that those recommended for appointment are chosen based on merit, and not based on political accommodation.

/MUF