‘Comprehensive, forward-looking’: Senators pleased with Marcos’ 2nd Sona

MANILA, Philippines — After President Bongbong Marcos delivered his second State of the Nation Address (Sona), four senators, in separate statements, praised the report by calling it “comprehensive.”

Among these lawmakers was Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri who stated that Marcos “gave a very comprehensive assessment of his first year in office.”

“Overall, I feel that the President has a full grasp of the true state of the nation, and he is on track and focused on his priorities. The country is in good hands. With that, our people can expect better days ahead,” said Zubiri.

Senator Sonny Angara likewise described Marcos’ address as “comprehensive” and “forward-looking.” Echoing Zubiri’s statement, Angara said the President’s speech “covered all the important issues facing the nation now.”

But the lawmaker specifically praised the inclusion of the Tatak Pinoy bill in Marcos’ list of priority measures.

“Tatak Pinoy has been an advocacy of ours since 2019 and we have been working non-stop in the past year to craft the current bill, which we are now in the process of hearing in preparation for its deliberation in plenary,” Angara said.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, on the other hand, called Marcos’ speech “optimistic and resolute.”

“Optimistic and resolute is how I would describe the President’s Sona. As Chairperson of the Senate committee on labor and employment, I am pleased to learn about the emphasis placed on further improving employment opportunities for our kababayans and creating a better working environment for our overseas Filipino workers,” said Estrada.

Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito said that Marcos’ second Sona proved that the President’s message of unity was “never a mere abstraction or campaign slogan.”

“Presented with the Marcos administration’s recent accomplishments in various areas of development, we were given a glimpse of how far our unity as a government and as a people has taken us,” said Ejercito.

The President’s more than hour-long speech in his Sona has been criticized by progressive groups and netizens alike for not including various key issues affecting the Philippines.

Some of these include Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or Pogos; the International Criminal Court’s ruling, authorizing an investigation into the bloody drug war; the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea; and press freedom.

President Marcos on Tuesday also admitted that his second Sona was “lacking” and that there was so much to go through, but he also stated that most of the issues he wanted to ponder on were discussed.

RELATED STORIES

Present ‘battle plan’ for nation in Sona, lawmakers tell Marcos

Sona report card: Hits, misses from Bongbong Marcos’ 2022 promises

je