Marcos’ Sona gets mixed reactions in provinces

MANILA, Philippines —As antimining group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) expressed dismay at President Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) for its silence on environmental protection and the destructive impacts of mining, local leaders hailed the President’s tough talk against corruption, particularly those involving the flood control projects.

Jaybee Garganera, ATM national coordinator, said they “rejected” the President’s Sona over his failure to “address the issues confronting mining-affected communities and the consequent devastation to the environment by expansive and rampant mining operations, including seabed quarrying and offshore mining.”

President Marcos’ Sona also overlooked several urgent social and structural issues, such as comprehensive sex education and the rising HIV cases, and lacked inclusive policies for LGBTQ+ individuals and single parents, said Ninya Sarmiento, an environmental advocate from Oriental Mindoro.

In Pangasinan, Rosendo So, head of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, said it would be impossible for the government to subsidize all the rice requirements of the Filipinos, as the National Food Authority (NFA) already buys local palay at P22 per kilo, and when milled, the NFA rice costs P40 to P42. To sell rice at P20, the NFA will have to buy 14 million metric tons of rice, the Filipinos’ annual consumption, and the government would have to shell out P280 billion, which is next to impossible, So said.

In Zambales, Leonardo Cuaresma, president of the New Masinloc Fishermen Association, said they were dismayed the President did not mention much about his plan for the fisheries sector or anything about the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Cuaresma said fishermen in the province now have to fish within the municipal waters or find other places since they cannot go to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, their traditional fishing ground in the WPS, because of the presence of the Chinese coast guard.

He said the government should continue to assert the country’s rights in the WPS so that they can return to their traditional fishing ground.

Health-care boost

In Cebu, first-time Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said she appreciated that the President mentioned health-care services and what the Filipinos can look forward to, since improving health-care services is her priority, and his position against corruption.

“What stood out is the President’s mention of his anticorruption policies, shaming those who have been taking advantage of budget for projects intended to make the lives of people easier. This is in line with my own anticorruption policies, as I have earlier stressed, that SOPs or kickbacks are definitely not allowed in government programs under my administration. The President has warned against these kind of operations, and I issue the same warning here for Cebu. To all those who will continue to operate in such illegal acts in the province, to borrow the President’s words ‘Mahiya naman kayo,’” Baricuatro said. —Madonna T. Virola, Joanna Rose Aglibot, Michael B. Jaucian, Jhunnex Napallacan