What Grace Poe expects from Aquino’s last Sona

What does President Benigno Aquino III want to pass on to the next leader of this country?

Senator Grace Poe, who is leading the presidential survey for 2016, wants to hear the answer to this question when the President faces the nation this afternoon for his final State of the Nation Address (Sona).

While she expects the President to talk about the accomplishments of his administration during the past five years, Poe said she also wants Aquino to mention in his Sona the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.

It was the lady senator, who led the FOI deliberations at the Senate as chair of the committee on public information and mass media. The bill was approved by the Senate but remains pending at the House of Representatives.

READ: Belmonte says FOI bill to pass before 16th Congress ends

Aside from the FOI bill, Poe said she also wants to hear from the President the real state of the agriculture sector in the country as well as the government’s plan to address the recurring problems of the MRT riders.

READ: ‘Aquino Sona must say sorry for 10 epic MRT/LRT fails’

“Kasi siyempre ang Pangulo matatapos na ang kanyang termino, anong gusto niyang ipasa sa susunod na mamumuno? Ano sa tingin niya ang magiging mabuti sa ating mga kababayan na makakatulong sa lahat, hindi lamang sa iilan,”she said.

(Because the President’s term is about to end, what does he plan to pass on to the next leader? What does he think will improve the lives of the people and benefit everyone, not just the few?)

Poe though recognized the good examples that the President has shown in his five years in office like his “honesty,” which she said should inspire whoever gets elected to replace him next year.

“Para sa akin importante talaga ang ehemplo na pinakita ng ating Pangulo na ang katapatan ay mahalaga, na ang hindi nagnanakaw ay importante sa gobyerno,” she said.

(It is very important for me the example that the President has set which was to put a premium on honesty and the benefits of not stealing while in government.)

“Kaya sa susunod kung sino man ang ihahalal natin, sa tingin ko meron na tayong inspirasyon at gabay. ‘Yun ang gawin nating basehan. Sa tingin ko sa darating na anim na taon, napakahalaga na maipagpatuloy natin ang growth ng ekonomiya pero marami pang kailangan gawin. Tulad ng sektor ng transportasyon at sektor ng agrikultura na sa tingin ko merong onting pagkukulang,” she further said.

(So whoever we will elect, we will already have an inspiration and a guide. We can already use that as basis. I think in the next six years, it will be very important for us to continue economic growth but there also still a lot to be done. The sectors of transportation and agriculture, for example, are still wanting.)

Asked if she has already made a decision about 2016, Poe said: “Wala pa naman (None yet).” IDL