MANILA, Philippines — Days before his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Marcos revealed that his speech, tackling programs that he hopes will continue beyond his term, is about 80 percent complete.
Speaking to reporters in Washington last Tuesday, Marcos said he cleared his schedule so he could work on the draft of his address upon his return to the Philippines.
“When I knew that I was coming to the United States to meet with President (Donald) Trump, I cleared my schedule and I said... we’re going to lose four days. We have to make it up,” he noted.
“We’ve been working very hard on it. As soon as I get back, we’ll be working on it again... We’ll be back Wednesday evening. We’ll start work on Thursday. I’m sure we’ll work on it over the weekend,” he added. Marcos expressed confidence that he would catch up on his SONA preparations.
“I think we’ll be all right...The SONA is about 80 percent written. It only requires a little fine-tuning,” he said.
Marcos said his fourth SONA would be different due to changes in the country’s situation.
“The state of the nation today is different from what it was last year and the year before that. Of course, necessarily it will be different,” he pointed out.
“We will be talking about social projects of the government for people in need. We will talk about the programs that we... have initiated and will continue to promote and endorse at the very least, until the end of this term. Hopefully, it will continue after my term,” he added.
Marcos will deliver his fourth SONA on Monday, after the opening of the 20th Congress.
Misjudgment
Marcos also described as a “misjudgment” putting up SONA-related materials in public areas while many communities were battling heavy flooding.
The move was “highly inappropriate” as the government should be responding to the effects of tropical cyclone Crising, he said.
“It was a surprise. I only found out early this morning when I got up. That’s what they’re doing,” he said.
“That is an unfortunate misjudgment on their part. But we’ve corrected it, and I trust it will not happen anymore,” he added.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin earlier said Marcos was dismayed by reports that government personnel were placing SONA-related materials in public areas while many areas were experiencing floods.
“All SONA-related preparations are hereby ordered immediately suspended. The Department of Public Works and Highways, along with all concerned agencies, must put full attention and exclusive focus on flood response and relief operations,” Bersamin said.
“The President’s directive is to focus all efforts on ensuring the safety and welfare of the Filipino people, especially during times of crisis,” he added.
Sara goes to South Korea
Vice President Sara Duterte , meanwhile, yesterday left The Hague, Netherlands for South Korea after over two weeks of visiting her detained father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
The Vice President said she will return to the Philippines in the next few weeks.
“I have a schedule, but I can’t announce it yet… because I don’t have a ticket. Nothing definitive until I have a plane ticket. But I already have a draft schedule for my visit,” she said.
Duterte arrived in The Hague on July 6, leading a campaign demanding her father’s release.
Her father’s common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña will also visit the former president, she noted.
“He told me not to visit him… not to come back. I told him, I can’t because there are so many people waiting outside who want to visit you. They can’t come in. That’s why we’re the ones coming in so we can relay to them whatever you want to say to them,” she said.
From The Hague, Duterte will fly back to the Philippines to board a connecting flight to South Korea, where she will be attending a Filipino community gathering on July 27. The Vice President will not attend Marcos’ fourth SONA on July 28.
Following the onslaught of monsoon rains, a more modest SONA should be conducted by the government, the progressive Akbayan group said.
“This is not the time for pomp. This is the time for empathy, humility and decisive action. Our call to our fellow congressmen: Let us hold SONA simple,” Akbayan party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña said.
He said Marcos should inform the public about where billions of pesos for flood control projects went.
“It is our job to listen and review his report. This is not a fashion gala,” Cendaña stressed.