Today, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is expected to deliver his first State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.
Highlights
• PBBM arrives at around 3:34pm via the Presidential chopper.
• PBBM enters the holding room, along with select representatives including his son, Rep. Sandro Marcos, at around 3:40pm.
• PBBM enters the Batasan plenary hall shortly before 3:55pm.
• Marcos walks towards the podium with the instrumental version of “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” playing in the background.
• Samiweng Choir of Ilocos Norte National High School sings the National Anthem for this year’s SONA. It is then immediately followed by the nation’s prayer.
• PBBM opens his speech with greetings to Vice President Sara Duterte, former Presidents, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, family members, among others.
• PBBM says his admin will implement “sound fiscal management” and tax reforms; aims to make country more enticing for investments.
• Marcos says tax system will be adjusted; process of paying taxes to also be simplified.
• Customs to also be “streamlined” by incorporating information and communications technology.
• PBBM sets economic targets for the country; claims economic momentum of PH remains strong amidst inflation and COVID-19 pandemic.
• PBBM sets the growth rate of economy at 6.5 to 7.5% this year.
• Marcos projects that there will be “strong economic growth” from 2023 to 2028.
• BBM says peso will end stronger at year-end at P51 to P53 vs. dollar; current exchange stands at P54 to P55.
• PBBM discusses food supply, says the country is confronted by a two-pronged problem.
• Marcos says gov’t will give loans to the agriculture sector to ease their burden amidst current crunch in supply.
• The President says the admin wants to increase production of goods and agricultural products.
• Research on farming to be guided by the Dept. of Agriculture, which PBBM currently leads in the interim
• Modernization of farms, expansion of fisheries, poultry, and hog farms, and post-production and processing to be pushed. Marcos also wants to increase number of farm-to-market roads across the country.
• “Agrarian reform must continue.” — Marcos
• Marcos wants condonation of P58 billion-worth of agrarian reform loans.
• Marcos asks Congress to pass laws that will emancipate agrarian reform beneficiaries.
• He then shifts focus to tourism sector, says it is an important economic tool; aims to boost industry by developing roads and airports.
• Marcos wants to make travel around the country easier.
• PBBM wants to institutionalize creative industry.
• Marcos orders DSWD to immediately give aid to victims of crises and calamities, should they happen. To add more warehouses for relief goods and supplies across the country.
• DSWD, DHUSD to team-up for faster set-up of emergency shelters during crises, calamities.
• List of 4Ps beneficiaries to be reviewed and reformed. Marcos says 1M has graduated from the program.
• Solo parents who fell victim to VAWC to be aided by LGUs.
• In health, Marcos says COVID-19 remains a threat to the country. However, assures people that there shall no longer be COVID lockdowns moving forward.
• In exchange, booster vaccination rollout to be expanded.
• COVID alert level system to remain in place.
• Center for Disease Control to be set-up, an idea first floated by the previous admin. Vaccine Institute to be established as well.
• Marcos wants to open more specialty hospitals like the Philippine Lung Center and Philippine Heart Center across the country.
• Clinics to be set-up in the fringes of rural towns across the archipelago.
• Marcos says his admin has reached out to pharmaceutical companies to open up competition in the local market and eventually help prices of medicine to go down.
• On education, Marcos reiterates his earlier stance that in-person classes in the basic education sector must return this forthcoming school year.
• Booster shots to be encouraged in preparation for the return of in-person classes.
• K-12 program is given a “careful review,” Marcos says. Teachers, meanwhile, will be given refresher courses to update them in sync with current technologies. President adds that children needs more educational tools and internet connectivity.
• Marcos wants country’s ranking in STEM subjects to improve. He also wants medium of instruction in schools should also be reviewed, given that the internet’s language is English.
• Marcos orders DICT to turn gov’t into an “agile bureaucracy.”
• Marcos: Government data to be digitized and harmonized across departments and agencies.
• National ID is highlighted as the President says it will “play important role in digital transformation [of government].”
• Infrastructure projects by Duterte admin to be continued, expanded wherever possible. Marcos says he will not suspend any ongoing infra projects. Spending to also be sustained. Public-private partnership to be explored anew for infra projects.
• Marcos places importance on railway systems, seeks to build upon existing railway infra. He also commits to finish various rail systems and other infra programs across the country.
• In the energy sector, Marcos wants PH to increase level of energy production by building more power plants. Apart from that, he also wants to “take advantage of renewable energy [sources].”
• Marcos says it’s time to reexamine strategy towards nuclear energy sources, says tech has improved, so does standards after the Fukushima incident in 2011.
• System of energy transmission and distribution to be examined.
• On climate change, Marcos says PH is in vulnerable position. Adds disaster resiliency and alerts are a must to minimize effects. Disaster-proof planning for communities to be adapted as well.
• Fresh water supply sources to be explored; DENR, DPWH to also explore partnerships with private sector about water supply.
• Companies exploiting natural resources urged to follow law.
• Dept. of Migrant Workers tasked to tend to OFW needs and their families; wants contract authentication to be digitized and expedited.
• One Repatriation Command Center to be activated for OFWs in crisis.
• Marcos says local authorities in talks with Saudi Arabia to reopen deployment of OFWs there.
• OWWA to educate children of OFWs on aspects like financial literacy and help them enter good institutions.
• Marcos stands firm that he will not “abandon even one square inch of Philippine territory to any foreign power.”
• Marcos: The Philippines shall continue “to be a friend to all, enemy to none.”
• “National interest will be the primordial guide in partnerships and dealings of the Philippines with foreigners.” — Marcos
• Marcos lists down proposed laws that he wants Congress to pass.
- National Government Rightsizing Program – which will abolish, enhance, consolidate, or merge existing offices.
- Budget Modernization Bill – to strengthen fiscal discipline within the government.
- Tax Package III Valuation Bill – establishment of real property value and valuation standards in PH; to create database for transactions and declarations in the country.
- Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act – seeks to reform the taxation of the financial sector and make it “neutral.”
- Creation of eGovernment Masterplan – to digitize government processes.
- E-commerce Law – to effectively regulate transactions online.
- Government unified financial assistance to distressed enterprises – to aid MSMEs who are in dire need of gov’t intervention to assure their continued existence and employment.
- Establishment of Medical Reserve Corps – composed of licensed physicians, medical students who have completed their 4-year courses, registered nurses, licensed allied health professionals.
- National Disease Prevention Management Authority – to create CDC within DOH.
- Virology Institute of the Philippines – transfer of DOST offices concerned with virology to a single office.
- Department of Water Resources – national water resources management and planning.
- Unified system of separation, retirement, and pension
- E-Governance Act
- National Land Use Act
- National Defense Act – to amend 1935 Defense Act
- Mandatory ROTC and NSTP – reinstituting ROTC in Grades 11 and 12.
- Natural gas industry enabling law.
- Amendments to EPIRA
- Amendments to Build-Operate-Transfer law
• Marcos, in the final leg of his speech, says that he understands that what the nation has faced in the past two years is not easy.
• “We will endure, let our Filipino spirit ever remain undimmed.” — Marcos
• Marcos ends his speech at 5:19 pm. His first SONA ran for about 1 hour and 6 minutes.