The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is a constitutional obligation and yearly tradition, during which the president reports on the status of the country, unveils the government’s agenda for the coming year, and proposes to Congress certain legislative measures.
The chief executive appears before Congress upon its invitation, for which purpose a joint session is held in the Session Hall of the House of Representatives. Congress issues tickets, and all preparations are undertaken with Congress as the official host.
The President is mandated under the Constitution to deliver his SONA before a joint session of Congress every fourth Monday of July to report on the status of the country and the government’s agenda in the years to come.
President Duterte gave his fifth SONA on July 27 (Monday), 2020.
Here are the highlights of President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address:
-President Duterte: Media is a powerful tool in the hands of oligarchs like the Lopezes. I am a casualty of the Lopezes during the 2016 elections.
-President Duterte, inatasan ang DSWD at DILG na imbestigahan ang reklamo ng PUV drivers na hindi nakatanggap ng ayuda.
-President Duterte says the COVID-19 vaccine is “around the corner.”
-President Duterte: We will not dodge our obligation to fight for human rights.
-President Duterte: We must fasttrack the economic recovery of the country.
-President Duterte thanks solons on passing Bayanihan to Heal as One Act; urges them to pass Bayanihan to Recover as One Act
-President Duterte: We need to protect our consumers, now more than ever.
-President Duterte: Habulin ang mga online scammer at mga nambibiktima sa internet.
-President Duterte: We have accomplished significant infrastructure projects.
-President Duterte, tiniyak ang mabilis na resulta sa COVID-19 tests.
-President Duterte, umaapela sa China na kasama ang Pilipinas sa mga unang makakuha ng COVID-19 vaccine.
-President Duterte: Hindi papayagan ang face-to-face classes hangga’t walang kasiguraduhan na protektado ang mga estudyante.
-President Duterte: We plan to increase schools with ICT facilities in the coming months.
-President Duterte to telcos: Improve your services before December.
-President Duterte: Martial law in Mindanao ended “without abuses.”
-President Rodrigo Duterte on his #SONA2020 asked government agencies to digitize their transactions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
-President Duterte, nanawagan sa Kongreso na pagtibayin ang death penalty by lethal injection para sa drug-related cases.
-President Duterte, binigyang-diin ang agarang pagbuo ng Department of Disaster Resilience.
-President Duterte, nanawagan na ipasa ang mga panukala na may kaugnayan sa “Plant Plant Plant” Program.
-President Duterte: The Philippines is not a pawn to anyone in the issue of the West Philippine Sea.
-President Duterte: We must utilize the coconut levy for the welfare of our coconut farmers and the development of our coconut industry.
