SONA: Duterte to unveil COVID-19 recovery map

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is expected to unveil a pandemic recovery roadmap during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Malacañang said yesterday.

Duterte will deliver his penultimate SONA on Monday as the government finds ways to revive the economy, which is reeling from lockdowns due to COVID-19.

More than 70,000 people have been infected by the virus, which some economists said has dragged the Philippines into a recession in the first half of the year.

“I think there’s no other problem as big as COVID right now, and you can imagine that the upcoming State of the Nation Address will discuss this pandemic in much detail,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque told CNN Philippines.

“But I think the difference will be, he will be presenting now a roadmap for recovery, which actually, if you’ve noticed, the economic team has not unveiled yet. And I think the reason is they want to unveil it during the SONA itself and in many fora after the SONA,” he added.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Duterte would deliver his address in a chamber separate from lawmakers and guests.

“He will be addressing the nation from the same podium, but for the safety of all the members of Congress and the employees of the House, he will deliver his SONA in a chamber that will not be filled by the legislators, officials and dignitaries that usually attend this function,” Nograles said during a pre-SONA forum yesterday.

“Many of us will notice the changes but the importance of the speech will not change... Such a report is more important now, more than ever, as the government works to chart a safe course for our country as it navigates through unfamiliar and uncertain times,” he added.

Scaled down

This year’s SONA will be different from the past as the number of officials allowed to participate will be limited to around a hundred.

“The preparations have been scaled down because only very few officials will be coming. This is to protect the health and safety of those who will attend the SONA,” House secretary-general Joel Montales said.

“We did a simulation on the plenary, which is a big venue, and we can accommodate everyone without compromising the security and safety of everybody. Everyone has to sacrifice to make this work,” Montales said.

From the House contingent, the leadership has allowed a total of 25 congressmen led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, his wife Lani, Deputy Speakers LRay Villafuerte and Raneo Abu, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante.

Also attending are Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin Remulla and Reps. Mike Defensor, Elpidio Barzaga, Eric Go Yap, Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, Franz Alvarez, Janette Garin.

While Duterte is expected to deliver his address before a joint session of Congress on July 27, delivering SONAs remotely is not unprecedented as the late president Elpidio Quirino had done it from Johns Hopkins Hospital in the US in the ’50s.

House officials refused to give other details like security arrangements, but attendees are required to observe health protocols.

“Wearing of face masks will be mandatory all the time. Those entering the session hall will be required to wear face shields. Social distancing, one-way travel direction and submission of health declarations will be done,” House deputy decretary general Ramon Ricardo Roque said.

Apart from this, all those who want to attend physically – senators, congressmen, Cabinet secretaries – will have to undergo mandatory swab test on July 26 and rapid test on July 27 or on the day of SONA itself.

Retired police general and House sergeant-at-arms Ramon Apolinario said the 16-hectare Batasan complex will be on lockdown starting July 24.

There will be about 500 personnel from the Presidential Security Group (PSG), House security, medical and fire teams, Apolinario said.

He said jamming of cellphone signals may not be done this year as the country is under a general public health emergency.

“At this point, the PSG is not recommending it,” Apolinario said.

Protest

In what could be a preview of the anti-SONA protest, workers yesterday trooped to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) office in Intramuros to express their dismay over the government’s failure to address their plight.

Workers from different labor organizations walked and rode to the DOLE, but they were prevented by police officers from getting near the building.

“Duterte’s mishandling of the pandemic resulted in the increase of COVID-19 cases and caused job and livelihood losses among ordinary workers. The few who have gone back to work have to travel in hazardous conditions,” Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chairman Elmer Labog said.

He said the displacement of workers was compounded by a “discriminatory” policy of preventing jeepneys from operating again.

Instead of providing jobs, Labog said the Duterte government did not renew the franchise of television network ABS-CBN, resulting in the termination of 11,000 workers by end of August.

The workers criticized the insufficient resources allotted for wage subsidies and other social protection programs available for workers.

They said when Dutere was seeking the presidency, he vowed to end contractualization, but four years into his term there is still no law against the illegal employment scheme.

The workers also hit alleged efforts of the administration to repress trade unionism in the country. – Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin