Donna Mae Alaga 
“We do have control; we are doing everything we can.” – PBBM
President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr, also known as PBBM, began his second State of the Nation Address last July 24, 2023, at the House of Representatives, Batasan, Quezon City.
He begins by applauding the beyond-the-target 6% annual overall growth rate made possible by “strong local demands.., consumer spending, and gross strength from the BPO industry, and …steady flow of remittances and continuous jobs recovery.”
He sure is trying to do as much as aligned to his 16 priority legislations gestured towards the PH Congress as follows:
- Excise tax measures on single-use plastic
- VAT (Value Added Tax) on digital services
- Rationalization of mining fiscal regime
- Motor vehicle users charge
- Road users’ tax
- Military and uniformed personnel pension
- Amendment of Fisheries Code
- Amendment of the anti-agricultural smuggling act
- Amendment of the Cooperative Code
- New government Procurement law
- New government Auditing Code
- Anti-financial accounts scamming
- Blue Economy Law
- Ease of paying taxes
- LGU income classifications
- Philippine Immigration Act
Unlike the main character in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” he could have been piling up wishlists if this did not end well right before it started. We don’t have another multiverse; it as a canon event (in Gen Z’s terms), is something we should actively interfere in with intense vigilance.
In his an hour and 17 minutes SONA, PBBM highlighted “investments in public infrastructures, and in the capacity of our people through food, education, health, jobs, and social protection” as our top priority.
Build better and more
In the middle part of his SONA, PBBM recognized he crucial role of infrastructure development as a driver of economic growth. He claimed that the 8.3 trillion pesos build-better-and-more program is “in progress and being vigorously implemented”.
Agriculture, Food, and Water Security
PBBM realized his Executive Order No. 4 or the Agrarian Emancipation Act through which 600 beneficiaries will be excused from their land loan debts.
Surprisingly, despite negative clamor on rice prices in local markets, PBBM insists on continuing the expansion of Kadiwa throughout our country. Ironically, “calibrated importation” is still not out of the picture incongruent to the goal of boosting local agricultural production.
“Our Fisheries Code must be revised with corporate and science-based analysis in determination of fishing areas,” PBBM said. He added that such should be the case to achieve harmony between sustainable upheaval and environmental balance.
“Water security deserves a special focus,” PBBM remarked. Thus, he hoped to pass the creation of the Department of Water Resource Management as overseer of handling water as our “most precious resource.”
Health and Post-Pandemic Climate
PBBM redirects his attention to medical and nursing education programs, the Pilot Stamp program, and the COVID Health Emergency allowance to accommodate cohesive transition in the post-pandemic scene. He also added that over 2,000 Konsulta Centers throughout the country could offer free specialized medical treatments to the indigent in need.
Education Recovery
With Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte spearheading the Department of Education (DepEd), PBBM stressed that “learning recovery is at the forefront of our education agenda” compartmented in his “Matatag” agenda. He added that 50% of 4.1 M enrolled college students in 2022 are beneficiaries of the Universal Quality Tertiary Education Program.
K-10 curriculum review and Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) were some of the contents of healing the education system blemished by the COVID pandemic. He added that 1/3 of more than a million students graduating from TVET in 2022 are Technical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) scholars.
Jobs Revolutionalization
PBBM did not fail to recognize that 11.7% of Filipinos are still unemployed. Thus, he urges that job mismatch needs a multifaceted interaction of government, labor, and academe management. He added that the 14,000 unpaid Overseas Filipino Workers in Saudi Arabia will be compensated as soon as possible.
Social Protection
PBBM proudly placated that the Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF) will never add another burden to Filipinos by ensuring that funds for social security and public insurance will “remain intact and separate.” He adds that a group of internationally recognized economic managers will monitor sound financial management free from local political influence.
In a different light, PBBM claimed that 500,000 Filipino households were provided access to electricity. He also aimed for full household electrification by the end of his term.
Miscellaneous undertakings
“Foreign investments are a friend to all and an enemy to none,” PBBM uttered. He awarded 126 renewable energy contracts open for foreign investments to further boost up to 31,000 MW energy capacity.
With the learnings from the aftermath of the war between Ukraine and Russia causing widespread disruption in oil supply, PBBM wishes to put a step forward for gas exploration alongside the help of Bangsamoro Autonomic Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARRM). He believed that the onset of green and blue economies are prerequisite to climate action.
Research development will be enhanced through the Balik Scientist Program which aims to capacitate and fund Filipino scientists as they continue to harness science and innovation in their specific fields within our country instead of foreign territories.
PBBM sees digitalization as an alternative to deterring graft and corruption in our government.
PBBM presents a new face of the campaign on illegal drug contrary to the controversial and vexing ways of his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, by employing “community-based treatment and intervention, education, reintegration” against drug dependency. In addition, the BIDA of “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Aywan” aims to curb the apalling network of drug operations.
Though he finishes with a reassuring remark that his SONA as “sound and improving,” we should not let our guard down. We may have high hopes for “Dumating na po ang bagong Pilipinas (the new face of the Philippines has arrived),” our confidence should remain not on the words but on the outcomes of his desired prospects for our nation.
