Julie Lyka M.

Ignao Philosophy of Law / Legal Profession

JD 1-4 Atty. Anne Lorraine T. Diokno

President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address 2018

On the 23rd of July this year, President Rodrigo Duterte highlighted the
accomplishments and plans of his administration, with regard to the different
sectors of society, all encapsulated in a brief 45 minutes speech; otherwise
known as the State of the Nation Address. The President, within the span of
two years after being elected, faced numerous backlash for his controversial
policies and demeanor, above all else. It came as a surprise to most of the
spectators that this SONA was somewhat deprived of the usual bravado that
the President often embodies, resulting to a more reserved and straight-forward
manner of delivery.
However, what my main interest is the content of his speech. To put it
frankly, there was no difference on the stance of the President when it came to
the issue of the War on Drugs, in spite of the strong defiance that it had been
gaining from human rights advocates, victims or their families, the religious
sectors and even the International Community. He further emphasized the
need to continue the mission of eradicating drugs for he deems it as an
intergenerational responsibility (an overarching theme which has been evident
throughout the duration of his speech), to quote President Duterte:“Your
concern is human rights, my concern is human lives.”
To him, the meaning of ‘human lives’ lies in the holistic well-being of a
person. Starting with the institution which is expected to cater to a person’s
needs and address the disparities between the classes- the State itself. And
what other issue is more problematic than Corruption? As a response,
speeding up the processes of the different agencies and instrumentalities has
become one of the priorities of this regime. With the passage of the Ease of
Doing Business Act in the Congress, there seems to be high hopes for this goal.
It is also notable that President Duterte urged the respective heads of the
administrative agencies and instrumentalities to strictly implement this for the
betterment of its clients.
Strengthening the regions, other than the National Capital, has been
championed, with emphasis on Mindanao, and the implementation of the
Bangsamoro Organic Law, at any cost. The establishment of a Federal form of
government, through the proposed revision of the current constitution would
support such an aim. The progress of such an act will more likely be subject to
scrutiny as it is still in the works, but, is most likely expected to be fulfilled
before the term of the President ends.
As for the economic aspect of the state, the incumbent administrator still
pursues an Independent Foreign Policy, putting into focus the strengthening of
our democratic ties with neighboring ASEAN countries and the People’s
Republic of China. Tackling the issue of the plight of Filipino fisherfolk on the
disputed West Philippine Sea, he assured that it would be addressed
accordingly. Yet, such a promise to me appears to be vague since he would
switch footing when it comes to such issue.
Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development through radical
change in Mining Operations was also eyed by the President. He went on to
warn these Mining companies to be more responsible or else he would strike
with an iron fist. The creation of a Department on Disaster Management has
also been introduced, but for the reason of practicality, I believe that the
functions of this agency was already embodied by the NDRRMC (National
Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council)
The TRAIN Law also gained traction for its supposed benefit for the
underprivileged members of the society. According to the President, it has
granted unconditional cash transfers to 4 million people and is expected to
increase in the future. As an effect, lowering the price of commodities- in this
instance rice- must be addresed. This goal, according to him, would only be
done through a fidel relationship and scrupulous business interest between the
government and private sector.
Indeed, the past few years showed us only a portion of what would lie
ahead. Given the ambition of the President for this country and the direction
we are heading towards, I can say that the problem lies on the feasibility of
these projects and if we can truly sustain the demands of this drastic change
in the years to come. What worries me also is the constant shift in the political
climate, which contributes to the failure of certain objectives. The challenge
now and for the remaining years is how the governement would successfully
manage the changes it will implement.