Informing Power is one of the powers of the President.

It has been enshrined in

the 1987 Philippine Constitution Article VII Section 23 that the President shall address
the Congress at the opening of its regular session.

Thus, the purpose of the State of Nation Address (SONA) of the President is to
inform the Congress about the state of the country and for the nation’s leader to
recommend to the legislature the measures which he deems important.

In this paper, I am going to make a reaction and comment with respect to the
plans of the President for the Philippines. The recently concluded SONA focuses on
the following plans: restoration of the death penalty, establishment of the Department
of Overseas Filipino; issue on West Philippine Sea as well as the passage of the new
Salary Standardization Law that will raise the pay of government workers, including
public school teachers.

With regards to the restoration of death penalty in the Philippines, President

Duterte wanted to include plunder as one of the crimes to be punishable for death
penalty. This has always been the desire of the President Duterte, which is I believe it
is achievable basically because according to the SWS survey majority or 59 % of the
Filipinos favoured on the restoration of the death penalty. Moreover, due to the
occurrence of heinous crimes as well plunder in the Philippines, it is about time to
return back the death penalty in our justice system.

On the establishment of Department of Overseas Filipino, during the

President’s 4th SONA he said that his administration wants to ensure the welfare
protection and the access to government services of those Filipinos who works abroad.
This measure is achievable because it has a good intention with regards to the welfare
of our fellow Filipinos who choose to work abroad despite of the consequence that
they are far away from their families, and I believe that it is about time to prioritize
their welfare most especially those OFWs who are in the death row.

On the issue on West Philippine Sea, Duterte explained that it is better that he
resolve the issue in a “peaceful way.” He said “more and better results can be reached
in the privacy of a conference room than in a squabble in public.” He further explained
that the West Philippine Sea issue is a complex one. I agree with Pesident Duterte that
it is better to resolve in a peaceful way because if we choose the other way, the
Philippines is not capable considering the military status of the country.

On the passage of the new Salary Standardization Law, it is highly achievable

because it is about time to prioritize the salary of the public school teachers who serves
as a second parents to the students. They also instil and cure the ignorance of our
young people. It is about time to give back and give what they deserve considering
the noble job that they are performing.
 President Duterte’s administrationaimed towards the eradication of illegal
drugs in the country. The president did so well with respect to the said matter because
drug related cases were lessen but the issue on extra-judicial killings increased. On the
Build, Build, Build Program of the President it was a great help towards the economic
growth of the country. Worthy to mention was the construction of the Candon by-
pass road which is I believe it has a great help towards the economic growth and
tourism of the Province of Ilocos Sur.

NICOLE P. GARCIA
BA Political Science A