By Digna Banzon/Philippine News Agency
DAVAO CITY — Individuals from various sectors have expressed positive views on the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, even as they voiced optimism that the administration’s visions for the next three years would be fulfilled.
Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) executive director Stephen Antig said “the President’s instruction to certain agencies and Department Secretaries are laudable”.
“Hopefully improvements will really be introduced” before the President’s term ends in 2022, Antig said.
However, Antig voiced reservations on the creation of new agencies such as the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, pointing out that the country already has agencies for OFWs such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
“Creating a new office might just be a duplication,” he said.
Dr. Adrian Tamayo, public relations head of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), described the President’s plans and programs as “viable, practical, and implementable within the remainder of his term.”
“In most of his words and statements, his care for his people is evident,” Tamayo said.
He added that the President made sure that the public “understands his decisions relating to his policy on the West Philippine Sea.”
Tamayo said the fourth SONA is marked by Duterte’s “brand of leadership” in that it reiterated the urgency of addressing corruption, public accountability, the threat of drugs to the society, and the need to create a better environment for investment.
He also noted the President’s directives to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) of making sure that permits and transactions are completed within prescribed periods.
The MinDa official said the agency also expects the remaining three years of the administration will see the passage of the National Land Use Act.
“The Land Use Act is necessary to update and identify land that can be used by investors and or development planning as well as disaster preparation at various levels making the work of government integrated,” he said.
On the part of MinDA, Tamayo said the agency through the leadership of Atty. Nathaniel Dalumpines will continue advocating for a bigger budget to fund essential peace and development programs on the island.
In particular, he said MinDa will push for more investments in strategic infrastructure that would connect all regions in the island to other parts of the country and the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area).
Meanwhile, Philippine Cultural and Civic Center of Wisconsin Executive Director Gerry Ramos said he was elated with the President’s commitment against graft and corruption.
“The President is doing great things for the country but the system needs to be corrected and hard work has to be done on graft and corruption, which is all over the place,” Ramos said.
“What I also like that is happening in the Philippines is the campaign about drugs because drugs not only affect the users but the family as well,” he added.
Soling Luna, a domestic helper from this city, said he was happy that the President pointed out the inefficiency at the Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Luna said her son acquired a small property out of his earnings as an overseas worker in Bahrain, but the BIR and LRA failed to process the transfer of title of the property for several years now.
“I need to go back several times to comply with additional requirements,” she said.
Duterte has instructed LRA, BIR, and other government agencies to simplify the requirements to serve the transacting public better and faster.
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