By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday emphasized that he will highlight the administration’s continuing efforts to address the impact of “external forces” on the country and the Filipino people in his penultimate State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.
In a media interview on the sidelines of the inauguration of Jose B. Lingad Children’s Medical Center at the Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat City, Pampanga on Friday, President Marcos Jr. said he is putting finishing touches on his 5th SONA.
He admitted that while the script is already done “on the whole,” he would probably revise it an hour before he delivers the speech at the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
“I’m never done. Until one hour before the SONA, I’m still changing it, you know, because, of course, we want it to be perfect. But on the whole, yes,” the President said.
“We’re just fixing it up and making sure that it’s not too long or too short, that we have everything that we want to talk about already.”
On what the public can expect in his address on Monday, the Chief Executive said the nation will hear updates on “what has happened since the last SONA” as well as the measures being implemented to help Filipinos cope with global uncertainties.
“I will make sure that people will know all of the things that we have done to navigate this very difficult period in our history, where we are buffeted by all of these external forces,” he said.
Aside from tropical cyclones, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes, the country is also reeling from the impacts of higher fuel and food prices caused by the Middle East crisis, which prompted Marcos Jr. to issue Executive Order 110 declaring a state of national energy emergency and intensify whole-of-government approach to protect vulnerable sectors and cushion the economy against energy emergencies and global shocks.
“Nonetheless our response has been good. And we have had to make adjustments, but those adjustments have been effective and have served their purpose,” the President said.
“And I know that it has helped people weather this storm and continue to weather this storm until things hopefully normalize,” he added.
Malacañang earlier said Marcos Jr.’s 5th SONA will be “simple yet dignified,” with no celebrity directors or star-studded performances.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Chorale has been tapped to sing the Philippine National Anthem, while Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) will direct the program. (with report from Kenneth Paciente / PTV News)
-jpv
